WIRING SYSTEM

There are 2 types of wiring system;

Single-phase
Three-phase

SINGLE-PHASE SYSTEM
This system has mains voltage between live
and neutral wires
The frequency of DC voltage is 50 Hz.
This system is used in house application
It supplies 240 V to power more home
electrical appliances
In most cases, an additional safe ground
wire is used to increase user safety.

THREE-PHASE SYSTEM
This system is generated by generator that
produces three voltage, each has the same
frequency.
This system is used in industrial and
electrical distribution.

INTERNATIONAL COLOUR
CODE
A colour coding has been adopted to
standardise the colour schemes in cables
and flexible cords.
The international colour code is to be used
at international level in wiring system.

The international colour code

for main wiring is;
Colour

Wire

BROWN

LIVE

BLUE

NEUTRAL

GREEN WITH YELLOW STRIPE

EARTH

WIRING IN 3-PIN PLUG

A 3-pin plug has 3 terminals connected to 3

types of wires;
Terminal L, connected to live wire
Terminal N, connected to neutral wire
Terminal E, connected to earth wire

3pin plug wiring

Live wire supplies current, neutral wire

carries current away from electrical
appliances, while earth wire earthed leaked
current.
3-pin plug contains one fuse connected to
the live wire to control current supply.
Fuse will melt and interrupt electricity
supply if excess current flows through it.
This is essential to prevent damage to
electrical appliances.

Cost of electrical usage

Electrical energy is measured in Joules (J) by
using energy meter
1 kilojoule (kJ) = 1000 joule (J)
Electrical energy used by an electrical
appliance in a given time can be calculated
using the following formula;

E = Vlt
Where E = amount of electrical enegy used
V = voltage in volts
I = current in amperes (A)
t = time in second (s)

The power of an electrical appliance is the

rate of usage of electrical energy by that
appliance.

Power (W) = energy (J) / Time (s)

Energy (J) = power (W) x Time (s) ; or
Power (W) = voltage (V) x current (A)

Power is measured in watt (W)

or joule (J) per second (J s-1)
1 W = 1 J s-1
the home energy meter measures electrical
energy used in kilowatt-hour
1 kilowatt (kW) = 1000 watt (W)
1 kWh is the amount of energy used by 1
kW electrical appliance for 1 hour.

1 kWh = 1000 W x 1 hour

= 1000 W x 3 600 s
= 3 600 000 J

Cost of electricity is calculated

using the equation below;

Cost = power (kW) x time (h) x cost of 1

kWh

Example 1;
A 240 V, 100 W electric kettle needs 15
minutes to boil water in it. What is the
electrical energy used by the kettle?
Solution ;

power = 100 W
Time = 15 x 60 =900 seconds
Amount of energy used = power x time
= 100 x 900

= 90 000 J = 90 kJ

Example 2 ;

Serena irons her clothes every week. The

iron has 300 W power. If she irons her
clothes 4 times in October for half an hour
each time, what is the electrical energy
used in kWh?

Example 3;

On a hot day, Ali switched on a 240 V, 50 W

and 240 V, 500 W air conditioner as well as
watches a 240 V, 250 W television. He
watched a live football match lasted from
one to five in the afternoon. What is the
electrical energy usage during that period?

Example 4 ;

At the end of May, the reading of the power

meter in Veenas house is 02597 while the
reading at the end of April is 02319. given
that the tariff rates for residential houses
are RM0.218 for the first 200 units, RM0.258
for the next 800 units, and RM0.278 for the
remainder units. How much money will be
paid by veenas family for electrical energy
usage in May?