Basic Elements in Electrical Wiring

Service Mains, Meter -Board, Distribution -Board

The conductors which bring electrical energy from

the nearest pole carrying the secondary
distribution system to the consumer’s premises are
known as the service mains.
The length of these lines run from poles to the
meter board of the premises.
For all domestic requirements, only single phase
supply is required and hence only two wires are
used forthe service mains, one is the phase wire
and the other is the neutral wire.
 METERBOARD AND DISTRIBUTION BOARD

There are two types of service mains:

1. Overhead service mains
2. Underground service mains
 Service mains
Supply is taken through service mains, fuse and to the
input terminal of the energy meter which is fixed in a
wooden or Galvanized Iron (GI) or Mild Steel (MS).
The main switch which is used to switch ON or switch
OFF the supply to the building is provided next to the
energymeter and the output terminals of the
energymeter are connected as input terminals of the
main switch.
The output terminals of the main switch are connected to
the distribution board.
The main switch is usually an IronClad Double Pole
(ICDP) switch.
 Distribution Board

The distribution board is a rectangular box made

of seasonal wood or Galvanized Iron (GI) or Mild
Steel (MS).
In addition to the main switch, two bus bars are
fixed, one is the neutral bus bar and the other is the
phase bus bar.
The domestic load is distributed to various sub-
circuits from the distribution board.
Brief Discussion on Concealed Conduit Wiring
 Concealed Wiring

In this system PVC (polyvinyl chloride) or VIR

(Vulcanized India Rubber) cables are run through
metallic or PVC pipes providing good protection
against mechanical injury and fire due to short circuit.
They are either embedded inside the walls or supported
over the walls, and are known as concealed wiring or
surface conduit wiring (open conduit) respectively.
The conduits are buried inside the walls and the wires
are drawn through them.
The system is best suited for public buildings,
industries and workshops.
This type of system is adopted in all urban construction.
 Advantages and Dis Advantages

Advantages:
 No risk of fire and good protection against mechanical injury.
 The lead and return wires can be carried in the same tube.
 Earthing and continuity is assured.
 Waterproof and trouble shooting is easy.
 Durable and maintenance free.
 Aesthetic in appearance.
 The weather conditions cannot effect on this system
Disadvantages:
 Very expensive system of wiring.
 Requires good skilled workmanship.
 Erection is quiet complicated and is time consuming.
 Risk of short circuit under wet conditions (due to condensation of
water in tubes).
 Alternations are difficult.
 Finding fault is difficult.
 Auditorium Wiring
 The system shall operate as a manually preset, digitally controlled,
multiplexed, microprocessor based system that allows control and
dimming of auditorium (house) and stage lighting by a lighting
technician at the portable control console.
 House lights may also be controlled and dimmed at the back stage
remote control station.
 The overall lighting scheme is pre planned by the lighting director. The
lighting technician programs the lighting scheme into the system.
 1. An assignment of dimmer to channel is programmed utilizing the
electronic patch panel.
 2. The level values of each dimmer are also programmed.
 3. The patch panel allows preview of all assignments (dimmers
assigned to channel, channels that dimmer is assigned to, dimmer level
value).
 4. A library cassette player/recorder allows lighting schemes to be
stored on cassette for future use.
 The control console is then used to control and dim lighting through
the dimmer board according to the lighting scheme.
Stair Case Wiring
 Stair Case Wiring

Two way switching is most commonly found on staircase

and long corridors.
It consist of two, two-way switches. A two-way switch
operates always in one of the two possible positions.
 Let the position of switch S1 be at 1 and that of switch S2
at 3, thus the circuit is closed and bulb glows.
 A person changes the position of S1 from 1 to 2 and of S2
remain at position 3, the circuit continuity is opened and
the bulb goes off.
Positional changes of S1 and S2 and the condition of lamp
is tabulated.
Two lamps Controlled By two lamps
 Electric shock: precautions against shock

A sudden agitation of the nervous system of a body,

due to the passage of an electric current is called an
electric shock.
There are several causes that have been detected to
cause electric shock such as:
Fault in electric wires
Exposed wires
Wet wire
Open electric sockets
 Factors of Shock

The factors affecting the severity of the shock are:-

Magnitude of current passing through the body.
 Path of the current passing through the body
 Time for which the current is passed through the
body.
Frequency of current.
Physical condition of the person
 First aid against shock

Carry the affected person and lay him in a comfortable

position and call the doctor immediately
Do not make crowd round and let patient get fresh air
Look for stoppage of breathing.
 Start giving him artificial respiration if breathing is stopped.
 Don't give anything to the person to drink when the person
is unconscious.
The artificial respiration to be continued till doctor or for
few some more time.
The burns caused due to electric shock should be covered
with sterile dressing and then bandaged
 Precautions against shock

Electric shock can be avoided or prevented. Follow

the recommended practices listed below.
Faulty installation
Improper grounding
 Maintenance of electrical equipment.
 Precautions against shock

1. Ground all electrical equipment and the work piece.

Prevent accidental electrical shocks. Connect power
source, control cabinets, and work piece to an approved electrical
ground. The work lead is not aground lead. It is
used to complete the welding circuit. A separate connection is
required to ground the work; or the work lead
terminal on the power source may be connected to ground. Do
not mistake the work lead for a ground connection.
2. Use the correct cable size. Sustained overloading will
cause cable failure and result in possible electrical shock
or fire hazard. Work cable should be the same rating as the torch
cable.
 Precautions against shock

3. Make sure all electrical connections are tight, clean,

and dry. Poor electrical connections can heat up, and
even melt. They can also cause bad welds and produce dangerous
arcs and sparks. Do not allow water, grease, or
dirt to accumulate on plugs, sockets, or electrical units.
4. Keep dry. Moisture and water can conduct electricity.
To prevent shock, it is advisable to keep work areas,
equipment, and clothing dry at all times. Fix water leaks
immediately. Make sure that you are well insulated. Wear
dry gloves, rubber-soled shoes, or stand on a dry board or
platform.
 Precautions against shock

5. Keep cables and connectors in good condition. Improper or

worn electrical connections can cause short
circuits and can increase the chance of an electrical shock. Do not use
worn, damaged, or bare cables.
6. Avoid open-circuit voltage. Open-circuit voltage can cause
electric shock. When several welders are working
with arcs of different polarities, or when using multiple alternating-
current machines, the open-circuit voltages can
be additive. The added voltages increase the severity of the shock hazard.
7. Wear insulated gloves when adjusting equipment. Power
should be shut off and insulated gloves should be
worn when making any equipment adjustment to assure shock protection
 Various circuit protective devices – Fuses, MCB

Equipment applied to electric power systems to detect

abnormal and intolerable conditions and to initiate
appropriate corrective actions.
These devices include lightning arresters, surge protectors,
fuses, and relays with associated circuit breakers and so forth.
From time to time, disturbances in the normal operation of a
system occur.
These may be caused by natural phenomena, such as
lightning, wind, or snow; by falling objects such as trees; by
animal contacts;
Accidental means traceable to reckless drivers, inadvertent
acts by plant maintenance personnel, or other acts of humans
 Various circuit protective devices – Fuses, MCB

Protective devices must therefore be installed to

ensure continuity of electrical service, to limit injury
to people,
and to limit damage to equipment when problem
situations develop.
Protective devices are applied commensurately with
the degree of protection desired or felt necessary for
the particular system
 Protective devices

The various types of protective devices used in

domestic wiring are:
1. Fuse
2. Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB)
3. Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)
4. Residual current circuit breaker (RCCCB)
5. Earthing
 Earthing

The main reason for doing earthing in electrical

network is for the safety.
When all metallic parts in electrical equipments are
grounded then if the insulation inside the
equipments fails there are no dangerous voltages
present on the equipment case.
Purpose of Earthing:
Safety for Human life/ Building/Equipments: