Assignments

Read
Chapter 1 in textbook
Homework
Chapter 1, problems 1-15 and 17
Due Friday, January 27th in Class

What is Electricity???

Easier to describe what is does than what it is!

The flow/movement of electrons through a
material.

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 Direct Current (DC)

Flow of electrons in only one direction.

Produced by:
DC Generators
Batteries
Solar (PV) Cells
Wind Turbines

Alternating Current (AC)

Flow of electrons
in one direction
and then the other.
Produced by AC
Generators.
Supplied by
Modern Power
Suppliers.

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 Conductors

Materials that allow

electrons to readily
move from one atom
to another.
Most metals are good
conductors. (silver,
copper, gold,
aluminum)
What about water?

Copper vs Aluminum

Copper Aluminum
Used primarily on Used primarily on
the customer side of the utility side of
the meter. the meter.
A better conductor Not as good a
than aluminum. conductor as
More expensive. copper.
Less expensive.
Lighter.

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 Insulators

Materials that do
not allow their
electrons to readily
move from atom to
atom.
Rubber, plastic,
glass, porcelain,
ceramics.
What about wood?

Voltage (Volts)

The pressure/force
pushing the electrons
through the material.
Similar to water
pressure in a water
piping system.
Supplied by the
generator
Symbol: E

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 Kilovolt (kV)

1000 volts
Used to define the voltages of
transmission lines and higher
voltage distribution lines.
Examples:
345 kV line = 345,000 volts
12.5 kV line = 12,500 volts

Current (Amps)
The rate of flow of
the electrons through
the material.
Similar to the flow
rate (gallons/minute)
in a water pipe.
Byproducts
Heat
Magnetic Fields
Symbol: I

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 Resistance (Ohms)

Measure of a materials
impedance/resistance
to the flow of
electricity through it.
Similar to the
friction/head loss in a
water piping system.
Symbol: Omega

Resistance Creates Voltage Drop

Voltage drops on
a circuit the
farther you get
from the source.
Low voltage can
cause:
Dim lights
Hot motors
Reduced motor
life

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 Electrical Power

The rate of work that can be accomplished.

There are 3 Types of Electric Power
Real Power (Watts or Kilowatts)
Apparent Power (Volt-Amps or Kilovolt-Amps)
Reactive Power (Volt-Amps or Kilovolt-Amps
Reactive)
Apparent Power = Real Power + Reactive Power
Kind of..Using Vectors.

Real Power (Wattage..Watts)

A measure of the power

used by an appliance.
The rate or ability to do
work.
Symbol: W

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 Real Power (Kilowatts)

1000 watts
40
Most power suppliers 35

Demand (kW)
use kilowatts to 30
25
quantify how much 20
power (demand) 15

commercial/industrial 10
5
customers use for
0
billing purposes. 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 22 24
Time (Hours)
Abbreviation: kW

Real Power (Megawatts)

1,000,000 watts
The quantity commonly
used by electrical people to
measure the power a
generator is capable of
producing or the power
requirements of large
customers or cities.
Abbreviation: MW

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 Apparent Power (Kilovolt-Amps)
1000 volt-amps
A measure of the actual power
the utility/generator must
supply to the system.
Includes real power + reactive
power
Many devices used in utility
systems are rated for the
maximum kVA they can
withstand rather than kW.
Abbreviation: kVA

Reactive Power
(Kilovolt-Amps Reactive)

1000 Volt-Amps Reactive (VARs)

The part of the electric power that
contributes no useful work.
Some equipment (motors) need reactive power
to provide the magnetic field to make them
operate.
Power Suppliers must also supply some
reactive power in addition to real power.
Abbreviation: kVAR

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 Power Factor (p.f.)
100% Power Factor
The ratio of real Voltage

power to apparent Current

power in a circuit.
Time
The time
difference No Lag

between the volts

Power Factor < 100%
and amps as a
Voltage
percent.
Current
Lagging
Leading Time

Lag

Power Factor
Resistive Loads:
p.f. = 1.0 or 100%
Incandescent Bulbs,
Heating Elements
Inductive Loads:
p.f. < 100%, lagging
Motors, Fluorescent Lights
Capacitive Loads:
p.f. > 100% leading
Capacitors.

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 Energy (kWh)

Electrical energy is
measured in units of
kilowatt-hours (kWh).
Historically, most
utilities priced their
service to residential
customers based on the
number of kilowatt-
hours used/measured
by the electrical meter.

Energy = Power X Time

An electric heater is rated at 1500 watts

and operated for 2 hours. How much
energy does it consume over the 2 hour
period?
1500 Watts = 1.5 kW
1.5 kW X 2 hours = 3 kilowatt-hours
(kWh)
What if it operates for 10 hours?
1.5 kW X 10 hours = 15 kWh

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 Ohms Law

The basic physical law (relationship)

describing how electricity acts.
Volts = Amps X Ohms
Helps us figure out How big should the
wires be?

Watts Law

Useful in troubleshooting common questions from

customers.
Single Phase
Watts = Volts X Amps X p.f.
Three Phase
Watts = Volts X Amps X p.f. X 1.732

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 E,I,R,P Relationships

Why cant I run my coffee pot,

toaster, blender & microwave
without the breaker tripping?
How many amps does a circuit with a 1000 watt
coffee maker, a 500 watt toaster, a 200 watt blender
and a 700 watt microwave draw when all operate?

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 Use Watts Law
700 + 1000 + 500 + 200 = 2400 Watts
Watts = Volts X Amps X p.f.
2400 Watts divided by 120 Volts = 20 amps.

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