Module 5

Domestic Wiring:
A network of wires drawn connecting the meter board to the various energy consuming
loads (lamps, fans, motors etc) through control and protective devices for efficient distribution
of power is known as electrical wiring. Electrical wiring done in residential and commercial
buildings to provide power for lights, fans, pumps and other domestic appliances is known as
domestic wiring.

Fig. 1 Domestic wiring of a house

In domestic wiring, two main sub-circuits are used: the Light & Fan Sub-Circuit (with 5A fuses/MCBs
for low-power devices like bulbs, fans, and TVs) and the Power Sub-Circuit (with 15A fuses/MCBs
for high-power appliances such as heaters, irons, geysers, and ACs). Both are wired in parallel to
ensure that a fault in one does not disrupt the entire [Link].2 shows the block diagram of the meter
distribution board.

Fig.2 Block diagram of the meter distribution board

Factors Affecting the Selection of Wiring
1. Durability
2. Safety
3. Appearance
4. Cost
5. Accessibility
6. Maintenance Cost
Types of Wiring
There are different types of wiring namely:

• Cleat wiring

• CTS wiring or TRS wiring or batten wiring

• Metal sheathed wiring or lead sheathed wiring

• Wooden Casing and capping

• Conduit wiring

Conduit wiring

In this system PVC or VIR insulated cables are run through mild steel pipes called conduits
providing good protection against mechanical injury and fire due to short circuit. They are either
embedded inside the walls or supported over the walls and are known as concealed wiring or
surface conduit wiring (open conduit) respectively as shown in Fig.3 and Fig.4. The conduits
are buried inside the walls on wooden gutties, and the wires are drawn through them with fish
(steel) wires. The system is best suited for domestic and commercial installations.

Advantages:

1. No risk of fire and good protection against mechanical injury.

2. The lead and return wires can be carried in the same tube.
3. Earthing and continuity is assured.
4. Waterproof and troubleshooting is easy.
5. Shock- proof with proper earthing and bonding
6. Durable and maintenance free

Disadvantages:

1. Costliest system of wiring.

2. Requires good skilled workmanship.
3. Erection is quite complicated and is time consuming.
4. Risk of short circuit under wet conditions (due to condensation of water in tubes).
 Fig.3 Concealed Wiring Fig 4. Surface conduit wiring

Typical House Wiring Circuits

a) Two-way Control of load (lamp) or Staircase lighting

Two-way lamp control lets you operate a single light from two locations using two SPDT
(single pole double throw) switches, commonly found in staircases, corridors, and bedrooms
where it is convenient to switch the lamp ON from one point and switch it OFF from another
point.

Circuit Explanation: The circuit diagram for two-way control is shown in Figure.5. In this
system, two SPDT (Single Pole Double Throw) switches, commonly called two-way switches
(S1 and S2) are used. Each switch has one common terminal and two changeover terminals.
One side of the supply is connected to the common terminal of the first switch, while the lamp
is connected in series with the common terminal of the second switch and the supply neutral.
When both switches are in the same position (either both connected to the upper terminals or
both to the lower terminals), the circuit gets completed and current flows through the lamp.
Hence, the lamp glows. When the switches are in opposite positions, the circuit gets
interrupted, current does not flow, and therefore the lamp remains OFF.

Fig.5 Two – way control of lamp

 Switching table

b) Three-way Control of load (lamp) or Corridor lighting

In case of very long corridors, it may be necessary to control the lamp from 3 different points.
In such cases, the circuit connection requires two; two-way switches S1and S2 and an
intermediate switch S3. An intermediate switch is a combination of two, two-way switches
coupled together. It has 4 terminals ABCD. It can be connected in two ways

i) Straight connection
ii) Cross connection

In case of straight connection, the terminals or points AB and CD are connected as shown in
Fig. 6(a) while in case of cross connection, the terminals AD and BC are connected as shown
in Fig. 6(b). As explained in two –way control the lamp is ON if the circuit is complete and is
OFF if the circuit does not form a closed path.

Fig 6(a) – Straight connection

 Fig. 6b) Cross connection
Switching table

Power Rating of Household Appliances

The following table shows the estimated value of wattage rating (in Watts) for different and
common household devices, appliances, and equipment.
Power ratings of different home appliances

Home Appliance Power in Watt

Fan 80

LED Light Bulb 25

AC – Air Conditioner (1.5 Tons) 1130

 Refrigerator (236 L) 350

Electric Heater 2000

Water Heater (25 L) 2000

Hair Dryer 1500

Clothes Iron 1400

Microwave Oven 1000

Desktop Computer 150

Laptop Computer 100

TV – Television 120

Vacuum Cleaner (1.5 L) 1600

Washing Machine (7 Kg) 1500

Water Pump (1 hp) 746

Electricity bill

A unit (as mentioned on the electricity bills) is represented in kWh or kilowatt hour. One
kilowatt-hour is the electrical energy consumed by an electrical appliance of power 1 kW when
it is used for one hour.
If you use 1000 Watts or 1 Kilowatt of power for 1 hour, then you consume 1 unit or 1 Kilowatt-
Hour (kWh) of electricity. So, the reading on the electricity meter represents the actual
electricity used. Just like the speedometer on your vehicle that shows the actual distance
travelled by the vehicle, electricity meter shows the amount of electricity that is used.

1kWh = 1 kilowatt × 1 hour

= 103 watts × 3600s

= 103J/s × 3600s

= 3.6×106J
Thus, 1kWh = 3.6 × 106J

Difference Between kWh and kVAh

For domestic tariff, one unit of electric energy consumption is equal to kWh whereas, for
commercial and industrial tariff, the same is in kVAh. The reading of kVAh consumed is higher
than kWh due to power factor. Power factor is the ratio of actual power divided by apparent
power. Every appliance, mostly inductive load consumes reactive power which does not deliver
any work but consumed electricity when billing is done in kVAh. There is always an effort to
match kVAh with kWh and for that capacitor banks are provided.
Electric Utility Bill Calculation

Calculation of Electric Energy Consumption. The following formula is used for electrical
energy consumption.

E = P x t … (Wh)
E = P x t ÷ 1000 … (kWh)
Consumed Energy = Energy Used in Watts x Time in Hours
Where:
• E = Electrical Energy (Consumed in kWh)
• P = Power in Watts
• t = Time in hours per day
Wh (Watt-hour) is a small unit, so we divide the consumed energy on 1000 to get the value of
energy in kWh instead of Wh.

Example:
A house consumes the following electrical energy in a month:

• 4 lamps of 100 W each operating 5 hours/day

• 5 lamps 60W each working for 8 hours/day

• 2 heaters of 1000W each working for 3 hours/day

• 5 fans of 80W each, working for 12 hours/day

Calculate the number of units consumed for the month of January if the rate of charge is 0.5 ₹
per unit.

Solution:
4*100*5 = 2000 Wh/day
5*60*8 = 2400 Wh/day
2*1000* 3 = 6000Wh/day
5*80*12 = 4800 Wh/day

Total Wh/day = 15200Wh/day = 15.2kWhr/day

Number of days in the month of January = 31
Total energy consumed in the month of January = 15.2*31 = 471.2 kWh
Given cost/unit is 0.5 ₹
Total cost = 471.2 * 0.5 = 245.6₹
TARIFF - The rate at which electrical energy is sold to the consumers is termed as Tariff. Cost of
producing electricity depends upon the magnitude of electricity consumed by load. Tariff fixation
must be given to different types of consumers (e.g., industrial, domestic and commercial).

Factors involved in deciding an Electricity Tariff

• The tariff should be such that the total cost of generation, transmission, and distribution
is recovered.

• It should earn a reasonable profit.

• It must be fair and reasonable to the consumers.

• It should be simple and easy to apply.

Types of Tariffs

• Simple Tariff

• Flat rate Tariff

• Block rate Tariff

• Two-part Tariff

• Maximum demand tariff

• Power Factor Tariff

• Three-part Tariff

Two - part electricity tariff

When the rate of electrical energy is charged based on maximum demand of the consumer and the
units consumed, it is called a two-part tariff. In two-part tariff, the total charge to be made from the
consumer is split into two components viz., fixed charges and running charges. The fixed charges
depend upon the maximum demand of the consumer while the running charges depend upon the
energy (units) consumed. On the other hand, the running charges are due to the operating cost which
varies with variation in generated energy. Thus, the consumer is charged at a certain amount per kW
of maximum demand plus a certain amount per kWh of energy consumed i.e. Total charges = Rs (b ×
kW + c × kWh)

where, b = charge per kW of maximum demand c = charge per kWh of energy consumed
Equipment Safety measures:
Electric Fuse:
An Electric Fuse is an electric device which interrupts the flow of current in an Electric circuit.
It is installed in a circuit to stop the flow of excessive current. A Fuse is usually a short piece
of wire. The Fuse is made up of a material which has high resistivity and low melting point, so
that it melts down due to overheating of the wire during high current flow. The thickness of the
Fuse wire is determined based on the amount of current flow in the circuit. Normally an alloy
of tin and lead is used as the Fuse wire, as it has high resistivity and low melting point. Once a
Fuse melts, it can be changed or replaced with a new Fuse.
Electric Fuse- working principle:
The Electric Fuse works based on the heating effect of the electric current. It is composed of
a non-flammable thin metallic wire with a low melting point. If a high amount of electricity is
passed from the Electric Fuse, there is a production of heat which causes the Fuse to melt which
leads to the opening of the circuit and the blockage of current. A Fuse is normally made up of
elements like zinc, copper, aluminium, and silver. It acts as a protection for the Electric
appliances and as a safety measure for humans. The figure. 7 represents a Fuse operation

Fig. 7 Working of fuse

Advantages:

• Fuse is cheap

• Fuse needs zero maintenance

• Operation of fuse is simple and no complexity is involved

• Fuse can interrupt , short circuit current without producing noise, flame, gas, or smoke

• The operation time of fuse can be made much smaller than operation of circuit breaker.

It is the primary protection device against short circuits

• It affords current limiting effect under short-circuit conditions.

Disadvantage:
• During short circuit or overload once fuse blows off replacing of fuse takes time.
• Slow operation in some cases
• No reset facility
• Operating characteristics are not as accurate as MCBs or relays.

Miniature circuit breaker (MCB)

MCB is an automatic switch that opens when excessive current flows through the circuit. It can
be reclosed without any manual replacement. It is used to protect electrical circuits from
overload and short-circuit faults. It interrupts the current flow whenever the current exceeds the
rated value, thus preventing damage to equipment and wiring. A practical MCB is shown in
Fig.8. Miniature Circuit Breaker can be reset quickly and does not demand more maintenance
costs.

Fig. 8 Practical MCB

MCB - Working Principle:

When the current overflow occurs through MCB – Miniature Circuit Breaker, the bimetallic
strip gets heated and deflects by bending. The deflection of the bi-metallic strip releases a latch.
The latch causes the MCB to turn off by stopping the current flow in the circuit. This process
helps safeguard the appliances or devices from the hazards of overload or overcurrent. To restart
the current flow, MCB must be turned ON manually. Fig. 9 shows the working principle of
MCB.

Fig. 9 Working of MCB

 Advantages of MCBs:

[Link] have more sensitive to current than fuse.

2. It has high breaking capacity
3. It works quickly on overloading and short circuits.
4. It is durable, reliable and suitable for repeated use.
5. It is very simple to resume the supply.

Disadvantages of MCBs:

1. The cost of the MCB is greater than the fuse.

[Link] construction is complicated compared to fuse making it less economical for simple
circuits.
3. Maintenance is required.

Electric Shock: An electrical shock is received when electrical current passes through the body

One will get an electrical shock if a part of body completes an electrical circuit by

• Touching a live wire and an electrical ground

• Touching a live wire and another wire at a different voltage.

Severity of the shock depends on: – Path of current through the body, amount of current flowing
through the body (amps), – Duration of the current through the body.

First aid against Electric Shock

• Do not Panic
• Carry the effected person and lay him in a comfortable
• position and call the doctor immediately
• Look for stoppage of breathing, start giving artificial respiration if breathing has
• stopped
• Never give anything to the person to drink when he is unconscious
• Do not crowd round, let the patient get fresh air

Precautions against Electric Shock

• Never touch electrical equipment with wet hands or while standing on a wet surface.

• Avoid using damaged wires, loose connections, or cracked plugs.

• Use proper insulation for wires and cables; do not leave naked conductors exposed.

• Always switch OFF the supply before repairing, plugging, or unplugging appliances.
 • Use proper earthing/grounding in buildings and appliances.

• Wear rubber gloves and rubber shoes while working with electrical equipment.

• Stand on a dry wooden plank or rubber mat when handling live circuits.

• Use MCBs and ELCB protection.

Earthing
Earthing involves connecting metal parts of electrical equipment to the earth (ground) with a
conductor, creating a low-resistance path for fault current. This helps prevent electric shocks
and major hazards by safely directing excess electricity into the ground. Fig 10 shows the
components of Earthing system.

•
Fig. 10 Components of Electrical Earthing System

Necessity of Earthing:
• To protect the operating personnel from danger of shock in case they come in contact
with the charged frame due to defective insulation.
• To maintain the line voltage constant under unbalanced load condition.
• Protection of the equipment
• Protection of large buildings and all machines fed from overhead lines against lightning.

Types of Earthing

• Pipe Earthing
• Plate Earthing
Pipe earthing:
It is the best and most efficient way of earthing and is also easily affordable. Pipe earthing
uses 38mm diameter and 2 metres length pipe vertically embedded in the ground to work as
earth electrodes. It is placed upright at a depth of 4.75 m in a permanently wet ground. To
keep the value of the earth resistance at the desired level, the area (15 cm) surrounding the GI
pipe is filled with a mixture of salt and coal. The efficiency of the earthing system is improved
by pouring water through the funnel periodically. The GI earth wires of sufficient cross-
sectional area are run through a 12.7 mm diameter pipe at 60 cm below from the 19 mm
diameter pipe and secured tightly at the top as shown in the figure 11.

Fig. 11 Pipe earthing

Plate earthing: In plate earthing, earthing plate made of copper or G.I. is buried into the
ground at a depth more than 3 metres from the ground level. This earthing plate is embedded
in an alternative layer of coke and salts. In this method a copper plate of 60 cm x 60 cm x
3.18 cm or a GI plate of the size 60 cm x 60 cm x 6.35 cm is used for earthing. The plate is
placed vertically down inside the ground at a depth of 3 m and is embedded in alternate
layers of coal and salt for a thickness of 15 cm. In addition, water is poured for keeping the
earth electrode resistance value well below a maximum of 5 ohms. The earth wire is securely
bolted to the earth plate. A cement masonry chamber is built with a cast iron cover for easy
regular maintenance. Earthing efficiency increases with increase of plate area and depth of
embedding. Figure 12 shows plate earthing.

Fig. 12 Plate earthing