ELECTRICAL INSTALLATION

CHAPTER ONE (1)

1. Introduction to Electrical Systems Design

Mandefro Teshome (M.Sc)

Lecturer at school of Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Haramaya Institute of Technology
Haramaya University
 1.1. Distribution System
• The distribution system is that part which connects
the distribution substations to the consumers ' service
-entrance equipment.
• The primary distribution lines are usually in the range
of 4 to 34.5 kV and supply the load in a well-defined
geographical area.
• Some small industrial customers are served directly
by the primary feeders.
 Cont’d
• The secondary distribution network reduces the
voltage for utilization by commercial and residential
consumers.
• Lines and cables not exceeding a few hundred feet in
length then deliver power to the individual
consumers.
• The secondary distribution serves most of the
customers at levels of 220V. single –phase three-
wire;
 Cont’d
And 380 V, three -phase, four-wire.
• The power for a typical home is derived from a
transformer that reduces the primary feeder voltage to
220 V using a three-wire line.
• Distribution systems are both overhead and
underground.
• The growth of underground distribution has been
extremely rapid and as much as 70 percent of new
residential construction is served underground.
 Cont’d
• Each substation feeds its local load area by means of
primary distribution feeders, some operating at 15
Kv.

• Ordinarily, primary feeders are one to five miles in

length; in rural sections where demands for electricity
are relatively light and scattered, they are sometimes
as long as 10 or 12 miles.
 Cont’d
• These circuits are usually carried on poles; but in the
more densely built-up sections, underground conduits
convey the cables, or the cable may be buried directly
in the ground.

• Distribution transformers connect to the primary

distribution lines.
 Cont’d
• These transformers step down the primary voltage
from 15000 volts as the case may be, to
approximately 380 volts or 220 volts for distribution
over secondary mains to the consumer’s service.

• The lines which carry the energy at utilization voltage

from the transformer to consumer’s services are
called secondary distribution mains and may be found
overhead or underground.
 Cont’d
• In the case of transformers supplying large amounts
of electrical energy to individual consumers, no
secondary mains are required.

• Such consumers are railroads, large stores, and

factories.

• The service wires or cables are connected directly to

these transformers.
 Cont’d
• Transformers may also serve a number of consumers
and secondary mains; they are located in practically
every street in the area served by utility companies.
 Cont’d

Figure. Typical distribution system showing

component parts.
 Cont’d
• Services and meters link the distribution system and
the consumer’s wiring.

• Energy is tapped from the secondary mains at the

nearest location and carried by the service wires to
the consumer’s building.
 Cont’d

• As it passes on to operate the lights, motors, and

various appliances supplied by the house wiring, it is
measured by a highly accurate device known as the
watt-hour meter.

• The watt-hour meter represents the cash register of

the utility company.
 1.2. Riser Diagram
(Distribution Layout)
• The interconnection among the main components of a
distribution system are easily shown on a riser
diagram.

• A riser diagram depends on the type of a building

(residential, commercial or industrial).

• A riser diagram shows only the main components.

 Cont’d
• The figure on the next slide shows a riser diagram for
a residential building.

• For a G+1 villa, the ground floor can get its power
from the MDB and the upper floor is supplied from
the SDB.
Cont’d
 Cont’d
• The service entrance cable taps power from the utility
company.

• Then there is a self-contained meter.

• Another service cable runs to the MDB. The MDB

has a main switch.
 Cont’d
• Different loads are connected to the MDB.

• The branch circuits are usually for general purpose

power circuits and lighting.

• An SDB (sub distribution board) is also connected to

the MDB through a feeder.
 Cont’d
Multi-storey installations
• To supply each floor in a block, it is necessary to run
cables from the main intake position.

• These cables are called risers, and the distribution

cables which run from these to each individual supply
point are called laterals.
 Cont’d
• The majority of rising mains are in the form of bus-
bar trunking with either rectangular or circular
conductors; this enables easy tapping off of submain
cables.

• The figure on the next slide shows a typical riser

diagram for a commercial building.
Cont’d
 Cont’d
• Industrial installations differ basically from
residential and commercial ones only in the size and
type of equipment used.

• The supplies are three-phase four-wire, and

switchgear is usually metal clad.

• For extremely heavy loads, switch-fuses are replaced

by circuit breakers.
 Cont’d
• The figure on the next slide shows typical industrial
riser diagram for a garage.
Cont’d
Cont’d
 1.3.Electrical Plan Symbols
• Electrical plan symbols are extremely important,
especially to the installation team.

• The electrician or engineer must, of course, be

familiar with the symbols .

• The engineer must adhere to these symbols while

laying out the electrical symbols.
 Cont’d
• And a legend should be presented on the electrical
plan.

• The next two slides show the conventional graphical

symbols adopted in EBCS-10.
Cont’d
Cont’d
 1.4 SYSTEM VOLTAGES
• Power has to be transmitted over large distances.

• This creates a problem of voltage drop.

• Thus, a high voltage is used for transmission (400,

230 or 132 kV).

• We cannot generate at such high voltages.

• Transformers are used to step up the generated

voltage to the transmission voltage.
 Cont’d
• At a substation, the transmission voltage is stepped
down via a transformer to 132 kV.

• It is transformed again to 66 kV for sub-transmission.

• It is further stepped down to 15 kV in primary

distribution.
Cont’d
 Cont’d
• In most residential houses, we use 230-V, 50-Hz
single phase systems.

• In commercial buildings, 3-phase, 4-wire systems are

used.

• In this case, the line-to-line voltage is 400-V with 50-

Hz frequency.
 Cont’d
• Some loads in industries may use 15 kV.
 1.5 THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
ELECTRICAL CODES

• Every country has its own national standards though

most standards are similar.

• In the Ethiopian building code standard (EBCS) you

find the national electrical codes for your electrical
plan.
 Cont’d
• For standards which are not available in EBCS-10,
since we have similar standards, you can refer to IEC
(International Electrotechnical Commission) or BS
(British System) standards.
 1.6 EARTHING (OR GROUNDING
• The electric potential of the earth is taken as zero.

• Neutrals should be at around 0 V.

• Neutrals are connected to the earth.

• A person touching a live part could suffer a severe

electric shock.

• Lethal current is only 50 mA.

 Cont’d
• Faulty appliance is dangerous.

• For protection against these effects, all metallic parts

should be bonded and connect to the earth.

• This ensures that all metalwork in a healthy situation

at or near 0 V.
 Cont’d
• So the potential difference across a person touching
the metals will be zero, and hence no shock.

• This method is known as earthed equipotential

bonding or earthing or grounding.

• Consumers can be connected to a metallic earth

return conductor which is ultimately connected to the
earthed neutral of the supply.
 Cont’d
• Methods of making a connection to the earth:

– rods,

–plates and

–tapes.

• The most popular method is using rod electrodes.

 Cont’d
• The plate type needs to be buried at a sufficient depth
to be effective.

• The tape type is predominantly used in the earthling

of large electricity substations.
 Cont’d
Rod electrodes
• These are usually of solid copper or copper-clad
carbon steel.

• Copper-clad carbon steel is used for the larger-

diameter rods with extension facilities.

• Length and diameter of a rod depends on soil

conditions.
 Cont’d
• Generally, a 1–2 m rod, 16 mm in diameter, will give
a relatively low resistance.
 Cont’d
• The resistance depends on the length and cross-
sectional area of the electrode and the type of soil.

• 25 V can be lethal for animals walking on it.

 Cont’d
• This problem can be overcome by ensuring that the
whole of the electrode is well below ground level and
by providing protection that will operate in a fraction
of a second.
Cont’d
 Cont’d
• All metal works in a house should be connected to the
earth wiring.

• The resistance of the earth return path will depend

upon the system. These systems have been designated
in the IEE Regulations using the letters T, N, C and S.

•
 Cont’d
• When these letters are grouped they form the
classification of a type of earthing system.

1. A TT system has a direct connection of the supply

source to earth and a direct connection of the
installation metalwork to earth.
Cont’d
 Cont’d
2. A TN–S system has the supply source directly
connected to earth, the installation metalwork connected
to the earthed neutral of the supply source via the metal
sheath of the supply cable, and the neutral and
protective conductors throughout the whole system
performing separate functions.
Cont’d
 Cont’d
3. TN–C–S system is as the TN–S system but the supply
cable sheath is also the neutral. The installation earth
and neutral are separate conductors.
 Cont’d
Earth fault loop impedance
• Figure shows this path. Starting at the fault, the path
comprises:
1.The circuit protective conductor (cpc).
2.The consumer’s earthing terminal and earth conductor.
3. The return path, either metallic or earth.

4.The earthed neutral of the supply transformer.

 Cont’d
5.The transformer winding.

6.The line conductor from the transformer to the fault.

Cont’d
 Cont’d
Total loop impedance 𝒁𝒔

• The IEE Regulations require the loop impedance 𝑍𝑒

external to the installation shall be ascertained.

• The methods available to do this:

 Cont’d
Use maximum likely values issued by the supply
authority as follows:
–(a) TT system: 21 Ω maximum

–(b) TN–S system: 0.8 Ω maximum

–(c) TN–C–S system: 0.35 Ω maximum.

Cont’d
Cont’d
 Cont’d
Example

• A shower circuit runs in an 18 m length of 6.0 mm2

twin cable with cpc, and protected by a 30 A BS 3036
semi-enclosed re-wirable fuse. A 6.0 mm2 twin cable
has a 2.5 mm2 cpc. We will also assume that the
external loop impedance Ze is measured as 0.27 Ω.
Will there be a shock risk if a line-to-earth fault
occurs?
Cont’d