Département technique IESN

Technical English
Part 5
Electrical Wiring Diagrams

1 AUTO, English course Justine De Witte

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2023-24 Stéphanie Hayen
1. Introduction

What is a Wiring Diagram?

How would you describe what a wiring diagram is, in your own words?

A wiring diagram is a simple visual representation of the physical connections and physical layout of an
electrical system or circuit. It shows how the electrical wires are interconnected and can also show where
fixtures and components may be connected to the system.

2. Examples of wiring diagrams

Basing yourself on the following diagrams, how would translate the
following terms?
Va et vient:2 Way swithswitch
Interrupteur swithSwitch
Navette: Traveler
Fil électrique phase: Phase wireWire
Fil électrique Terre: Ground
Neutral wire
Fil électrique neutre:
=> the electric current flows through the building in a
cable. The cable contains 2 or 3 wires. These are
normally: Blue or Brown are Neutral, Red is Live
(phase), Yellow and Green are Earth (ground)

Raccordement : Connection

Branchement: Connection
Minuterie: TIMER
BP (bouton poussoir): PUSH BUTTON
Liaison équipotentielle:

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3. Standard Wiring Diagram Symbols1

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Standard Wiring Diagram Symbols. Match the words with their
description :
Diode - Resistor - Transformer - Electrical grounding - Junction box - Surge protector - Inductor - Circuit breaker -
Toggle switch - Fuse - Wire - Line hop.
Word Description Translation

Wire conducts current Fil électrique

Fusible

fuse disconnects when current exceeds a Fusible

certain amount

swithswitch stops the flow of current when open interrupteur

Capacitor used to store electric charge condanssateur

Push buttonButton switch momentarily allows current flow Bouton poussoir
when button is pushed in, breaks
current when released
Battery stores electric charge and generates a batterie
constant voltage

resistor restricts current flow Resistance

Circuit breaker used to protect a circuit from an Disjoncteur
overload of current

inductor a coil that generates a magnetic field inducteur

Antenna transmits and receives radio waves antenne

transformer changes AC voltage from high to low Transformateur

or vice versa

diode allows current to flow in one diode

direction indicated by an arrowhead
or triangle on the wire

Surge protector used to protect a circuit from a spike Parasurtenseur

in voltage

When two lines must cross in an pontage

engineering diagram. Also called
« bridge ».
enclosure housing electrical Coffret électrique
connections
Thermostat a device that regulates the Thermostat
temperature of a molecular system

Process of directing excess electricity Mise à la terre

to the ground via a wire

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4. Other useful vocabulary
a) To what do the following images correspond?
Image English term Translation

Electrical service panel

Circuit breacker Disjoncteur

swith Interrupteur

Plug outcle

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 Image English term Translation

fuse

Fuse box

a)

b) And a few more words that you might need…

French English

Alimentation Power supply

Conducteurs Conductive

Brancher To plug in

Centrale nucléaire Nuclear power plant

Courant alternatif Ac (alternating current)
Courant continu Dc(direct courant )
Denude stripped

Tension voltage
Prise multiple adaptor
Four-socket adaptor

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 Variateurs Dimmer

Allumer éteindre To switch on/off

surchage Overload

Surtension overcurrent
Disjoncteur différentiel de fuite à la terre Ground fault
bobine Coil

c) From all the electrician memes present in this chapter, which one is
your favourite? :-)

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c)

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