UNIT-10/ GR-11

Power of energy of electric appliances

Electric appliances convert electric energy to various other energy forms.

Electric energy Light energy (Bulb)

Electric energy Sound energy (Radio)

Electric energy Heat energy (Oven, Cooker)

Electric energy Kinetic energy (Motor)

Power output of an electric appliances

▪ Power is work done in a unit time or rate of work done.

Power = Work done/ Time

= J/S

= Js-1

1 Walt= 1 Js-1

SI unit is Walt (W)

▪ The rate of energy consumption (P) by electric appliance operated with voltage (V) and
drawing current (I) is given by following equation.

Power = Voltage x Current

P = VI

P – Walt (W)

V – Volt (v)

I – Ampere (A)

Examples,

1. The volt value of CFL bulb is 6V. If a 3A current is supplied. Find the power of it.

2. The power of the iron is 1500 W. This was connected to a 230 V power supply. Find the
current flowing through it.

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 3. Power of the electric kettle is 1000 W. Current drown is 4.3 A. Calculate the voltage
difference.

In heating coils the energy consumed is converted to heat only. But in some appliances the energy is
converted to due to the internal resistant and also sometimes energy can be converted to other
energy forms. (Sound, light)

Electric energy consumed by the electric appliances

Power is rate of energy consumption. Therefore, the total energy consumed depend on the time
duration that the electric appliance operate.

The total energy consumed = Power x Time

E=Pxt

E–J

P–W

T–s

Substituting to P = VI

E = VIt as E = Pt

Example

1.Calculate the energy consumed by 6 W bulb that turned on for 5 minutes.

2.Current flows through an immersion heater is 5A. The power of that is 1000 W. This was used for
30 minutes by suppling 200v. Calculate the total energy consumed.

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Efficiency of electric appliances and conserving power

Instead of using filament bulbs for illumination, we can use CFL (Compact Fluorescent lamps) or LED.
(Light emitting diode)

LED bulbs using very less power (6 to 8 W) and life span is higher. But initial cost is high.

Efficiency of cookers vary due to the amount of heat use.

Examples:

1. Using immersion heater is highly efficient than using hot plates because the heat is directly
transferred to the water.
2. Using microwave oven is more efficient because heat is produced inside the food due to the
wave. But cannot heat all kind of food.
3. Induction cookers, the variable magnetic field emitted by the cooker generator heat only by
the bottom of the utensil.

Using table fan is more efficient than the ceiling fan.

Home electric circuits.

From the national grid (electric) we receive 230v and 50Hz frequency of current. This is an
alternative current.

From the service cable the house hold circuit gain electricity. This contain two wires.

1. Live wire. (Red or brown in color)

2. Neutral wire (Blue in color)

Arrangement of domestic circuit

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Component of a domestic electric circuit

Overload circuit breaker (Service fuse)

The electricity supplied to house first pass through this.

This fuse arranges to pass 40A. (Maximum)

If large current pass through this fuse, it disconnects power to the house.

If this disconnect, we can reconnect by lifting the leaver.

In older house a fuse is used instead of this.

Electricity meter

This measure the amount of electricity consumed by customer. This is measured in kW. Neutral and
live wires which are coming through overload circuit breaker enters to circuit meter.

Isolator (Main switch)

Maximum current allows to pass through this is 30A.

If it is receiving more than 30A it disconnects the house hold circuit from power main.

This contain live and neutral wires.

In order to domestic circuits the main switch contain 30A fuse and a dipole switch.

Dual pole switch is capable of disconnecting live and neutral.

We can disconnect the whole circuit manually for any repair purposes.

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Residual current circuit breaker

• Receive the neutral and live wires.

• It helps to protect the residents from electric shocks. If this receive high voltage it
disconnects the whole domestic circuit automatically.
• This is also a dual pole switch.
• In a normal switch, when it is on the lever is down. But in this, when it is on the lever is
raised.
• The test button is used to test the trip switch whether it is working or not.

Distribution box

Electricity is distributed throughout the household using this. There are two types of circuits in
domestic electric circuits.

1. Lightning circuits/ lamp circuits.

2. Plug circuits/ Socket circuits
• The maximum current supply to,
• Lightning circuits – 6 A
• Plug circuits – 13 A

Miniature circuit breaker (MCB)

• Connected to each circuit inside the distribution box.

• When high current is received, the circuit automatically disconnects by shifting the lever
down to the off position.
• The electricity supply disconnected only to that particular circuit.
• For lamp circuit we can connect two 6 A plugs and bulb.
• This doesn't operate when a person gets an electricity shock. They don’t provide any
protection to people.
• This only provide protection against electric shorts and resulting fires due to heated cables.
• In order to domestic circuit fuse was used instead for MCB.
• Lightening circuits – 5 A fuse
• Plug circuits – 15 A fuse
• Always MCBs or fuses are connecting to live wire.

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Consumer units

In modern domestic circuits,

1.Isolator

2.RCCB

3.Distribution box is included in the same unit called consumer unit.

Switches and plug sockets

Switches are used to turn on and off the power to electric bulb. Switches are available as single unit
or several in switches are in same board. Switches are connected to the circuits to turn on or turn off
each bulb separately. In domestic circuit bulbs are connected as parallel.

The switch
should always
be on the live
wire

Here, 5A bulbs are

parallel to each
other. We can
control one bulb
at a time.

Here, the two bulbs are

controlled by one switch.
(Action of each bulb
doesn’t effect on another
bulb.

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Plug socket

• Live cable, neutral cable and separately grounded earth cable are connected to this element.
• The large terminal of three pin plug socket is connected to the external metal cover of the
electric appliances. This connects with the earth wire of the domestic electric circuit when
plug in.
• This is necessary if there is electric leakage in the appliance the excess electrons pass
through the earth wire to the ground. Therefore, we protect from electric shocks by turning
off the trip switch.

Plug

There are two types,

1. Two pin. (Live and neutral) (A plastic cover must be in those equipment)
2. Three pin. (Live, Neutral and earth)

Connecting wires

▪ Single cables with 1 mm2 use to carry 5A or 6A current.

▪ Seven wires with 1.5 mm2 used to 15Aor 13A plug circuits.
▪ Neutral wire – Blue/ Black
▪ Live wire – Red/ Brown
▪ Earth wire – Green/ Green yellow

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Loop circuit. (Ring circuit)

This is use to supply plug bases about 100 m2. The plug bases are connected with three wires
parallel. It contains live, neutral and earth wires. The earth wire has high area of cross section.
Therefore, the resistant is low. So that if there is a short circuit the excess electrons can easily flow
towards the earth.

Protective measures in domestic circuits

▪ There are two protective measures in the domestic circuits.

1. Residual current circuit breakers. (RCCB)
2. Miniature circuit breaker. (MCB)
▪ If there is a power disconnection due to current leak or electric shock, the overload circuit
breaker should be open first. Then the lever of the RCCB or MCB should be turned upward
and again the overload circuit breaker should be closed. If the power supply is disconnected
again the circuit must be repaired by electrician.
▪ Appropriate fusion should be used for 6A and 13A.
▪ Don’t connect lots of plugs to a plug socket using multi plugs where a total current exceeds
the capacity of the plug socket.
▪ Don’t insert live, neutral and earth wires directly towards the plug socket.
▪ When using electric iron standing on the rubber carpet or wearing rubber slippers is
necessary.
▪ If there is a burnt bulb in the bathroom, before moving, it you should turn off the overload
circuit breaker or main switch.
▪ Using plug should be disconnected from the circuit.
▪ When strong lightning strikes occur radio and television should be unplugged. (RCCB don’t
protect the domestic circuit from thunder)
▪ Electric devices should not be used when the body is wet or with a wet hand.
▪ During the power failure electric appliances should be turned off.
▪ In a case of fire domestic power supply should be disconnected by the overload circuit
breaker.
▪ Functioning of RCCB should be checked by using the test button every few days.

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Measuring electric energy

▪ Commercial unit of measuring electric energy is kWh.

▪ Converting kWh to Joules,

1 kWh = 1 x 1000 x 1 x 60 x 60

= 3,600,000 Js-1

▪ Therefore, energy consumed in a second by the devise is 3.6 x 106 J

No of kWh = No of Watts x No of hours

1000

Example 01:

Power of the electric iron is 600W. Every day it is used for 20 minutes. Find the electric consumption
for month.