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Electrical Symbols & Electronic Symbols

Electrical symbols and electronic circuit symbols are used for drawing schematic diagram.
The symbols represent electrical and electronic components.

Table of Electrical Symbols

Symbol Component name Meaning
Wire Symbols

Electrical Wire Conductor of electrical current

Connected Wires Connected crossing

Not Connected Wires Wires are not connected

Switch Symbols and Relay Symbols

SPST Toggle Switch Disconnects current when open

SPDT Toggle Switch Selects between two connections

Pushbutton Switch (N.O) Momentary switch - normally open

Pushbutton Switch (N.C) Momentary switch - normally closed

DIP Switch DIP switch is used for onboard configuration

SPST Relay
Relay open / close connection by an electromagnet

SPDT Relay

Jumper Close connection by jumper insertion on pins.

Solder Bridge Solder to close connection

Ground Symbols

Earth Ground Used for zero potential reference and electrical shock protection.

Chassis Ground Connected to the chassis of the circuit

Digital / Common Ground

 Resistor Symbols

Resistor (IEEE)
Resistor reduces the current flow.

Resistor (IEC)

Potentiometer (IEEE)
Adjustable resistor - has 3 terminals.

Potentiometer (IEC)

Variable Resistor / Rheostat (IEEE)

Adjustable resistor - has 2 terminals.
Variable Resistor / Rheostat (IEC)

Trimmer Resistor Preset resistor

Thermistor Thermal resistor - change resistance when temperature changes

Photoresistor / Light dependent

Photo-resistor - change resistance with light intensity change
resistor (LDR)

Capacitor Symbols

Capacitor
Capacitor is used to store electric charge. It acts as short circuit with AC and open
circuit with DC.
Capacitor

Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic capacitor

Polarized Capacitor Electrolytic capacitor

Variable Capacitor Adjustable capacitance

Inductor / Coil Symbols

Inductor Coil / solenoid that generates magnetic field

Iron Core Inductor Includes iron

Variable Inductor

Power Supply Symbols

Voltage Source Generates constant voltage

Current Source Generates constant current.

AC Voltage Source AC voltage source

Generator Electrical voltage is generated by mechanical rotation of the generator

Battery Cell Generates constant voltage

Battery Generates constant voltage

Controlled Voltage Source Generates voltage as a function of voltage or current of other circuit element.

Controlled Current Source Generates current as a function of voltage or current of other circuit element.

Meter Symbols

Voltmeter Measures voltage. Has very high resistance. Connected in parallel.

Ammeter Measures electric current. Has near zero resistance. Connected serially.

Ohmmeter Measures resistance

Wattmeter Measures electric power

Lamp / Light Bulb Symbols

Lamp / light bulb

Lamp / light bulb Generates light when current flows through

Lamp / light bulb

Diode / LED Symbols

Diode Diode allows current flow in one direction only - left (anode) to right (cathode).

Allows current flow in one direction, but also can flow in the reverse direction when
Zener Diode
above breakdown voltage

Schottky Diode Schottky diode is a diode with low voltage drop

Varactor / Varicap Diode Variable capacitance diode

Tunnel Diode

Light Emitting Diode (LED) LED emits light when current flows through

Photodiode Photodiode allows current flow when exposed to light

Transistor Symbols
NPN Bipolar Transistor Allows current flow when high potential at base (middle)

PNP Bipolar Transistor Allows current flow when low potential at base (middle)

Darlington Transistor Made from 2 bipolar transistors. Has total gain of the product of each gain.

JFET-N Transistor N-channel field effect transistor

JFET-P Transistor P-channel field effect transistor

NMOS Transistor N-channel MOSFET transistor

PMOS Transistor P-channel MOSFET transistor

Misc. Symbols

Motor Electric motor

Transformer Change AC voltage from high to low or low to high.

Electric bell Rings when activated

Buzzer Produce buzzing sound

Fuse
The fuse disconnects when current above threshold. Used to protect circuit from
high currents.
Fuse

Bus

Bus Contains several wires. Usually for data / address.

Bus

Optocoupler / Opto-isolator Optocoupler isolates connection to other board

Loudspeaker Converts electrical signal to sound waves

Microphone Converts sound waves to electrical signal

Operational Amplifier Amplify input signal

Schmitt Trigger Operates with hysteresis to reduce noise.

 Analog-to-digital converter (ADC) Converts analog signal to digital numbers

Digital-to-Analog converter (DAC) Converts digital numbers to analog signal

Crystal Oscillator Used to generate precise frequency clock signal

Direct current Direct current is generated from constant voltage level

Antenna Symbols

Antenna / aerial
Transmits & receives radio waves
Antenna / aerial

Dipole Antenna Two wires simple antenna

Logic Gates Symbols

NOT Gate (Inverter) Outputs 1 when input is 0

AND Gate Outputs 1 when both inputs are 1.

NAND Gate Outputs 0 when both inputs are 1. (NOT + AND)

OR Gate Outputs 1 when any input is 1.

NOR Gate Outputs 0 when any input is 1. (NOT + OR)

XOR Gate Outputs 1 when inputs are different. (Exclusive OR)

D Flip-Flop Stores one bit of data

Multiplexer / Mux 2 to 1
Connects the output to selected input line.

Multiplexer / Mux 4 to 1

Demultiplexer / Demux 1 to 4 Connects selected output to the input line.

See also

Electrical components

Electrical units

Capacitor

Resistor
 Inductor

Current

Voltage

Ohm's law

Switch symbols

Ground symbols

Resistor symbols

Capacitor symbols

Diode symbols

Transistor symbols

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