AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2

Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

Module 1 – UNIT 1: Electrical Principles

Understanding electrical principles is important to designing safe and efficient
architectural electrical systems. You are expected to relate the fundamentals of
electricity to building systems (TLO 1) at the end of your learning experiences in this
unit.

LECTURE NOTES
 POWER DISTRIBUTION
 Sources of energy: wind, water, nuclear, fossil fuel, solar (photovoltaic)
and geothermal
 Photovoltaic cells convert solar energy directly into an electric current
 Other sources - produce a rotary mechanical motion that drives electric
generators which in turn convert movement into electricity
 Transformers - used to “step-up” (increase) the electrical power to very
high voltages transmitted by wires over long distances
o Large – used to “step-down” the voltage to a few thousand volts
where transmission lines enter a community for local distribution
o Small – set on poles (or in underground vaults) used for final
distribution to small groups of houses or buildings
 Voltages of 120 (i.e. in Japan, USA) and 240 (i.e. in Philippines, UK) –
delivered to residences and small buildings
o Voltage drop – occurs in a building’s circuit during delivery
o 110 or 220 volts – actual delivered voltage to electrical outlets

Power distribution diagram. ([Link], 2020)

 ELECTRICAL MEASUREMENTS
 Electrical properties – measured with instruments
 Units of electricity – volt, ampere, watt are used in both metric and
customary outlets
 Volt – unit of electrical pressure or potential
o Makes electricity flow through the wire

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

o For a particular electrical load – the higher the voltage, the

greater the amount of electricity that will flow
 Current – term for flow of electricity
 Ampere – unit used to measure the magnitude of an electric current
o The specific quantity of electrons passing a point in 1 second
o The amount of current in amperes that will flow through a circuit
must be known – to determine proper wire sizes and the current
rating of circuit breakers
 Watts – unit used to measure the amount of power (energy) required to
light lamps, heat water, turn motors, etc…
 Wattage – depends on both voltage and amperage
o Current (in amperes) multiplied by potential (in volts) equals power
(in watts), hence:
amperes X volts = watts
 Basis for figuring the cost of electricity – actual energy used (watts
utilized) for work performed
 Kilowatt-hour – unit used to measure the consumption of electricity
o 1 kilowatt = 1,000 watts
o Hour – unit of time
o Example: 1,000-watt hand (flat) iron operating for 1 hour consumes
1 kilowatt-hour (1kWh)
 Kilowatt-hour meter or watt-meter – device used to measure the kilowatt-
hour consumed
 Electricity flowing through a material always meets with some resistance
o Materials with high resistance – wood, glass, plastic; good
insulators
o Materials with low resistance – copper, aluminum, silver; good
conductors
 Most electrical wiring – copper or aluminum covered by plastic insulation
o Plastic – keeps the electricity from flowing where it is not wanted
 Ohms – used to measure the amount of electrical resistance
 The electron flow (current in amperes) through a circuit is equal to the
voltage (number of volts) divided by the resistance (ohms), expressed as:

I=E or E = I*R or R=E

R I
Where: I = current (amperes)
E = electronic force (volts)
R = resistance (ohms)

Example: If the current is 10 amperes and the electromotive force is

120 volts, what is the resistance?

R = E
I
R = 120
10
R = 12 ohms

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

 ELECTRICAL SERVICE ENTRANCE

 Power is supplied to a building through a service entrance
 Drop – the heavy wires that extend from a utility pole or an underground
source to the structure (or customer-owned post); wires are twisted into a
cable;

 At the building or post,

overhead wires are fastened to the
structure & spliced to service entrance
wires that enter a conduit through a
service head
 Follow minimum height
requirements in planning service drop
paths = 5.5m above street; 3m above
sidewalk or ground; 3.7m above driveway
 Check specifications from
your local electrical utility company
(Beneco, Meralco, etc…)


 Ensure compliance with local codes

 Underground rigid conduit, electric metallic tubing or busways (channels
and ducts) must be used – if minimum height distances cannot be used

 For service supplied

underground, three wires
are placed in a rigid
conduit
 Underground service
conduit is brought to the
meter socket

 All service entrances include a watt-hour meter, main breaker and

lightning protection and sometimes automatic brownout equipment
 All electric systems must be grounded through the service entrance
 Show underground service conduits on site plans
 Underground connections beautify the area (ex. Anvaya Cove, Bataan
or Ayala Alabang Subdivision) and eliminates power outages due to
downed power lines caused by strong winds or landslides

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

 SAFETY
 Protect wiring and equipment for damage
 Protect people from electrical shock and possible electrocution
 Major design flaws result in electrical damage and injury
o Current overloads
o Improper grounding
o Exposed wiring
o Wrong wire size
o Insufficient outlets – results in an excessive use of extension chords
 Good practices to eliminate potential problems
o Adequate circuit design
o Use of correct circuit breakers and wiring sizes
o Sufficient outlets
o Code-approved grounding methods
 Surge Protection
o Surges – microsecond increases in voltage that are significantly
above the capacity of a wiring system or device to withstand
 Result in burned wires and damaged circuits and
equipment
 Can ignite wires and adjacent materials if very high
o Surge protection - provided through:
 service entrance
 distribution panel
 lightning rod grounding
 added power supply connection to sensitive electronic
devices (computers, TV, phone)
 provide ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCI) where water
may contact outlets (ex. lavatory counters)
o Grounding – method of ensuring that excess voltage surges are
dissipated harmlessly into the earth;
 NEC (National Electrical Code) required ground rods to
penetrate at least 2.40m deep up to 9m deep in sandy soil
 Code requires a resistance of 25 ohms or less
o Lightning rods – direct lightning strike voltage to the ground and
away from the building
 Provides a path of least electrical resistance from the strike
point to the ground
 Lightning rod system – consists of a series of short lightning
rods (air terminals) located above the highest point or a
building
 Connected through cables to at least two grounding
rods 600mm from the foundation to shown in the site
plan
 A must for buildings not surrounded by other taller
buildings and tall trees (nature’s lightning rod)

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022
2022-2023

Building Electrical Grounding / Lightning Ground System

 ELECTRICAL SERVICE DISTRIBUTION

 Electrical current is delivered throughout a building through a distribution
panel or service panel
 Distribution panel – size in amperes
o Determined by the total load requirements
requirements (watts) of the entire
building
o Watts can be divided into amperes by the amount of voltage
delivered to the distribution box:

 Formula: watts = amperes

volts
 Where: W = symbol for watts
V = symbol for volts
A = symbol for amperes
 Example: 35,000 W = 145 A
240 V
o Most residences require a distribution panel with a capacity of 100
to 120 amps
o NEC minimum for new residential construction is 60 amps
o To compute for the total load requirements, the watts needed for
each circuit must first be determined
determ

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

 BRANCH CIRCUITS
 From the distribution panel, electricity is routed to the rest of the building
through branch circuits
 Circuit – a circular path that electricity follows from the power supply
source to a light, appliance or other electrical device and back again to
the power source

o If the electrical load for an entire building were placed in one

circuit, overloading would leave the entire building without power,
hence, branch circuits are used
o Each circuit delivers electricity to a limited number of outlets or
devices

 Each circuit is protected with a circuit breaker

 Circuit breaker – a device that opens (disconnects) a circuit when the
current exceeds a certain amount
o Excessive electrical loads can cause the wiring to overheat and
start a fire without a circuit breaker
o Trips – when a breaker opens and power to the branch circuit is
disconnected
 Happens when the sum of the current drawn by the branch
circuit exceeds the rating of the main breaker
o Protects the service entrance wires and equipment from
overheating and damage
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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

Fuses – installed in older homes instead of circuit breakers for the

o
same purpose but are replaced
o Circuit breakers that trips can easily be reset
o Types of branch circuits – lighting, small appliance, individual or
dedicated
 Lighting Circuits
o Connected to the lighting outlets for the entire building
o Assign different lights in each room to different circuits, so when
the circuit trips, room will not be in total darkness
o “The NEC provides that 100 watts shall be the maximum load for
each household lighting outlet.”
o The following table presents the minimum general lighting load for
different types of buildings:

General Lighting Loads (Philippine Electrical Code)

NB: volt-amperes = watts

Lighting circuits may also be used for small devices like clocks and
o
radios
o It is not necessary to provide a service capable of supplying the full
load since all lights and other devices are not probably not going
to be used at the same time
 Small-appliance Circuits
o Circuits that provide power to outlets whenever small appliances
are likely to be connected

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

Small appliances include:

o
 Toasters
 Electric skillets
 Irons
 Electric shavers
 Portable tools
 Computers, etc…
o NEC requires a minimum of two small-appliance circuits in a
residence
o “NEC provides that for each single receptacle shall be considered
at no less than 180 watts rating.”
 Each convenience outlet is considered to have a maximum
load of less than 180 watts per plug or gang
o NEC requires a minimum of 20 amperes for a small appliance
circuit
 Individual (dedicated) Circuits
o Designed to serve a single large electrical appliance or device
such as:
 Electric ranges
 Automatic heating units
 Built-in electric heaters
 Workshop outlets
 Large motor-driven appliances: washers, garbage disposals,
diswashers
o Designed to provide sufficient power for starting loads
 When a motor starts, it needs n extra surge of power to
bring it to full speed called starting load
o Separate circuits (20 amps) - required in laundry area to provide
power for: washing machine and dryer
 GFCI is recommended here due to danger of water
leakage
 GROUND-FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER (GFCI)
 GFCI receptacle – located where there is a possibility for people to go
ground themselves and be shocked by the current flowing through their
body to the ground
 Purpose – cut off the current at the outlet
o Senses change of current and trips immediately
o Operates faster and safer than a circuit breaker switch at the
power entry panel
o GFCI switch will trip in 1/40th second when an extreme small current
variation (ground fault) of 0.005 amp is reached

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

 Suggested locations – near water sources or pipes in:

o Bathrooms
o Kitchen
o Garage
o Laundry
o Outdoors
o Receptacles that are 3m to 5m from swimming pools
o Unfinished crawl spaces below grade level
o In any room containing water supply

 ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS
 Wires used to conduct electricity are classified by the type of:
o Wire material
o Insulation material
o Wire size
 Wire size is classified by number in reverse order size as shown in the
following table with ampere rating of different wire sizes from 0000 to 14

 AWG = American Wire Guage

 MCM – thousands of circular mils, an old
measurement of wire gauge
 TW - indicates a single conductor
having flame-retardant, moisture-resistant
thermoplastic insulation
 THW - indicates a single conductor
having flame-retardant, moisture and heat-resistant
thermoplastic insulation
 Wire size 6 through 2/0 – used for 240V
service entrance and circuits
 Wire size 10 through 14 – used for 120V
and 240V lighting and small appliance circuits
 Conventions in specifying wire sizes is
indicating the sectional area of the wire, i.e. 2.0 mm2

 Size of wire used in a circuit – depends on the current to be carried
 Although meter voltage is 120V and 240V, wiring resistance reduces the
voltage at the receptacles to approximately 110V and 220V
 Wire size smaller than 14 – 16 and 18 are used for low-voltage items such
as thermostats and doorbells
 Low-voltage switching system – maybe used to turn on or off any fixture,
appliance or light
 Wire size is critical
o If too small for the current applied, excessive resistance (overload)
can result
o May cause insulation to overheat and breakdown, a potential fire
hazard
o Check UL (Underwriters Laboratories) ratings to learn proper wiring
requirements

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 AR 3181 – Building Utilities 2
Module for Short Term Ay 2022-2023

 Materials
o Aluminum is lighter and less expensive than copper, but with
stricter rules
o Insulation is available in flexible metal armored or nonmetal
sheathed form
o For underground or exposed wiring – encase wire in rigid or flexible
metal or uPVC (plastic) conduits

 CALCULATING TOTAL SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

 Installation of the proper size of service entrance equipment and branch
circuits depend on the:
o Floor area of the residence or building
o Number of appliances and lighting
o Future expansion allowances
 Option: Review Section 4-6, page 101 onwards of the book Electrical
Layout and Estimate (Fajardo & Fajardo, 2000) on sample problems for
calculating system requirements.

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