Electrical Terms Definition PDF

DEFINITION OF TERMS AMPACITY, the current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. APPLIANCE, utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, that is normally built in standardized sizes or types a...

DEFINITION OF TERMS AMPACITY, the current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. APPLIANCE, utilization equipment, generally other than industrial, that is normally built in standardized sizes or types and installed or connected as a unit to perform one or more function such as clothes washing, air conditioning, food mixing, deep fryin and so forth. APPROVED, acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction. ASKAREL, a generic term for a group of nonflammable synthetic chlorinated hydrocarbons used as electrical insulating media. Askarel of various compositional types are used. Under arcing conditions, the gases produced, while consisting predominantly o noncombustible hydrogen chloride, can include varying amounts combustible gases, depending on the askarel type. ATTACHMENT PLUG, a device that, by insertion in a receptacle, establishes a connection between the conductors of the attached flexible cord and the conductors connected permanently to the receptacle AUTHORITY HAVING JURISDICTION (AHJ), the organization, office, or individual responsible for approving equipment, materials an installation, or a procedure. AUTOMATIC, self-acting, operating by its own mechanism when actuated by some impersonal influence, as, for example, a change in current, pressure, temperature, or mechanical configuation. BRANCH CIRCUIT, the circuit conductors between the fina overcurrent device protecting the circuit and the outlets. CIRCUIT BREAKER, a device designed to open and close a circuit by nonautomatic means and to open the circuit automatically on a pre determined overcurrent without damage to itself when properly applied within its rating. CONDUCTOR BARE, a conductor having no covering or electrical insulation whatsoever. CONDUCTOR INSULATED, a encased within material of composition and thickness that is recognized by this Code as electrical insulation. CONTINUOUS LOAD, a load where the maximum current expected to continue for 3 hours or more. CONTROLLER, a device or group of devices that serves to govern, in some predetermined manner, the electric power delivered to the apparatus to which it is connected. CUTOUT BOX, an enclosure designed for surface mounting that has swinging doors or cover secured directly to and telescoping with the walls of the box proper. DEMAND FACTOR, the ratio of the maximum demand of a system, or part of a system, to the total connected load of a system or the part of the system under consideration. DEVICE, a unit of an electrical system that is intended to carry or control but not utilize electric energy. DISCONNECTING MEANS, a device, or group of devices, or other means by which the conductors of a circuit ELECTRIC SIGN, a fixed, stationary, or portable self- contained, electrically illuminated utilization equipment, with words or symbols designed to convey information or attract attention. ENCLOSURE, the case or housing of apparatus, or the fence or walls surroundinf an installation to prevent personnel from accidentally contacting energized parts or to protect the equipment from physical damage. ENERGIZED, electrically connected to a source of voltage. EQUIPMENT, a general term including, material, fittings, devices, appliances, luminaires (fixtures), apparatus and the like used as part of, or in connection with, an electrical installation. FEEDER, all circuit conductors between the service equipment, the source of a separate derived system, or other power supply source and the final branch circuit overcurrent device. FITTING, an accessories such as locknut, bushing, or other part of a wiring system that is intended primarily to perform a mechanical rather than an electrical function. GROUND, a conducting connection, whether intentional or accidental, between an electrical circuit or equipment an the earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth, GROUNDED, connected to earth or to some conducting body that serves in place of the earth. GROUND CONDUCTOR, a system or circuit conductor that is intentionally grounded. GROUND FAULT CURRENT INTERRUPTER (GFCI), a device intended for the protection of personnel that functions to de- energize a circuit for the portion therof within an established period of time when a current to ground exceeds the values established for Class A device. GROUNDING CONDUCTOR, a conductor used to connect equipment or the ground circuit of a wiring system to a ground grounding electrode or electrodes. GROUND CONDUCTOR EQUIPMENT, the conductor used to connect the non-current carrying metal parts of equipment, raceways, and other enclosure to the system grounded conductor, the grounding electrode conductor, or both at the service equipment or at the source o a separate derived system. GROUNDING ELECTRODE, a device that established an electrical connection to the earth. GROUNDING ELECTRODE CONDUCTOR, the conductor used to connect the grounding electrode to the equipment grounding conductor, to the grounded conductor, or both, at the service, at each building or structure where supplied by a feeder or branch circuits or at the source of a separately derived system. INTERRUPTING RATING, the highest current at rated voltage that a device is intended to interrupt under standard test conditions. LIGHTING OUTLET, an outlet intended for the direct connection of a lampholder, luminaire (lighting fixture), or a pendant cord in a lampholder. LISTED, equipment, materials or services including in a list published by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction and concerned with evaluation of products or services, that maintains periodic inspection o production of listed equipment or materials or periodic evaluation of services, and whose listing states that the equipment material, or services either meets appropriate designated standards or has been tested andd found suitabl for a specified purpose. LIVE PARTS, conductor or conductive part intended to be energized in normal use. LUMINAIRE, a complete lighting unit consisting of a lamp or lamps together with the parts designed to distribute the light, to position and protect the lamp and ballast (where applicable), and to connect the lamp to the power supply. OUTLET, a point on the wiring system at which the current is taken suuply utilization equipment. OUTLINE LIGHTING, an arrangement of incandescent lamps, electric discharge lighting, or other electrically powered light sources to outline or call attention to certain features such as the shape of a building or the decoration of a window. OVERCURRENT, any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a conductor. It may result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. OVERLOAD, operation of equipment in excess of normal, full-load rating, or of a conductor in excess of rated ampacity that, when it persists for a sufficient length of time, would PANELBOARD, a single panel or group of panel units designed for assembly in the form of a single panel, includin buses and automatic overcurrent devices, and equipped wit or without switches for the control of light, heat or power circuits: designed to be placed in a cabinet or cutout box placed in or against a wall partition, or other support: and accessible only from the front. POWER OUTLET, an enclosed assembly that may include receptacles circuit breakers, fuseholders, fused switches, buses, and watt-hour meter mounting means; intended to supply and control power to mobile homes, recreational vehicles, park trailers, or boats or to serve as a means for distributing power required to operate mobile or temporaril installed equipment. RACEWAY, an enclosed channel of metal or nonmetallic meterials designed expressly for holding wires, cable, or busbars, with additional functions as permitted in this Code Raceways include, but are not limited to, rigid metal conduit, rigid nonmetallic conduit, intermediate metal conduit, liquidtight flexible conduit, flexible metallic tubing, flexible metal conduit, electrical nonmetallic tubing, electrical metallic tubing, underfloor raceways, cellular concrete floor raceways, cellular metal floor raceways, surface raceways, wireways and busways. RECEPTACLE, is a contact device installed at the outlet for the connection of an attachment plug. A single receptacle is a single contact device with no other contact device on the same yoke. A multiple receptacle is two or more contact RECEPTACLE OUTLET, an outlet where one or more receptacles are installed. SERVICE, the conductor and equipment for delivering electric energy from the serving utility to the wiring system of the premises served. SERVICE CABLE, service conductors made up in the form of a cable. SERVICE CONDUCTOR, the conductors from the service point to the service disconnecting means. SERVICE DROP, the overhead service conductors from the last pole or other aerial support to and including splices, if any, connecting to the service-entrance conductors at the building or other structure, SERVICE ENTRANCE CONDUCTOR OVERHEAD SYSTEM, the service conductor between the termina;s of the service equipment and a point usually outside the building, clear building walls, where joined by tap or splice to the service drop. SERVICE ENTRANCE CONDUCTOR UNDERGROUND SYSTEM, the service conductor between the terminals of the service equipment and the point of connection to the service lateral. SERVICE EQUIPMENT, the necessary equipment, usually consisting of a circuit breaker or switch and fuse and their accessories, connected to the load end of service conductors to a building or other structure, or an otherwise designated area, and intended to constitute the main SERVICE LATERAL, the underground service conductors between the street main, including any risers at a pole or other structure or from transformers, and the first point of connection to the service entrance conductors in a terminal box meter or other enclosure, inside or outside the building wall. Where there is no terminal box, meter, or other enclosure, the point of connection is considered to be the point of entrance of the service conductors into the building. SERVICE POINT, the point of connection between the facilities of the serving utility and the premises wiring. SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC SYSTEM, the total components and subsystems that, in combination convert solar energy into electrical energy suitable for SWITCH TRANSFER, an automatic or nonautomatic device fo transferring one or more load conductor connections from one power source to another. SWITCHBOARD, a large single panel, frame or assembly of panels on which are mounted on the face, back, or both, switches, overcurrent and other protective devices, buses and usually instruments. Switcheboards are generally accessible from the rear as well as from the front and are not intended to be installed in cabinets. VOLTAGE, the greatest root mean square (rms) difference of potential between any two conductors of the circuit concerned FUSE, an overcurrent protective device with a circuit-opening fusible part that is heated and severed by the passage of overcurrent through it. CIRCUIT BREAKER, a switching device capable of making, carrying, and interrupting currents under normal circuit conditions, and also of making, carrying for a specified time, and interrupting current under specified abnormal circuit conditions, such as those of short circuit.