AR 4.

5 BUILDING SERVICES - II:

ELECTRICAL SERVICES:

Unit – II:

Building Wiring System: Service Wires, Metering, Light

and Power circuits. Electrical safety devices viz., MCB,
ELCB, Distribution Boards, Wiring methods, ISI codes
and standard materials, Conductors, Switch Boards,
Electrical points in general building, pipe earthing and
plate earthing.
 
 
BUILDING WIRING SYSTEM:
What is a Service Wire ?
A wire used to tap power supply from Transco point to
the clients premises.

In today’s context do we recommend the use of Service

Wire.
NO, but still used in Rural areas.

What is the alternative we suggest to our Client

instead of Service Wire.
An armored Under ground cable.
SERVICE LINES OR SERVICE MAINS:
The line which supplies Electrical Energy from the
Street Pole to the consumer’s terminals is called as “
Service Line OR Service Mains “.
Domestic Single Phase supply two wires run from the
street pole to consumer’s terminals OR Meter Board.
Apart from two supply wires one bare conductor will
also run as per IE Rules for earthing.

Types of Service Mains:

Supply from street pole to consumer’s premises can be
given by the following:
(a) Underground Cables.
(b) Overhead Conductors.
METERING:
What do we understand by Metering.
A device which records the consumed energy / power
for further commercial billing.
What are the types of Meters available.
As per requirements available.
What do you mean by a Conduit ?
A hollow PVC OR Mild Steel tube / pipe to run wires /
cables and used for mechanical protection of wires.
Conduit Color Coding, especially important for
exposed conduits:
S. Conduit Type. Color S. Conduit Type. Color
No. Scheme. No. Scheme.
1. Security Conduit. BLUE. 2. Power Conduit. BLACK.
3. Fire Alarm Conduit. RED. 4. UPS Conduit. GREEN.
5. Low Voltage Conduit. BROWN.
CABLE TRAY / RACE WAYS:
What do we understand by
Cable Tray.
When multiple number of
cables are to be routed or in other words to
be taken from one place to another below
the ceiling a Tray is provided to
carry them. This is known as Cable Tray.
What is a Race Way.
It is provided to carry wires / cables below the flooring.
When multiple number of wires are to be carried, Race
Way is a preferred alternative rather than providing
multiple number of conduits.
CIRCUITS – LIGHTING AND POWER:
Lighting Circuit:
As per IE Rules maximum number of points on one
Circuit is TEN OR each Circuit should not have load more
than 800 Watt. Thus a Lighting Circuit provides power to
individual light points and thus has a dedicated fuse link
the distribution.
Power Circuit:
As per IE Rules each point of high consumption of power
should have a separate dedicated Circuit. Thus Power
provided to AC, Geyser, Microwave Oven should have a
separate Circuit and there should not be any looping from
this Circuit.
UPS Circuit:
At places where separate UPS wiring is done, separate
UPS Circuits are provided apart from Light & Power
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
Wiring Faults and Protection:
Wiring installation, whether Industrial, Domestic or any
other Building are designed to carry certain amount of
current rated voltage. The normal life of the installation if
reduced if the installation is subjected to abnormal
conditions such as much higher current than of its rated
current. However, the installation can be protected by
providing proper and effective protective devices in the
installation.
FUSES:
A Fuse provides the simplest and cheapest form of over
current protection. A fuse element is a short length of
wire with a low melting point which melts under
abnormal conditions, there by disconnecting the faulty
section from supply.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
Types of Fuses: (1) REWIRABLE FUSES:
Today also these are in use in
Rural areas as they are cheap. It is suitable
for low or medium voltage and current rating
upto 300 amperes. In this it is very
easy for an inexperienced person to replace
the fuse element with wire of incorrect
guage.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
Types of Fuses:

(2) CATRIDGE FUSES:

These are totally enclosed type of fuses. The fuse element
and filling powder is enclosed in the container of tube
shape and both ends sealed with metallic caps. Under
fault condition the filling powder acts to cool down and
condense the fuse element vapours, hence interrupting the
flow of heavy current by extinguishing the arc. It is
suitable for low or medium voltage and current rating
upto 800 amperes.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
Types of Fuses:
H. R. C. (High Rupturing Capacity) FUSES:
These can be used safely to interrupt very large fault
currents. Its ratings etc., are carefully controlled by the
manufacturers. The main body is of ceramic with metallic
caps on both sides to which are welded fusible silver
current carrying elements. The space within the body
surrounding the fuse element is completely packed with
filling powder such as quartz sand. On occurrence of fault
the fuse element melts and vaporizes. The silver vapors
react with filling powder and due to this chemical
reaction, a high resistance substance is formed, thus
preventing the flow of current. The main problem in
using HRC Fuse is that the fuse link requires replacement
after operation.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
What the Electrical Safety Devices
we normally install in our projects.
Safety devices are provided for
human safety and equipment’s protection.
Depending upon the rating and type of
protection / safety is suggested.
What was the main component
of a Distribution Board in the
early 80’s and now what do we
use instead.
Earlier we were using Fuse Links
for protection but now we use
only MCB Switchgears.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
How to select a Circuit Breaker.
Based on the requirement and
operation type i.e., for lighting or power.
CIRCUIT BREAKER:
A device for interrupting or breaking
the supply under abnormal or fault
current conditions. They are safe as
the overload tripping characteristics
are set by the manufacturer which
cannot be changed. Faulty circuits
can be easily identified and supply
can be restored quickly and easily
when the fault has been removed.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
How to select a Circuit Breaker.
Based on the requirement and operation type i.e., for
lighting or power.
CIRCUIT BREAKER:
A device for interrupting or breaking the supply under
abnormal or fault current conditions. They are safe as
the overload tripping characteristics are set by the
manufacturer which cannot be changed. Faulty circuits
can be easily identified and supply can be restored
quickly and easily when the fault has been removed.
ELECTRICAL SAFETY DEVICES:
Types of Circuit Breakers:
There are many different varieties of Circuit Breakers
viz., MCB, ELCB, RCCB etc.,
MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKER: (MCB)
It gives protection from over current and short circuit.
RESIDUAL CURRENT CIRCUIT BREAKER: (RCCB)
It gives protection from Earth Leakage along with
protection from over current and short circuit.
EARTH LEAKAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER: (ELCB)
It gives protection from Earth Leakage along with
protection from over current and short circuit.
DISTRIBUTION BOARD:
What is a “ DISTRIBUTION BOARD “ ?

Board where the Incoming source cables / wires &

outgoing cables / wires are connected through a suitable
protective switchgears / fuses / MCBs etc.,

A Distribution Board (or Panel Board) is a component

of an Electrical Supply System which divides an
electrical power feed into subsidiary Circuits, while
providing a protective Fuse or Circuit Breaker for each
circuit, in a common enclosure. Normally, a main switch
and in recent boards, one or more Residual Current
Devices (RCD) or Residual Current Breakers with
Overcurrent protection (RCBO), will also be
incorporated.
DISTRIBUTION BOARD:
Distribution boards are also referred to as a:
Breaker Panel.
Circuit Breaker Panel.
Consumer Unit or CU.
Electrical Panel.
Fuse Box.
Fuse Board.
Load Center.
Panel Board.
Power Breaker.
Service Panel.
METHODS OF WIRING:
What is a “ CONDUCTOR “.
Material which carries current, can be either Copper,
Aluminum etc.,

How to calculate the size of the conductor for

particular load.
Parameters viz., 3-Phase or 1-Phase load, distance,
allowable voltage drops, safe operation value, type of
conductor, laid in ground or air etc., shall be considered
while designing the conductor size.

What the different methods of Wiring ?

Cleat wiring / Casing Capping, Surface PVC & MS
conduit wiring, Concealed PVC & MS conduit wiring.
METHODS OF WIRING:
What do we understand by color coding? What is the
importance of color coding.
As per IS, electrical wires are color coded as:
Phase wires – Red, Yellow & Blue.
Neutral wire – Black.
Earthing – Green.

What are the types of wires available in the market and

what do we recommend for use.
PVC, FR, FRLS, FRLSH, ZHLS, HFLS etc.,

What are the IS Code regulations for Building Wiring

System.
IS 732
SWITCH BOARDS:
What is a “ SWITCH BOARD “.
A control point to put the equipment or light or any
other electrical appliances in “OFF” or “ON” condition.
What is the care to be taken in providing Electrical
points in a building.
As per IS, a circuit shall not be loaded beyond 800W or
10nos light / Fan points maximum.
Types of Electrical Points:
There can be many points in a building viz., Light Points
for Bracket Lights, Tube Lights, Picture Lights, Down
Lighter in False Ceiling etc., Further there can Ceiling or
Wall Mounted or Exhaust Fan Points etc., Apart from
this there can be Power Points for Refrigerator, AC,
Geyser, Washing Machine, Motor Pump, Microwave
Oven, Kitchen equipments etc.,
EARTHING:
What is “ EARTHING “.

A conductor or a connectivity
between the source & equipment or
equipment body which shall guide the
fault / leakage currents into
earth as quickly as possible through
shortest path to protect human life &
equipment.
EARTHING:
Earth: From electrical engineering point of view Earth is
defined as the conductive mass of the earth, whose
electric potential at any point is conventionally taken as
zero. Being electrically neutral and at zero potential, the
earth provides a common reference for voltage
measurements.
 
Earthing: An electric connection to the general mass of
earth, whose dimensions are very large in comparision
to the electrical system being considered.
The terms ‘Ground’ and ‘Grounding’ are synonymous
with ‘Earth’ and ‘Earthing’ and are more prevalent in
some countries like North America.
EARTHING:
NEED FOR EARTHING
Earthing is of utmost importance for safety of plant,
equipment, property and human as well as animal life.
In the absence of a well designed effective earthing
system, earth fault conditions may lead to tremendous
loss of property and lives. The main objectives of
earthing are as follows :
1) To ensure safety of life and property from hazards of
electric shock and electric fires.
2) To ensure that system voltages on healthy lines
remain within reasonable limits under fault
conditions thereby preventing insulation
breakdowns.
3) To provide a low impedance path to facilitate the
satisfactory operation of protective devices under
EARTHING:
NEED FOR EARTHING
The main objectives of earthing are as follows :
4) To minimize arcing burn downs as in an earthed
system arcing fault would produce a current in
ground path thereby providing an easy means of
detecting and tripping against phase to earth arcing
fault breakdowns.
5) To provide an equi-potential platform on which
electronic equipments can operate.
6) To provide an alternative path for induced current
and minimize the electrical noise in cables.
EARTHING:
What is “ EARTHING “.

A conductor or a connectivity between the source &

equipment or equipment body which shall guide the
fault / leakage currents into earth as quickly as possible
through shortest path to protect human life &
equipment.

What is Pipe Earthing and Plate Earthing.

Pipe Earthing – 40mm or 50mm dia G.I. pie or 100mm

C.I. pipe of 2500mm length are being used along with
other earth enhancing materials like Salt, Charcoal etc.,
EARTHING:
In this method GI pipe is used, the lower end of the pipe
is tapered to make its driving easy. This pipe has
perforations along its length so that the earth becomes
wet when water is poured into the funnel, generally in
summer. The funnel on top embedded in a cement
concrete base which in turn has cement concrete side
walls and has a top hinged cover.
Further to keep the surrounding always wet, alternate
layers of salt and charcoal are provided, the moist
surrounding the electrode is necessary for very low
resistance. Each earth wire which is soldered and
connected to this pipe is carried through a 15mm pipe
which is connected to another pipe below the funnel.
Pipe Earthing is cheaper than Plate Earthing and hence
preferred for domestic and low power demand
application.
EARTHING:
Plate Earthing – 600mm x 600mm x 6mm thick G.I. plate
or 600mm x 600mm x 3.15mm thick Copper plates are
used as electrodes along with other earth enhancing
materials like Salt, Charcoal etc.,
In this method a square plate either GI or Copper is used
which is kept vertically around 3000mm below the
ground and has alternate layers of salt and charcoal.
The plate is bolted or welded with two GI pipes one of
20mm which goes vertically and has a funnel on top
embedded in a cement concrete base which in turn has
cement concrete side walls and has a top hinged cover.
The other GI pipe of 15mm is taken side ways which
carries the actual earthing wires. The materials used for
plate, wire, bolts and washers should be same to avoid
corrosion.