A Guide to the Components of an Electrical Panel
Your day’s assignment is on the functioning of an electrical panel. Whenever you want to do any electrical repair, your first task will be to switch off power coming to the circuit of the part of repair, of which you will do at the electric panel. Load center is another name you can use to refer to the main electrical service panel.
One of the functions of the load center is to act as a power distribution center, to all other centers which are connected to various destinations in the house. Again depending on the level consumption of power and power distribution network in the home, there can be need for additional smaller panel.Besides the main electrical service panel, then can be a small electrical panel, just in case the area of power utilization is large. A more conspicuous part of it is the door which when you open, you get access to the circuit breakers for repairs or replacements.
Circuit breakers are many, but there is one big one called the double -pole service connect. As you open the door of the panel, what you will see first are the main circuit breaker owing to its size and conspicuous positioning, which is normally at the top, and sometimes at the bottom or the sides. Its function is to control power going to various branches branch circuit breakers.
The two wires entering the main circuit breaker from the sides, are called hot bus bars. The main circuit breaker has another function of positioning the wires, so that they can supply electricity to the rest of the circuits. Furthermore, there are some two other wires leaving the main circuit breaker which are hot.
Then the effect of current flow is realized in various outlets and appliances such as in lighting, heating, upon the two wires leaving the main circuit breaker. There are also neutral bus bars which are connected with the two smaller neutral wires leaving the main circuit breaker. Then the bar connects to the main electrical service neutral which returns the current to the utility grid, and the cycle continues.
The next component is composed of a main bonding jumper whereby the neutral bus bar going to the ground are connected with the main electrical service pane. There is another current connection, which is the last one, involving a copper wire connected to a metal rod in the ground from the neutral wires, whose purpose to take control of any stray currents which might be as a result of over flow of current.
Depending various factors, it can be prudent to make an independent connection between the neutral wire to the ground rod. The separate connection involves, electrically linking the ground wire with the neutral wire.
It is part of your assignment to know how the electrical service panel operates, among other electrical services.
