Introduction to Basic Electrical Circuit Materials

1
Chapter 3

• Introduction to Basic Electrical Circuit Materials

2
Conductors

• Pathways that allow electrons to flow through an
  electrical circuit.
• Materials for conductors
• Copper (great conductor and fairly cheap)
• Brass (Strong and good conductor)
• Aluminum (cheap, light good conductor)
• Silver (awesome conductor, but expensive)

3
Conductance

• The conductivity of a material is given in
  siemens (S).

1
G
Resistance
R
4
Conductor Size

• Cross sectional area
• Determines how much current it can handle without
  overheating.
• Circular conductors size American Wire Gauge
  System larger the number, the smaller the
  cross-sectional area. No. 14 is larger than No.
  20 wire.
• Circular Mil System (see next slide)

5
Circular Mils

• The cross sectional area of a conductor.
• 1 mil 1/1000th of an inch (0.001)
• Circular mils (cmil) D2 diameter squared
• Useful when expressing a conductor size other
  than ?r2. Such as rectangular.

6
Insulation

• Materials with few free electrons does not
  conduct electrons well.
• Keeps electrons harnessed.
• Rubber
• Plastic
• Synthetics
• Neoprene, Teflon, nylon, polyethylene
• Codes Page 54

7
Types of conductors (pg. 54)
8
Resistance in a Conductor

• Four factors that effect the resistance of a
  conductor.
• Cross-Sectional area
• Type of material
• Length of conductor
• Temperature of material

Aluminum
Copper
9
Safety

• National Electric Code
• Guidelines and regulations concerning lengths and
  gauge of wire as well as safety ratings of
  materials and conductors.

10
Special Pathways

• Breadboards
• Printed Circuit Boards (PCB)
• Chasis

11
Circuit Devices

• Switches Control flow
• Actuator mechanical device that controls the
  opening and closing of the switch.
• SPST Single-pole (one path) single throw (one
  circuit)

12
Connectors

• Ring terminal
• Insulated ring terminal
• Flange terminal
• Inline splice
• Termination Block
• Fork terminal
• Stranded connector
• Wire nut
• Split bolt connector

13
Circuit Protection Devices

• Fuses
• In line
• Panel
• Circuit Breakers

14
Lighting

• Incandescent Lamp
• Current flowing through a tungsten filament gives
  off heat and light.

15
Lighting

• Halogen Lamp Tungsten filament is inserted
  through a glass tube, which is filled with helium.

16
Lighting

• Discharge Lamps
• Florescent lamp

17
Lighting

• Discharge lamps
• Mercury Vapor

18
Lighting

• Discharge lamps
• Neon lamp
• Glow lamp
• Strobe lamp

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Measure of light intensity

• Candela - amount of light generated by one
  candle.
• Lumen term used to measure the amount of light
  generated by lighting systems.
• 1 candela 12.57 lumens (1 from center)

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Resistors

• Resistor is a device used to create desirable
  voltage drops and limit current values in
  electrical circuits.

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Resistors

• Carbon composition
• Thin film
• Film
• Chip resistors
• Wire wound
• Metal oxide

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Resistors

• Adjustable (wire wound) resistor
• Variable
• Potentiometer

23
Resistors

• Thermisters changes resistance values as
  temperature changes.

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Resistor Color Code
25
Tools