Electrical: Module 3: Lecture Notes6 [Link] 3g.

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Power Circuits

Again the load requirements for this type of circuit are dictated by tradition where a 30 Ampere protective device (32
Ampere is the nearest standard cartridge fuse rating) seems to be a reasonable compromise between load and cost.
However the increased use of electrical equipment in the home, especially in the kitchen, often nowadays requires the
installation of more than one power circuit. Naturally any decision to install a fuse of this rating dictates the cable size
required [since the fuse (or circuit-breaker) is meant to be the weak link in the system and hence melt (or operate) before
the cable melts]. Consider the section from a typical table of 'Current Carrying Capacity for PVC Cable' from the I.E.E.
Wiring Regulations as shown in Module 1, "Terminology".

If we wire the circuit as a simple radial circuit, protected by a 32 ampere device, then this will dictate a cable size of 6 mm2
cable, and the Regulations will limit us to a maximum of 6 outlets and maximum floor area served of 30 m2 per circuit.
However if we use a wiring technique which wires the circuit as a RING-CIRCUIT then this will affect some degree of cost
saving.

In this form of wiring the current flowing to each socket outlet is shared by two paths, although not necessarily equally,
thus each section of cable carries only part of the overall current. The Wiring Regulations therefore allows each section of
cable to be rated at 2/3 rds of the fuse or circuit rating and so we may wire the circuit in 2.5 mm2 - each section of the ring
should have a rating of 32 Ampere (BS.88 fuse) x 0.67 = 21 Ampere, and 2.5 mm2 is rated at 24 Ampere - which is an
effective cost saving of two cable sizes over the size that would be required (6 mm2) if we were to use a simple radial
circuit.

But what of the design technique? These circuits rely heavily on the application of the principle of DIVERSITY which
implies that not every outlet on the circuit will be in use to its fullest capacity at the same time. Many outlets are usually
provided to allow a convenient use of equipment and thus avoid the use of long trailing leads [which are potential 'tripping-over
hazard, or if they are tucked under carpets, etc., may fray or deteriorate without being noticed and eventually cause a fire], or multi-socket
adaptors.

Of course for many industrial applications the loads are well known and since a 30 Ampere protective device can only
supply about 7 kilowatt of power (30 Ampere x 240 Volts) then socket outlets can be provided adjacent to their power loads
and these can then be grouped into circuits each supplying in total between 5 - 7 kilowatt of load.

However in many situations whether industrial, commercial or domestic, the actual usage of the circuit is unknown and can
be quite low. So the criterion we adopt is to use as many socket outlets as necessary but to limit the floor area served by
each circuit to 100 m2. Here the term floor area means literally that we include the whole of the floor area of the room in
which we locate any socket outlet. Of course we have to use common sense with this technique, for example where does a
corridor start and stop when it is fed by a number of points on different circuits? Many people still therefore take the area
enclosed within the ring circuit as their 100 m2 even though the actual area served will then exceed the criterion given
within the regulations.

Decisions regarding phasing, location of fuse-boards etc. are no different than before with lighting circuits. In fact it is quite

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common to position a small-power fuse-board adjacent to each lighting fuse-board. But even here we have alternatives. Do
we use completely separate fuse-boards, one for lighting and one for small-power, or do we combine both services onto
the same 'COMPOSITE' fuse-board where the fuse-board contains a number of fuse carriers of different size and rating.
This latter option is of course cheaper but not so convenient when maintenance has to be carried out.

Once again common sense and the style of the installation will dictate the best solution, for example, in a small installation
with say 3 or 4 lighting circuits and 2 or 3 small-power circuits it will in all probability, not be economic to use two separate
fuse-boards. But where the combined total number of circuits (including spare or used fuse-ways) exceeds 10 then it will
be more practical to-use separate fuse-boards. What we must also remember of course is that we will want to maintain a
degree of design uniformity throughout the installation, so that if most of the fuse-boards are separate, standard boards,
then it is better practice (even where the odd few circuits do exist) to keep them all this way.

The 'ring-circuit' noted previously can also include a number of 'SPUR CONNECTIONS'. This is a method of wiring
connection in which a section of the cable is 'spurred-off to feed one single, or one twin socket, or one individual item and
should not to be confused with a Fused-Connection Unit which is sometimes wrongly termed a 'spur-unit'.

Certain rules and practices dictate the use of radial spurs from a ring circuit:-

i. The total number of socket outlets fed by radial spurs from the ring must not exceed the number of socket outlets on
the ring circuit.
ii. The cable size for the radial spur must be the same cross-section as the ring-circuit cable unless an appropriate fuse
rating is added to this point of the circuit.
iii. Each non-fused radial spur can only supply 1 twin socket outlet or 1 single, or one permanently connected item.

My own feelings are that at the design stage it is better to put all socket outlets on the ring and to leave any spurred points
to be added, should they be required, during any future expansions or modifications to the installation.

This also raised the point of whether we should use plugs [correctly termed 'plug-tops'] and sockets, or fused-connection units.
Plugs are intended for portable equipment since the action of pushing in and pulling out the plug-top wipes the face of the
brass-pin contact clean each time the equipment is used and helps prevent the build up of the black oxide coating you
often find on old plug-tops. This oxide coating causes resistance at the contact face which gets hot and will eventually
shorten the life of both the plug-top and the socket. Permanent, non-moving loads should therefore be supplied from
fused-connection units which have permanent screwed terminals. In fact plugs and sockets do not have an indefinite life
especially those feeding heavy electrical loads such as kettles, portable electric fires, etc. So as a guide, if any plug-top
starts to feel hot after a few hours use then they need to be changed - and don't forget to change the socket outlet too,
after all it has also been getting hot! Whilst on the subject of heavy and fixed loads should these be on the ring-circuit
anyway. The principle behind the ring circuit is diversity and so any permanent load, such as water heating, permanent
electric fires, etc., really should be on their own separate radial circuits.

This then is the basis by which we employ ring-circuits [please not Ring Mains - this is the term used for the way the Supply Companies
install their 11 kV supplies between groups of consumers] and as before, I note below and overleaf, an example of the way we can
present the information;

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The Design

Fuse Board Designation: General Power (GP1) Location: Corridor, Adjacent Room 9
Type 8 way, 32 Ampere, SP&N
CPD Types:
20 Ampere, MCB, type B, ICN 10kA
32 Ampere, MCB, type B, ICN 10kA
OUTLETS ISOLATORS CABLE
CCT. CPD WRG CIRCUIT
LOCATION [Link]. SIZE
No. SIZE PTS SING TWIN 16A 32A TYPE
UNIT mm2
RADIAL CIRCUIT
1 20 1 TOILET 1 CONNECT HAND 4.0
DRYER
2 ROOM 1 2 RING-CIRCUIT
2 32 2 ROOM 2 2 2.5
1 CORRIDOR 1 USE RCD OUTLET
2 ROOM 3 2 RING-CIRCUIT
3 32 2 ROOM 4 2 2.5
1 CORRIDOR 1 USE RCD OUTLET
2 ROOM 5 2
4 32 RING-CIRCUIT 2.5
2 ROOM 6 2
2 ROOM 7 2
5 32 2 ROOM 8 2 RING-CIRCUIT 2.5
2 ROOM 9 2
6 32 SPARE
7 32 SPARE
8 32 SPARE
21 TOTALS 2 18 1

The Schedule

The Contractor's Wiring Diagram

[Once again, some engineers prefer to note the circuit details directly onto the drawing, however by the time information on the Fuse-board, Circuit
Number and Fitting Type have been included (e.g. By putting a code against each fitting and each socket), the drawing becomes confused and
cluttered and may very well with time become difficult to read once it becomes dirty on site.]

Other Power Loads

Although requiring perhaps a larger current, or a three-phase rather then a single-phase supply, all other circuits will be
wired using either Radial or Ring circuits in the same way as those noted previously. [And don't be afraid to appear unconventional,
for long circuit runs it often helps to use ring circuits rather than radials.] So it will perhaps be a help if we summarise some general
guidelines and thereby try to tie together the past few sections.

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Lighting Circuits:

1. Unless the accessories being used are designed to accept wiring larger than 1.5 mm2, (or you intend to use
connector/junction boxes at each luminaire location which will accept larger cable sizes), or unless the sub-main cables are
very short (so that they have no effective voltage losses) then aim to fuse circuits at 5-6 Ampere and load the protective
device to around 1000 VA (5A), 1200 VA (6A) for normal circuits and 500-600 VA for essential or 'means of escape' circuits.

2. Remember to use the '1.8' factor for discharge lighting.

3. Keep a circuit to a maximum length of 25 metres if fully loaded.

4. Decide on phasing - either one phase per floor if this is obvious or else split the phases by area. [Don't worry too much about
balancing circuits equally over the three phases. There is no guarantee that the client will use the installation evenly, so an equal area design
technique will be perfectly acceptable and any more lightly loaded phase can be 'balanced' elsewhere on other fuse-boards within the installation].

5. Allow at least one fuse-board for every 500 m2 of floor area (or 1200 m2 for a three-phase board being used to feed
single phase circuits).

6. Schedule the luminaires onto circuits and fuse-boards noting the information either on a drawing or in tabular form
whichever is more convenient.

Power Circuits

1. Keep small power equipment on the same phase as the lighting within an area.

2. Design as many socket outlets as necessary to offer flexibility of use for the client.

3. Allow one ring circuit for each 100 m2 of floor area served by the socket outlets on each ring

4. Position one General Purpose Power Fuse-board adjacent to each Lighting Fuse-board.

5. Schedule the circuits to fuse-boards noting the information either on a drawing or in tabular form whichever is more
convenient.

6. Use radial circuits fed at say 15 or 20 A for one or two sockets or individual items, but consider the use of ring circuits
above this number.

7. Keep heavy, permanent loads such as water or space heating off the ring and on their own separate circuits.

Diversity and Sub-Main Calculations

Having detailed the final circuits we have now to consider how each of these fuse-boards are to be supplied.

Diversity

Table 1B (copy below) within the IEE On-Site Guide, Appendix 1, Allowances for Diversity gives guidance with regard to
typical allowances for diversity which may or may not be applied as you feel appropriate. The lighting for example is
reasonably simple.

Type of Premises

Purpose of final circuit fed from conductors Individual household Small shops, Small hotels,
or switchgear to which diversity applies installations stores, offices Boarding houses,
including individual and business guest houses, etc.
dwellings of a block premises
66% of total current 90% of total current 75% of total current
1. Lighting
demand demand demand
2. Heating and power 100% of total 100% f.l. of 100% f.l. of
(but see 3 to 8 below) current demand up largest appliance largest appliances
to 10amperes +75% f.l. of +80% f.l. of
+ 50% of any current remaining second largest
demand in excess of appliances appliances +60%
10 amperes f.l. of remaining
appliances
3. Cooking appliances 10 amperes + 30% f.l. 100% f.l. of 100% f.l. of
of connected cooking largest appliances largest appliances
appliances in excess +80% f.l. of +80% f.l. of
of 10 amperes second largest second largest
+ 5 amperes if appliances +60% appliances +60%
socket-outlet f.l. of remaining f.l. of remaining
incorporated in appliances appliances
control unit
4. Motors not applicable 100% f.l. of 100% f.l. of
(other than lift motors which are subject to largest motor largest motor
special consideration) +80% f.l. of +50% f.l. of
second largest remaining
motor +60% motors
f.l. of remaining
motors

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5. Water-heaters 100% f.l. of 100% f.l. of 100% f.l. of

(instantaneous type)* largest appliances largest appliances largest appliances
+100% f.l. of +100% f.l. of +100% f.l. of
second largest second largest second largest
appliances +25% appliances +25% appliances +25%
f.l. of remaining f.l. of remaining f.l. of remaining
appliances appliances appliances
6. Water-heaters no diversity allowable**
(thermostatically controlled)
7. Floor warming installations no diversity allowable**
8. Thermal storage space heating installations no diversity allowable**
9. Standard arrangement of final circuits in 100% of current 100% of current demand of largest
accordance with Appendix 8 demand of circuit +50% of current demand of
largest circuit every other circuit
+40% of current
demand of every
other circuit
10. Socket-outlets other than those included 100% of current 100% of current 100% of current
in 9 above and stationary equipment other demand of demand of demand of
than those listed above largest point of largest point of largest point of
utilisation utilisation utilisation
+40% of current +70% of current +75% of current
demand of every demand of every demand of every
other point of other point of other point in
utilisation utilisation main rooms
(dining rooms, etc.)
+40% of current
demand of every
other point of
utilisation

* For the purpose of this Table, an instantaneous water-heater is deemed to be a water heater of any
loading which heats water only while the tap is turned on and therefore uses electricity intermittently.

**It is important to ensure that the distribution boards and consumer units are of sufficient rating to
take the total load connected to them without the application of diversity.

Take as an example a lighting fuse-board with a typical connected load of say 60 Ampere. We might decide to apply the
diversity factor of 0.9 and hence use 60 x 0.9 = 54 Ampere as our design current for the sub-main cable which feeds this
board.

However small power is not quite so straight forward, nor so readily accepted as the correct technique to use. In fact at
least three design techniques seem to have evolved each with their own relevant advantages/disadvantages:

1. Use Diversity Table

[* This is the only method at least recognised or supported by the Wiring Regulations]

9. Standard 100% of current 100% of current demand of largest

arrangement of demand of circuit +50% of current demand of
final circuits in largest circuit every other circuit
accordance with +40% of current
Appendix 8 demand of every
other circuit

* In fact although the I.E.E. Make it clear that we should not apply diversity in the final circuit they do not make it clear quite
where in the installation we should apply this table. It is probably intended to be applied at or near the main intake position
and of course the allowances for diversity must only be applied once throughout the installation, but there is no reason
why it should not be used at sub-main level.

For example if a fuse-board provides 6 x 32 A fuse-ways then the total current in the sub-main cable will be given from

100% of the largest fuse - 1 x 32 A = 32 A

50% of the remainder - 0.5 x 5 x 32 A = 80 A

Total 112 Ampere

This method can on occasions tend to overestimate the current requirements for a fuse-board.

2. Use a Power Load for per Socket Outlet

Most people use 250 Watts per socket outlet, but of course this figure should be estimated from previous experience of a
similar design.

Taking our theoretical fuse-board above, suppose each ring circuit supplies 10 socket outlets then the total estimated
current drawn by the fuse-board will be

6 x 10 x 250 Watts = 15 kW which will give a current of

15 x 1000/240 = 62.5 Ampere

This method tends to underestimate the total sub-main current unless there are a large number of socket outlets.

3. Use a Base Load per Ring Circuit and Try to Anticipate other Heavy Loads

This is the method I prefer since it tries at least to predict the probable use of the installation. For example, allow a base

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load per ring or radial circuit - I usually choose 1 kW which will allow for all the smaller loads such as;

Desk Lamps - 100 Watts

Calculators - 20 Watts
Typewriters - 200 Watts
Computers - 100-300 Watts
Fax Machines - 200-300 Watts
Televisions - 300-500 Watts
Videos - 200-300 Watts

Then I try to anticipate other heavy load - water and space heating being typical - such as the use of electric kettles or
portable electric fan convectors in say a manager’s office.

Electric Kettles - 1500-1500 Watts

Portable Heaters - 2500-3000 Watts
Large Photocopiers - 2000-3000 Watts, etc.

So once again our theoretical board might contain;

6 x 1 kW = 6 kW plus

2 x Electric Kettles = 6 kW

3 x Electric Fires = 9 kW

1 Photocopier = 2 kW

Total 23 kW

From which we would get an anticipated current of

2300/240 = 95.8 say 100 Ampere

As you can see, the variation between the methods is quite large, from 62 ampere to 112 ampere and I suspect in reality
the actual current lies somewhere between the two. Remember you are not trying to estimate the average current but the
likely maximum that will occur over a long enough period to cause significant cable heating, say in excess of 1 hour's
duration. However, the actual current can only be predicted with any degree of certainty by discussions with the client and
by asking him (or her) "What will you connect to the sockets?", and then by attempting to allow for these loads. Of course
we also have to be rational about our loads, for instance the fuses and circuit breakers come in discrete sizes and in the
above example the choice is really only between the 100A fuse and the 160A fuse.

Summary Module 3

In this chapter, I have discussed the design and layout of final circuits and noted alternative methods of presenting the
information formally either in the specification document, or as accompanying drawings. Of course there is more to
consultancy than just this, but this does form the major part of any electrical design since all circuits, (from extra-low
voltage to 11kV high-voltage) are wired as either radial or ring circuits.

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