Abbreviations

• ELEC - electric
• ELECDR - electric drive
• EMD - electric motor driven
• EPS - electric power supply
• ELECT - electrical
• ER - electrical resistance
• ELEK - electronic
• ELECTC - electronic control
• EI - electronic interface
• ES - electronic switch
• EVM - electronic voltmeter
• ELMCH - electromechanical
• EE - Electrical Engineer

 

Electrical Engineering Subtopics

Electrical Engineering

Cathodic Protection Communications Computer Design Electronics Instrumentation & Controls Power Project

 

Electric Wire Materials

• Copper electrical wire - Copper (Cu) is considered the standard in wiring. Most homes and appliances use copper for two reasons. It is easy to mold or bend and it is a good conductor. Copper is rather easy to come by but not as easy as other conductor metals.

• Aluminum electrical wire - Aluminum (Al) is also easy to mold and bend but less of a conductor than copper. If you decide to use aluminum wire that will carry the same amount of electricity as a copper wire, the wire needs to have a larger diameter. Since aluminum is more abundant than copper, it makes it the cheaper of the two.

• Silver electrical wire - Silver (Ag) is the best conductor of electricity for high temperatures. However, it is hard to bend and expensive.

• Alloys in electrical wire - In manufacturing, an alloy may sometimes be used. Aluminum and copper can be used for cost and conductibility.

 

Area Classification Drawing List

• See area classification

 

Electrical Engineering Associations

• See electrical associations
• See electrical engineering associations

 

Professional Engineering Licence

• Look here for where to find Professional Engineering Licences

 

Nomenclature & Symbols for Engineering, Mathematics, and Science 

• See A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

 

electrical Nomenclature & Symbols

• \( S_2 \) = 2-way switch
• \( S_3 \) = 3-way switch
• \( AC \) = Alternating current
• \( Amp \) = Ampere
• \( C \) = Capacitance or capacity
• \( X_c \) = Capacitive reactance
• \( T_c \) = Capacitive time constant
• \( Q \) = Capacitor quality factor
• \( CR \) = Card reader
• \( CB \) = Circuit breaker
• \( G \) = Conductance
• \( DC \) = Direct current
• \( DB \) = Distress button
• \( F \) = Fire alarm pull box
• \( Q \) = Electric charge
• \( G \) = Electric conductivity
• \( I \) = Electric current
• \( J \) = Electric current density
• \( EL \) = Electric door latch
• \( ES \) = Electric door strike
• \( E \) = Electric field
• \( \phi_e \)  (Greek symbol phi) = Electric flux
• \( Q \) = Electric load
• \( \eta \)  (Greek symbol eta) = Electric performance
• \( P \) = Electric power
• \( R \) = Electric resistance
• \( W \) = Electric work
• \( f \) = Frequency
• \( GFCI \) = Ground fault circuit interrupt outlet
• \( Z \) = Impedance
• \( L \) = Inductance
• \( V_l \) = Inductive load voltage
• \( X_l \) = Inductive reactance
• \( T_l \) = Inductive time constant
• \( J \) = Junction box
• \( KE \) = Kinetic energy
• \( KB \) = Knox box - fire department keys
• \( L_x \) = Light
• \( d \) = Lost capacitor coefficient
• \( d \) = Lost coils inductors coefficient
• \( L_m \) = Luminous flow
• \( c_d \) = Luminous efficency
• \( c_d \) = Luminous intensity
• \( NC \) = Normally closed
• \( NO \) = Normally open
• \( ML \) = Magnetic door lock
• \( ME \) = Mechanical energy
• \( M \) = Mutual inductance
• \( PB \) = Panic button
• \( T \) = Period
• \( \delta \), \(\; \phi \)  (Greek symbol delta, phi) = Phase constant
• \( PE \) = Potential energy
• \( P \) = Power
• \( \omega \)  (Greek symbol omega) = Pulsation
• \( Q \) = Quality factor of the coils inductors
• \( SD \) = Smoke detector
• \( S \) = Switch
• \( S_DIM \) = Switch with built-in dimmer
• \( TCR \), \(\; RTC \) = Temperature coefficient of resistance
• \( \rho \)  (Greek symbol rho) = Resistivity
• \( L \) = Self inductance
• \( T \) = Temperature
• \( TX \) = Transmitter
• \( \epsilon_0 \)  (Greek symbol epsilon) = Vacuum permitivity
• \( V \), \(\; E \) = Voltage
• \( VCR \) = Voltage coefficient of resistance
• \( VD \) = Voltage drop
• \( \lambda \)  (Greek symbol lambda) = Wavelength
• \( WP \) = Weatherproof outlet

 

Electrical Terms

• See A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z

A

• Actuator  -  A device used to open, close, or control valves.

• Alternating current  -  An electric current that reverses its direction over and over.

• Alternator  -  A device which converts mechanical energy into electrical energy used to maintain a charge in a car battery.

• American Wire Gauge  -  A measure of wire thickness.

• Ammeter  -  An instrument for measuring the flow of electrical current in amperes.

• Amp  -  Amp is a unit of current.

• Amphere  -  A unit of measure for the flow of current in a circuit.

• Amplifier  -  A device that amplifies a relatively small input signal.

• Analog  -  Analog or analogue is a continuous electronic variable signal caring information.

• Analog switch  -  A switching device able to rought analog signals.

• Arcing time of fuse  -  After the breaking of a fuse wire there will be arcing between both melted tips of the wire which will be extinguished at the current zero.

B

• Battery  -  A storage device for energy and then discharge.  Batteries can be rated by their energy capacity.

• Breaker  -  An automatic switching device that disconnect the power to a circut when the current or heat exceeds a certain level for a certain amount of time.

• Broadband  -  A transmission medium with enough bandwith to cary multiple channels, data, video and voice at the same time.

• Buffer  -  An autio signal device.

C

• Capacitor  -  Behaves as a charge storage device.  Holds an electric charge when voltage is applied across it and gives up the stored charge when required.

• Capacitance  -  The ability to hold an electric charge.

• Cartridge fuse  -  The fuse wire is enclosed in a transparent glass bulge or tube completely sealed.

• Cell  -  Cells generate energy through a thermal process, chemical or optical.

• Charge  -  Causes objects to feel an attraction or repulsive force toward one another.

• Circuit  -  A closed loop through which electricity can flow.  The flow of current is from positive to negative.

• Conductivity  -  The amount of current that a material can conduct.

• Conductor  -  A material through which heat passes.

• Contacts  -  Components

• Coulomb's constant  -

• Coulomb's law  -  The magnitude of the electrostatic force between two electric charges.

• Current  -  The rate of flow of electricity in a circuit, measured in amperes.

• Current density  -  The amount of electric current flow through a unit value of the area cross-section.

• Current rating of fuse  -  The maximum value of current due to which fuse does not melt.

D

• Daniell cell  -  A copper vessel containing copper sulfate solution.

• Diode  -  A device allowing the current to flow as a one-way switch only and restricting the current from flowing in the opposite direction.  Diodes allow the current to flow when the anode is positive and the cathode is negative.

• Diode bridge  -  A combination of four diodes that are connected togeather

• Diode types  -  avalanche diode, laser diode, light emitting diode, photodiode, PIN diode, PN junction diode, schottky diode, tunnel diode, varactor diode, and zener diode.

• Direct current (DC)  -  An electric current that flows in only one direction.

E

• Electrolyte  -  A compound that produces ions when dissolved in water and having either a positive of negative charge.

• Electromagnetism  -  A branch of physics that deals with the motion of electric currents and magnetic fields.

F

• Field  -  An invisible space around a charged particle where an electric force is exerted on other charged particles.

• Flux  -  How much of something goes through a given area.

• Forward biased diode  -  The external voltage which is applied across the PN-diode for reducing the potential barrier to constitute the easy flow of current.

• Frequency  -  The number of cycles per sec, measured in Hertz.

• Fuse  -  An safety device that removes electrical current from a circuit when the current is two high.

• Fuse law  -  The current carring capacity of a fuse wire.

• Fuse wire  -  Can carry the normal current without excessive load, but with to much load it rapidly heats up and melts.

• Fuse wire materials  -  Mainly aluminum, antimony, copper, lead, silver, tin, and zinc.

• Fusing factor  -  The ratio of minimum fusing current and current rating of the fuse.

G

• Generator  -  A mechanical device that produces electrical energy from mechanical energy.

H

• Hertz  -  A measure of frequency or cps (cycles per second).

• Horsepower  -  A measure of power or the rate of doing work.

I

• Inductance  -  The measure of an electric conductor or circuit by which an electromotive force is induced in it.

• Inductor  -  An energy storage device which stores energy in the form of a magnetic field.

J

• Joule’s law  -  The amount of heat (energy) delivered to something.

K

• Kinetic energy  -  The energy in moving objects or mass.  If it moves, it has kinetic energy.

L

• Led  -  Emits energy in the form of light instead of energy.

M

• Magnetic field  -  Magnetic fields never cross, never start or stop, where the field is strongest lines bunch togeather and can be seen clearly seen in the real world.

• Magnetic flux (\(\phi\) or \(\phi_B\))  -  The number of magnetic field lines passing through a given closed surface.

• Magnetic switch  -  Depending on the switch configuration for on and off, the switch is activated when the magnetic field is detected.

• Mechanical energy  -  The sum of the change in kinetic energy and potential energy generating from the force of gravity, external forces or the movement released in machine movement.

• Melting time of fuse  -  The time taken by a fuse wire to get broken by melting.

• Minimum fuse current  -  The minimum value of current due to which fuse ments.    Can carry the normal current without excessive load, but with to much load it rapidly heats up and melts.

• Motor  -  Converts the electric energy to mechanical energy.

• Mutual inductance  -  The inductance of a coil due to current in another nearby coil.

N

• Normally closed  -  The circuit is closed when the switch is not open.

• Normally open  -  The circuit is open when the switch is not operated.

O

• Ohm  -  A unit of resistance.

• Ohm's law  -  The relationships between power, voltage, current, and resistance.

• Ohm's law pie chart  -

• Operating time of fuse  -  The time gap between the instant when the overall current starts to flow through the fuse and the instant when the arc in the fuse finally gets extinguished.

• Operational amplifier  -  A voltage amplifier with very high gain.

P

• Phase constant  -  How much displacement a wave is from an equilibrium or zero position.

• Primary cell  -  A dry cell and not a rechargeable cell.  A chemical reaction between electrodes and electrolites causing a permanent change.

• Parrallel circuit  -  The parts are arranged in branches each going their own way.

• Potential energy  -  The possessed energy by a body due to its relative position in a gravitational field

• Power  -  The rate of doing work and is measured by the amount of foot pounds of work done in a particular unit of time.

• Preset resistor  -  The resistance is adjusted with rotary control pressure on top with a screw driver.

• Prospective current in fuse  -  The value of current which would flow through the fuse immediately after a short circiut occures in the network.

Q

R

• Rectifier  -  An electrical device that convert alternating current (AC) to direct current (DC).

• Resistance  -  The ability to resist or prevent the flow of current.

• Resistor  -  Resist the flow of electricity.

• Reverse biased diode  -  The external voltage which is applied to the PN junction for strengthening the potential barrier and prevents the flow of current.

S

• Secondary cell  -  A wet cell and is a rechargable cell.  Generates a current through a secondary cell in the opposite direction of the first cell.

• Self inductance  -  The inductance of a coil or inductor due to its own current.

• Semiconductor  -  A type of material that has an electronic resistance between the metal and the resistance insulator.

• Series circuit  -  The parts are connected end to end.

• Shockley diode  -  Has fast switching operation.

• Shunt  -  Also called a shunt resistor, is a conductor joining two points in a circuit used to limit the speed of the current.

• Solenoid  -  A device made of a coil of wire.  When current is introduced a magnetic field is formed around the coil (electrical energy) and the plunger is pulled in (mechanical work).  When the current is removed the plunger is released.

• Switch  -  A device that opens and closes electrical circuit.

T

• Temperature coefficient of resistance  -  The change in resistance with applied voltage.

• Thermal insulator  -  Does not conduct heat readily and is used for either heat conservation or personnel protection.

• Transformer  -  A device that uses electromagnetism to convert one current to another current.

• Transducer  -  A voltage output device used for convert energy to another form.

• Transmitter  -  A current output device used for communication electronic signals over a distance.

• Tuner  -  A circuit that can pick signals from a frequency from a group of signals of different frequencies.

U

V

• Varactor diode  -  The capacitance varies according to the applied input voltage.

• Variable capacitor  -  Used in tuning the circuit to a required frequency.

• Variable indicator  -  Allows the value of the inductance to be changed.

• Volt  -  A unit of electrical pressure.

• Voltage  -  The amount of pressure that will cause one ampere of current in one ohm of resistance.

• Voltage coefficient of resistance  -  The change in resistance with applied voltage.

• Voltage drop  -  When the voltage at the end of the cable is less than the beginning of the cable.

W

X

Y

Z

 

• See A - B - C - D - E - F - G - H - I - J - K - L - M - N - O - P - Q - R - S - T - U - V - W - X - Y - Z