Residential Construction
Unit 5- Energy Efficiencies and
Mechanicals
Mr. Todzia
Generation facilities- Most electricity is made by turbine blades
rotating at speeds high enough to produce electricity in a
generator. The blades can be turned by water, steam or wind.
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High-voltage switchyard- The electricity flows
through metal conduction to a switchyard, where a
transformer steps up voltage for transmission.
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Transmission lines -Transmission lines can
efficiently carry high-voltage electricity over long
distance to substations.
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Substations -At substations, electricity is
stepped down so it can travel over smaller
distribution lines to homes and businesses.
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Distribution lines -Distribution lines carry
electricity to neighborhoods.
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Transformer -an electric-pole transformer reduces
the voltage to a level that can be used in homes
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The line that connect from the overhead street power
lines to your house is called the Service Drop.
The utility company owns and is responsible for the
Service drop and any wires before they enter the
Weatherhead.
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The weatherhead prevents any water, snow or
moisture to enter the system and travel down
the wires to the panel.
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After the wires enter the weatherhead they
travel down the large conduit to the Service
panel.
From the panel, the power is distributed to the
different circuits throughout the house.
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A circuit breaker is an
automatically operated electrical
switch designed to protect an
electrical circuit from damage
caused by overload or short circuit.
Its basic function is to detect a fault
condition and, by interrupting
continuity, to immediately
discontinue electrical flow.
Unlike a fuse, which operates once
and then has to be replaced, a
circuit breaker can be reset (either
manually or automatically) to
resume normal operation.
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Lights and Switches
Receptacles/outlets
Hardwired appliances
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Lights are typically run
with 14 gauge wire.
In a single pole
application when one
switch is operating the
light, 14-2 wire is used.
In a 3-way situation when
a two switches are used
to operate one light, then
14-3 wire must be used.
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An electrical outlet, also called a receptacle, is
the flush mounted plate we plug our electrical
appliances into.
15 amp outlet
20 amp outlet
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15 amp outlets are run with 14 gauge wire.
20 amp outlets are run with 12 gauge wire.
20 amp outlets are recognizable by the Tshaped slot on the neutral side of the outlet.
15 amp
20 amp
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There is usually more than one outlet on a circuit,
so the above diagram explains how to wire an
outlet in the middle of circuit and also how the
outlet on the end is wired.
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GFCI stands for Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter.
GFCI outlets are required by code in bathrooms
and kitchens because both areas have the chance
of getting wet.
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Some appliances in your
home will require a 220
volt outlet.
Kitchen Stove
 Cloths Dryer
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Some appliances or fixtures are hard wired to
the power supply. This means they don’t plug
in, but they have the wires from the wall tied
directly to them.
Some examples might include
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Dish waser
Well pump
Furnace/boiler
Hot water heater
Smoke detectors
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Always flip a breaker off before you do any
work on a circuit!
Smoke detectors are required by code in any
residence.
Lighting circuits should be wired separately
from other circuits so if a breaker is tripped,
you still have lights.
By code switches have to be installed 48 inches
from the floor.
By code outlets have to installed 18 from the
floor.
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Install outlets with the ground hole facing up so
you will never drop something across the hot and
neutral lines.
When drilling studs for running wire in walls,
always drill in the center of the stud to minimize
the risk of hitting a wire with a nail.
Remember that only 50 milliamps of electricity
across your chest, stop your heart.
Use insulated tools.
Never cut across a hot and neutral with any tool.
(lineman's pliers, sawzall) It will trip the breaker
and ruin the tool.
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If a wire has to be run too close to the edge of a
stud, then use a metal protective plate in case
someone drives a nail in that area.
When wiring switches and outlets,
use needle nose pliers to bend
C-Shaped hooks on the bare end of the wire.
Wrap the end of the wire clockwise onto the
screw so that when you tighten the screw the
hook tightens around the screw instead of
loosening up.
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Remember that to become an
electrician you must complete a
4 year apprenticeship program, thousands of
hours of on-the-job experience and hundreds of
hours in the classroom.
So don’t assume that because you have seen
this presentation you can wire a house!
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For larger and more sensitive appliances, it is a good
idea to run a dedicated circuit which means, only that
appliance is on that circuit, nothing else. This
minimizes the chance of the breaker being tripped.
Some examples of appliances are:
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Refrigerator
Air Conditioners
Furnace/boiler
Electric stove
High-end Electronics (as seen in hospitals)
Well pump
Hot water heater
Anything with a large electrical draw