Lecture 6

Residential
Electrical Systems
Design
Engr. Gerard Ang
School of EECE
 Electrical Design of a
Single Occupancy Residential Building

General
• Although the electrical design of a low-rise residential building is
already a project design subject in most colleges, it is discussed here
because the design processes, criteria, methods, requirements of the
owners, architect, electric utility, and others are almost similar to the
electrical design of a high-rise condominium building.
Design Processes
• In most cases, the electrical design starts from an architectural layout
and other drawings, such as the drawing shown in Figure 1.
 Lighting, Power and
Service Equipment Layout
 Detailed Design

Preparations
• With the architectural layout and other drawings, the development
of the initial electrical design starts. A preliminary arrangement of
the electrical plan requirements helps in the determination of the
number of drawing sets to be prepared to avoid overcrowding in
the electrical plan. Considering the size of this building, the entire
electrical plan requirements can be accommodated in two (2) sets
of size 500 mm x 760 mm sheets, without overcrowding the
electrical plan.
 Design Example

• A single family dwelling unit has a floor area of 150 sq. m. exclusive
of unoccupied basement and open porches. It has three 20 A small
appliance branch circuits, one 20 A laundry circuit, a 10 kW electric
range, a 5 kW clothes dryer and two 3/4 HP and one 1.5 HP air
conditioning units.
• Branch Circuit No. 1: Lighting loads
• Branch Circuit No. 2: Small Appliance Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 3: Small Appliance Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 4: Small Appliance Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 5: Laundry Loads
• Branch Circuit No. 6: 10 kW Electric Range
• Branch Circuit No. 7: 5 kW Clothes Dryer
• Branch Circuit No. 8: 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
• Branch Circuit No. 9: 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
• Branch Circuit No. 10: 1.5 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit

A. General Lighting Load and Convenience Receptacle

(Branch Circuit No. 1)
Typical Residential Unit at 150 sq. m.
Load = 150 sq. m x 24 VA/sq. m = 3,600 volt-amperes
Load Current = 3,600/230 = 15.65 Amperes

➢ Use 2 – 2.00 mm², copper TW, branch circuit conductors. Refer

to Table [Link] for ampacities of insulated conductors.
➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit. Refer to Table C10 for
size of conduit.
➢ Provide one (1) 20 A branch circuit. Refer to section [Link] for
standard ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit

B. Small Appliance Load (Branch Circuit Nos. 2 – 4)

Load = 20 A @ 1,500 volt-amperes = 1,500 volt-amperes
Where 1,500 volt-amperes as per Section [Link](a)
Load current = 1,500/230 = 6.52 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 2.00 mm² copper, TW branch circuit conductors. Refer to

Table [Link] for ampacity of the conductor.
➢ Use 15 mm dia. Rigid PVC conduit.
➢ Provide three(3) 20 A small appliance branch circuit as per Section
[Link](c)(1) or Section [Link](b)(1).
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit

C. Laundry Circuit (Branch Circuit No. 5)

Load = 20 A at 1,500 volt-amperes = 1,500 volt-amperes
Where 1,500 volt-amperes as per section [Link](b)
Load Current = 1,500/230 = 6.52 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 2.00 mm² copper, TW, branch circuit conductors

➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit
➢ Use one (1) 20 A branch circuit as per section [Link](c)(2)
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit

D. 10 kW Electric Range Load (Branch Circuit No. 6)

Maximum Demand is 8 kW
Based on Table [Link] (Column C)
Load Current = 8,000/230 = 34.78 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 8.0 mm² copper, TW, branch circuit conductors

➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit
➢ Use one (1) 35 A branch circuit. Refer to section [Link] for
standard ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit

E. 5 kW Clothes Dryer Load (Branch Circuit No. 7)

Load = 5 kW x 100% demand factor = 5,000 volt-amperes
The 100% demand factor is per Table [Link]
Load Current = 5,000/230 = 21.73 amperes

➢ Use 2 – 3.50 mm² copper, TW, branch circuit conductors

➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit
➢ Use one (1) 25 A branch circuit. Refer to section [Link] for
standard ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit
F. 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit (Branch Circuit Nos. 8 and 9)
Ampacity of wire = 125% x 6.9 A = 8.63 A
Where 125% is per Article [Link]
Where 6.9 A is the motor full-load current as per Table [Link]
➢ Use 2 - 2.0 mm2 copper, TW branch circuit conductors
➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit

Rating of branch circuit protective device = 250% x 6.9 A = 17.25 A

Where 250% is the maximum inverse time rating of the breaker as per
Table [Link]. The room ACU is at 100% demand factor. Refer to
Section [Link](c)(1).
➢ Provide two(2) 20 A branch circuit for the room air-conditioner.
Refer to Section [Link] for ampere trip ratings of circuit
breakers.
 Branch Circuit Conductor
for Motor Loads
Article [Link]. Single Motor-Compressor
Branch circuit conductors supplying a single motor-compressor shall
have an ampacity not less than 125 percent of either the motor-
compressor rated load current or the branch circuit selection current,
whichever is greater.

For a wye-start, delta run connected motor compressor, the selection

of branch circuit conductors between the controller and the motor-
compressor shall be permitted to be based on 72 percent of either
the motor-compressor rated load current or the branch circuit
selection current, which ever is greater.
 Computation of Loads
for a Typical Residential Unit
G. 1.5 HP Air-Conditioning Unit (Branch Circuit No. 10)
Ampacity of wire = 125% x 10 A = 12.50 A
Where: 125% is per Article [Link]
Where: 10 A is the motor full-load current as per Table [Link]
➢ Use 2 - 2.0 mm2 copper, TW branch circuit conductors
➢ Use 15 mm diameter rigid PVC conduit

Rating of branch circuit protective device = 250% x 10 A = 25 A

Where 250% is the maximum inverse time rating of the breaker as per
Table [Link]. The room ACU is at 100% demand factor. Refer to
Section [Link](c)(1).
➢ Provide one(1) 30 A branch circuit for the room air-conditioner.
Refer to Section [Link] for ampere trip ratings of circuit breakers.
 Branch Circuit Conductor
for Motor Loads
Article [Link]. Single Motor-Compressor
Branch circuit conductors supplying a single motor-compressor shall
have an ampacity not less than 125 percent of either the motor-
compressor rated load current or the branch circuit selection current,
whichever is greater.

For a wye-start, delta run connected motor compressor, the selection of

branch circuit conductors between the controller and the motor-
compressor shall be permitted to be based on 72 percent of either the
motor-compressor rated load current or the branch circuit selection
current, which ever is greater.
Riser Diagram
General Lighting (Feeder) Load
Standard Frame Sizes and Continuous Ampere
Ratings for Molded-Case Circuit Breakers

Frame Size, Ampere

30 50 60 100 200 225 400 600 800 1000 1200
5 10 10 15 125 70 200 300 300 600 700
10 15 15 20 150 100 225 350 350 700 800
15 20 20 30 175 125 250 400 400 800 1000
20 30 30 40 200 150 300 500 500 1000 1200
30 40 40 50 175 350 600 600
50 50 60 200 400 700
60 70 225 800
100
Computation of Service Entrance
for a Typical Residential Unit

A single family dwelling unit has a floor area of 150 sq. m. exclusive of
unoccupied basement and open porches. It has three 20 A small appliance
branch circuits, one 20 A laundry circuit, an 8 kW electric range, a 5 kW
clothes dryer, two 3/4 HP and one 1.5 HP air conditioning units and one 1
HP water pump.
Service Entrance Computations
General Lighting Load and General Use Receptacle:
150 sq. m x 24 VA/sq. m. = 3,600 VA
Small Appliance Load:
Three 20 A circuits @ 1500 VA/circuit = 4,500 VA
Laundry Circuit Load:
One 20 A circuit @ 1500 VA/circuit = 1,500 VA
Clothes Dryer:
5 kW Clothes Dryer = 5,000 VA
Subtotal = 14,600 VA

Applying Demand Factors for General Lighting Load

First 3000 VA at 100% DF = 3,000 VA
Next 11,600 VA at 35% DF = 11,600 x 0.35 = 4,060 VA
Service Entrance Computations

Range Load:
One 8 kW range at 80% DF = 8,000 x 0.8 = 6,400 VA
Air Conditioning Unit and Motor Loads:
Two 3/4 HP Air-Conditioning Unit, one 1.5 HP Air-Conditioning Unit
and 1 HP water pump
[(6.9 + 6.9 + 10 + 8) + (25% x 10)] x 230 = 7,889 VA

Total Computed Load = 3,000 + 4,060 + 6,400 + 7,889 = 21,349 VA

Service Entrance Conductors:

Total Computed Current = 21,349/230 = 92.82 A
Use two 30 mm2 THW copper wire
Service Entrance Computations

Service Equipment:
A. Maximum Current Rating of Protective Device, with
1. Non-Time Delay Fuse
[3,000 + 4,060 + 6,400 + 300%(10 x 230) + (6.9 x 230) +
(6.9 x 230) + (8 x 230)]/230 = 110.32 A
2. Inverse-Time Circuit Breaker
[3,000 + 4,060 + 6,400 + 250%(10 x 230) + (6.9 x 230) +
(6.9 x 230) + (8 x 230)]/230 = 105.32 A
B, Service Equipment Rating in case of ungrounded service
1. Use one 200 A, 2PST, 250 V safety switch with two 125 A
renewable fuses or
2. Use one 110 AT, 2 pole, 240 V, molded case circuit breaker
 Residential Electrical
Systems Design

Provide the following:

1. Lighting layout
2. Power layout
3. Schedule of loads
4. Riser diagram
5. Branch circuit computations
6. Service entrance computations
Due on: September 17, 2023