UNIT-1

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS OF ELECTRICAL INSTALLATIONS

Electric Supply System, Three phase four wire distribution system, Protection of Electric
Installation against over load, short circuit and Earth fault, Earthing, General requirements of
Electrical Installations, testing of installations, Indian Electricity rules, Neutral and Earth wire,
Types of loads, Systems of wiring, Service connections, Service Mains, Sub ‐Circuits, Location of
Outlets, Location of Control Switches, Location of Main Board and Distribution Board, guide
lines for Installation of Fittings, Load Assessment, Permissible voltage drops and sizes of wires,
estimating and costing of Electric installations.
ELECTRIC SUPPLY SYSTEM:
Electricity is generated in power generating stations which are often situated far away
from the consumers of electric power. This is because the power generating stations should
preferably be situated near the natural sources of energy. For example, large hydro-power
generators are installed at places where a large quantity of water at high head is available for
driving turbines which in turn drive generators. Coal fired generating stations are preferred
near coal mines and also at places where constant supply of coal can be maintained
economically. Such power stations are preferably built away from big cities to keep the
atmosphere free from pollution. necessary to transmit electricity from the generating station
to the consumers which is done in two stages. The first stage is called transmission in which
electricity is transmitted from the generating station to sub stations through transmission
lines.
The second stage, called 'distribution' involves distributing electricity from sub-stations to the
consumers through transmission lines. thus, becomes Now-a-days power generation is three-
phase, 50-Hz, usually at 11 kV. The generated voltage is stepped up to 132, 220 or 400 kV by
means of step-up transformers. Then by means of three wire transmission lines electric power
is carried to different places where it is received in sub-stations situated near cities. Here the
voltage is stepped down to 66 or 33 kV and further carried through three-wire transmission
lines to various sub-stations in the cities where the voltage is further stepped down to 11, 66,
or 33 kV. These voltages are further stepped down to 415 V to make available power to small
consumers through 415/240 V, three-phase, four-wire distributors.
Small consumers receive power at 415/240 V where they can use both three-phase and
single-phase supply. Very small domestic consumers are often provided with single-phase
supply at 240V. Distribution of power at 415/240 Vis called secondary or low voltage
distribution system. Electric power to large consumers is, however, often supplied direct at 11
kv, 6.6 kV or 3.3 kV. Such consumers install their own sub-station to step-down voltage to
415/240 volts.
Distribution of power at such high voltage is called primary or high voltage distribution
system.
System voltages have been classified into four categories as
under:250 V or less voltage
251 V to 650 V medium voltage
651 V to 33 kV high voltage
Above 33 kV extra high voltage
The transmission and distribution system is shown in figure 1

FIGURE 1: TYPICAL POWER SUPPLY SYSTEM

THREE-PHASE FOUR WIRE DISTRIBUTION SYSTEM

Electric power in India is supplied to the consumers by the State Electricity Boards.
The following are the different systems by which power is distributed to the consumer
Single-phase ac supply using a 2-wire system Three-phase ac supply using a 3-wire system;
Supply of Three-phase and neutral using a 4-wire system.
D.C. supply may also be available in certain areas, on either a two-wire system at 220 V, or a
three-wire system with 440 V between the two outer conductors and 220 V between the outer
conductors and the centre wire.
However, d.c supply is no longer commonly used in India and, therefore, the student will
rarely come across d.c installations.
Supply Voltages
The standard voltages at which the supply authorities deliver power to the consumer are
generally as follows:
Single phase: 240 V, 50 Hz, 2 wire
Three phase 415 V, 50 Hz,4 wire.
In India and in many European countries the frequency of the supply is 50 Hz. In the USA
the power supply frequency is 60 Hz.
Standardisation of supply voltage and frequency is extremely important to both
electricity supply authorities as well as the manufacturers of electrical equipment. In the 3-
phasc, 4-wire power distribution system, power is supplied from the sub-station through 4-
wires. Three of these wires are called live or phase or line wires. The fourth wire is usually at
zero voltage and is called neutral wire. The neutral wire is earthed at the sub-station. The
voltage between any two of the line wires in a 3-phase system is 3 times the voltage between
any phase wire and the neutral. Electric loads of the consumers are connected in such a way
that all the three phases are equally loaded. If the individual phases of the 3-phase systems
are equally loaded the current through the neutral wire will be zero. In case of 3-phase
motors, ovens etc. the three phases are equally loaded by their very design. In such cases the
neutral wire may be omitted. But in cases where a large number of single-phase loads have to
be supplied, loads on the three phases are balanced by connecting various single-phase
consumers or groups of consumers to different phases of the 3-phase supply. Large
consumers, particularly those with heavy motor loads, are provided with a 3-phase, 4-wire
supply. Motors and heavy heating loads are connected to 415 V 3-phase supply and are called
three phase loads. The load is balanced
over the three phases by equally distributing the lighting load and small power loads over the
three phases. Consumers with load requirement more than 250 kVA are provided with supply
at high voltage with a substation installed in the consumer's premises where voltage is
stepped down to 415/240 V. Figure 2 shows typical 3-phase 4-wire distribution from a sub-
station to the consumer. For a large consumer, it may be economical to purchase power from
the Electricity Board at high voltage and install his own sub-station and distribution system.
Such a consumer should discuss this first with the Electricity Board and get details of any
special tariffs that may be available before finalizing the scheme
Figure 2: 3-phase 4-wire distribution