MODULE 1
ELEMENTARY CONCEPTS
OF ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS
ELECTRICAL HAZARD
An electrical hazard can be defined as a serious workplace
hazard that exposes workers to electrical injuries.
The electrical injuries can be direct or indirect.
Direct injuries includes electrical shock, death due to electric
shock, burns etc.
Indirect injuries includes falls, fire, etc.
The electrical hazard may occur due to improper grounding,
damaged insulation, damaged tools & equipments, etc.
ELECTRIC SHOCK
When a person come in contact with energized conductors
they receive a shock with current flowing through their skin,
muscles and organs.
The severity of electric shock depends on the current path
through the body, current intensity and duration of the contact.
They may experience a mild tingling sensation or it could
results in serious injury or death.
FACTORS AFFECTING ELECTRIC SHOCK
1) Magnitude of current passed through the body
2) Path of current passed through the body
3) Time for which the current passed through the body
4) Frequency of current
5) Physical and psychological condition of the affected person
PROCEDURES TO BE TAKEN WHEN AN ACCIDENT
DUE TO ELECTRIC SHOCK OCCURS
Turn off the power at the control panel
If you can not turn off the power, use a piece of wood, broom
handle or dry clothing to separate the victim from the power source
Call for emergency help
Keep the victim lying down. Do not move the victim if there is a
spin or neck injury
mouth
If the victim is not breathing, apply mouse to mouth resuscitation.
If the victim has no pulse, begin cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR).
Cover the victim with a blanket to maintain body temperature,
keep the victim’s head low and get medical attention
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS
Never touch any Electrical equipment with wet hands
Never use equipment with damaged insulation
Make the main supply switch off and remove the fuse before
starting work with any installation
Fuses must have correct rating
Always use insulated tools while working
Before repairing an electrical equipment make sure that it is de-
energized using a tester
Use rubber gloves while touching any terminal or removing
insulation from a conductor
Earth connection should be always maintained in proper condition
SAFETY RULES
All electrical lines shall be sufficient in power and size and of
sufficient mechanical strength
The underground cable should be properly insulated and
protected under all operating conditions
Proper earthing should be provided
The bare conductors if any are ensured that they are
inaccessible
Earth installation is periodically inspected and tested
PROTECTIVE DEVICES
1. FUSE
Fuses are the safety devices used to protect the home appliances like TV,
refrigerators, washing machines, etc. from high voltage. The fuse is made up
of thin strip of metal. The strip is made up of Aluminium/Copper/Zinc.
Whenever the high current flows in the circuit, the fuse melts and it opens
the circuit and disconnect it from the power supply. The fuse is always
connected in series with the circuit to protect the circuit from over-current.
single
PROTECTIVE DEVICES
2. MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKER(MCB)
MCB is an automatic switch that opens when high current flows through the
circuit. It can be reclosed without any manual replacement. MCB consists of
a bimetallic strip which is made by joining two different metals. When high
current flows through the MCB the bimetallic strip gets heated and bends.
The bending of bimetallic strip release the latch and the contacts opens.
MCBs are more sensitive than fuses and are reusable. They are used for the
protection of lights, AC, refrigerator, etc.
MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKER(MCB) DIAGRAM
Fig MCB operation under fault condition
Fig MCB operation under normal condition
PROTECTIVE DEVICES
3. EARTH LEAKAGE CIRCUIT BREAKER(ELCB)
ELCB is a safety device used to prevent electric shock. It detects fault
currents from live to earth wire. one terminal of the relay coil is connected
to metal body of the equipment to be protected and other terminal is
connected to the earth. If any insulation failure occurs or live wire touches
the metal body, a voltage difference occurs across the terminal of coil
connected to equipment body and earth. This produce current flowing
through the relay coil. This actuate the relay for tripping and disconnects the
equipment from the supply.
PROTECTIVE DEVICES
4. RESIDUAL CURRENT CIRCUIT BREAKER(RCCB)
RCCB is a current sensing device which can automatically disconnect the ckt
whenever a fault occurs. It works on the principle of residual current. the
residual current is the difference between phase and neutral currents.
Under normal operating conditions the phase current is equal to the neutral
current. whenever the neutral current and phase current are equal there is
no residual current flowing in the sensing coil. When a fault occurs residual
current flows through the sensing coil which trips the relay and breaks the
circuit.
RESIDUAL CURRENT CIRCUIT BREAKER(RCCB) DIAGRAM
ENERGY CONSERVATION
• Energy conservation is the practice of reducing the quantity of energy
used. It can be achieved by decreasing the energy use while achieving a
similar outcome.
• Conventional fossil fuels like coal, petroleum products, natural gas, etc.
are the major sources of energy. Due to continuous use of this fossil
fuels they are depleting at rapid rate. These fossil fuels when burnt
release harmful gases. These greenhouse gases leads to global warming,
ozone layer depletion, cyclones, etc.
• Saving electricity at home helps to reduce the household needs for
energy anf intern helps to reduce pollution.
• By using energy efficient appliances, energy bills can be saved up to
25-30%. Energy conservation helps to store energy sources for future
use.
BENEFITS (IMPORTANTS) OF ENERGY CONSERVATION
Energy conservation helps to reduce usage of fossil fuels
Reduce the emission of green house gases
Prevents depletion of ozone layer
Reduce environmental pollution and prevent climate change due to global
warming
Reduce energy bills and saves money
Helps to use modern technology energy efficient equipments
Reduce per capita energy consumption globally
Prevents cutting down of trees and keeps earth green
ENERGY SAVING TIPS/ TECHNIQUES IN DOMESTIC
SECTOR
At present 40% of energy is used by domestic sector. Energy is used for
cooking, processing, & foe human comfort. The possible energy saving
techniques that can be adopted for domestic sector is listed below,
Unplug devices when not in use
Switch off lights when not in use
Replace ordinary bulbs with tube lights, LED, CFLs to save 70% of energy
bill
Replace choke with electronic ballast
Clean dust of lamps and tube lights regularly
Use natural sunlight during day through proper ventilation
Unless otherwise required, do not use air conditioner. Instead use fans for
proper ventilation for fresh air movement
Install solar water heater in place of electric heaters
Plant trees around the house to keep the surrounding cool
Use microwave oven instead of conventional oven
Use energy efficient appliances and use smart automated devices
Set computers & printers in sleep mode when not in use
ENERGY CONSERVATION- LIGHTING SYSTEM
Electrical lighting is the major energy consumer. Energy saving is possible by
using energy efficient equipments, effective controls and careful design.
• Turn off lights when not required
• Dust the tube lights regularly
• Install CFL in place of incandescent lamps. CFL use 2/3 less energy than
standard incandescent bulbs and gives the same amount of light
• Install energy efficient fluorescent lamps in place of conventional
fluorescent lamps
• Replace ordinary bulbs with more efficient type LED bulbs
• Install motion sensors to turn lights on and off
ENERGY CONSERVATION- COMPUTER
• Turn off the computer when not in use
• Setting computer’s monitors and copier to use sleep mode when not in use
helps to cut energy costs
• Turn down the brightness
ENERGY CONSERVATION-REFRIGERATOR
• Make sure refrigerator is kept away from all sources of heat including
direct sunlight, radiator and appliances such as oven, etc.
• When it is dark, place a lit flashlight inside the refrigerator and close the
door. If light around the door is seen, the seals need to be replaced
• Use BEE 5star rated refrigerator
• Allow enough space for continuous air flow around the refrigerator
• Minimize the amount of time the door remains open
• Allow hot and warm food to cool & cover them before putting them in
refrigerator
• Clean the refrigerator’s condenser coil regularly
ENERGY CONSERVATION-TV
• Turn off or unplug TV when not in use
• Lower TV screen’s brightness
• If using TV for listening to music, set to black screen mode
• Replace CRT and plasma units with new LED models
• Set the backlight to normal or low
• The newer TV models have an ambient light sensor that controls the
brightness of the picture on TV
• Switch the TV to energy saving mode
ENERGY CONSERVATION- AC
• Use ceiling/ table fans as first line of defense against summer heat
• Plant trees and shrubs to keep day’s hottest sun off your house
• Try to purchase BEE 5star rated AC
• Keep the doors to air conditioned rooms closed
• Use AC’s with timer so that it switch off automatically
• Clean air conditioner filter every month
• Seal the gaps of windows and door to avoid AC loss
BEE (BUREAU OF ENERGY EFFICIENCY) STAR RATING
BEE is an Indian governmental agency which acts as an intermediary body
between govt., manufacturer, and consumer with goal of energy efficiency.
The electrical appliances are awarded a BEE star rating certificate if they meet
the necessary criteria for energy efficiency.
BEE rating refers to the ratings that shows how much electricity the
appliances consumes in a year. Each appliances gets between 1 and 5 stars,
with 5star means the appliances is extremely efficient. BEE star labeling
should be considered before deciding to buy the appliances. This label helps
the consumer to save money and energy by choosing the most energy efficient
products.
The labels shows information such as yearly energy consumption of product,
brand name, product category, etc. in order to receive BEE certificate, the
manufacturer must test their product in an accredited laboratory and submit
the result to BEE for approval.
Star rating : when comparing similar sized products look for more stars and
saves money
Efficiency parameter: Lower electricity consumption means higher saving
Label period: Period for which standard is applicable
Brand and model: Type of appliance, brand, model, year of manufacturing
Technical details: Technical parameters with respect to appliance type
Unique code: Unique code given by standardizing agency
MANDATORY APPLIANCES FOR STAR LABELING
Mandatory appliances Voluntary appliances
o Room air conditioner oInduction motor
o Frost free refrigerator oPimp set
o Tubular fluorescent lamp oCeiling fan
o Distribution transformer oLPG stove
o Color TV oComputers, laptops
o Direct cool refrigerators oMicrowave oven
o Electric geysers oWashing machine
oDiesel generator
