AP Physics 1

Electrical Circuit Schematic and Design-based circuit analysis

You’re Project

In an effort to save money on the new construction of your house, you have decided to prepare the house wiring schematic to be used by the electrician andHomebuilder. The builder will build the house with the walls left open to allow the electrician to wire the house according to your electrical design plan. Your limitations are:

1)The main power supply

a)Mounted on a telephone pole outside your house.

b)Supplied by the regional electrical distribution grid and is set to provide 240/120VAC, 60HZ.

c)Two cables carry 120VAC (red and Black), one cable is the neutral grounded cable at 0VAC (White). .

d)The three incoming power cablesare connected to an Electric Meter then onto the Main Service Panel in the basement of your house. The meter measures how much power you are using in your house. The unit of measurement on this electricity meter is the kilowatt- hour, which is equal to the amount of energy used by a load of one kilowatt over a period of one hour, or 3,600,000 joules.

2)Main Service Panel:

a)Located in the basement of your house.

b)Receives 3 power cables from the Service entrance to your house (RED, BLACK, WHITE)

c)Red is 120VAC, Black is 120VAC, White is 0VAC and the grounding cable. Each cable is limited to 200amps.

d)The main service panel or breaker box distributes power to all circuits throughout the house.

e)Each circuit has a breaker that can shut itself down in the event of a short circuit or overload.

f)Your Main Service Panel:

i)Has one Main disconnect breaker for the house?.

ii)Ten (10) individual circuit breakers. (7 breakers at a 15A limit and 3 breakers at a 20A limit)

iii)The 3 cables connect to a Red, White and Black bus bar.

  1. Connecting a circuit from one hot bus bar, red or black to the neutral bus bar will provide 120VAC.Used for lights, outlets, etc.
  2. Connect a circuit from one hot bus bar and another hot bus bar will provide 240VAC.
  3. Used for Heavy duty items like ranges, hot water tanks, dryers, central air.
  4. Your circuit designation will be 1. Lighting 2) outlets, and 3) Dedicated circuits as needed.
  5. Each of the ten breakers are rated as follows:
  6. Breakers 1-7: 15 Amps maximum limit.
  7. Breakers 8-10: 20A maximum limit
  8. Each Breaker has an inline ammeter showing the total circuit current.

3)Electrical Boxes:

a)The place where you end or connect wires providing power.

b)Can be a switch, outlet, or light. The outlets provide the “plug-in” access to the power 125-volt, 15-amp,three-prong outlets

  1. Ground: A home-wiring diagram requires using a ground wire.
  2. The ground wire connects the system to the earth through copper rods or metal water pipes.
  3. Electrical current runs through the circuit on the Red or Black wire and returns to the main service panelby means of a white neutral wire. The white neutral wire is connected to the neutral bus bar then the metallic case of the panel and then to a ground rod or plumbing line.
  1. YOU’RE HOUSE DESIGN:
  2. Produce a basic floor plan showing:

(1)Upstairs:

(a)Three bedrooms = each with 1, 60W light and three outlets, light switch.

(b)One bathroom – Fan, light, outlet, switch for light and fan.

(c)Hall – two lights, 1 switch

(2)Downstairs

(a)Master bedroom – 1 light, 2 switch, 2 outlets, 1 ceiling fan

(b)Kitchen – 2 lights, 2 switches 4 outlets

(c)dining room – 1 light, 1 switch, 2 outlets

(d) living room – 2 lights, 1 switch, 3 outlets

(e)Bathroom – 1 light 1 fan, 2 switches

(f)Two-car attached garage with automatic door opener. 2 lights, 1 switch, 1GDO

(g)Heated in ground swimming pool with an attached Jacuzzi. (2 Sw)

(h)External security lighting, (1 switch)

(i)Automatic water sprinklers and heated gutters.(1switch)

(j)All rooms need one ceiling light and one switch.

(k)Electric range and stove, 1 switch

(l)electric water heater – 1 switch

(m)Central air conditioning.– 1 switch

(n)Electricclothes dryer and washing machine. 1 switch

(o)Emergency backup generator circuit.

  1. You need to plan for all of it.
  2. Prepare an electrical schematic – one line outside the service panel, **2 inside.
  3. Prepare a floor plane – like in architecture. Boxes are used for loads.
  4. Program the PHETsimulator to simulate your plan and get the electrical inspectors signature.
  5. Each breaker in the main service panel has a built in Ammeter downstream.