Electrical wiring in general refers to insulated conductors used to carry electricity, and associated devices.

Wiring safety codes

Wiring safety codes are intended to protect people and property from electrical shock and fire hazards. Regulations may be established by city, county, provincial/state or national legislation, usually by adopting a model code (with or without local amendments) produced by a technical standards setting organization, or by a national standard electrical code. !lectrical codes arose in the "##$s with the commercial introduction of electrical power. %any conflicting standards e&isted for the selection of wire sizes and other design rules for electrical installations. 'he international standard wire sizes are given in the (!) *$++# standard of the (nternational !lectrotechnical )ommission. (n ,orth -merica, the -merican Wire .auge standard for wire sizes is used.

Color code
'o enable wires to be easily and safely identified, all common wiring safety codes mandate a colour scheme for the insulation on power conductors. (n a typical electrical code, some colour coding is mandatory, while some may be optional. %any local rules and e&ceptions e&ist. /lder installations vary in colour codes, and colours may shift with insulation e&posure to heat, light, and ageing. %any electrical codes now recognize (or even re0uire) the use of wire covered with green insulation, additionally marked with a prominent yellow stripe, for safety grounding (earthing) connections. 'his growing international standard was adopted for its distinctive appearance, to reduce the likelihood of dangerous confusion of safety grounding wires with other electrical functions, especially by persons affected by red green colour blindness.

Wiring methods
%aterials for wiring interior electrical systems in buildings vary depending on1 (ntended use and amount of power demand on the circuit 'ype of occupancy and size of the building ,ational and local regulations !nvironment in which the wiring must operate.

Wiring systems in a single family home or duple&, for e&ample, are simple, with relatively low power re0uirements, infre0uent changes to the building structure and layout, usually with dry, moderate temperature, and non corrosive environmental conditions. (n a light commercial environment, more fre0uent wiring changes can be e&pected, large apparatus may be installed, and special conditions of heat or moisture may apply. 2eavy industries have more demanding wiring re0uirements, such as very large currents and higher voltages, fre0uent changes of e0uipment layout, corrosive, or wet or e&plosive atmospheres. (n facilities that handle flammable gases or li0uids, special rules may govern the installation and wiring of electrical e0uipment in hazardous areas.

Wires and cables are rated by the circuit voltage, temperature rating, and environmental conditions (moisture, sunlight, oil, chemicals) in which they can be used. - wire or cable has a voltage (to neutral) rating, and a ma&imum conductor surface temperature rating. 'he amount of current a cable or wire can safely carry depends on the installation conditions.

Early wiring methods

'he first interior power wiring systems used conductors that were bare or covered with cloth, which were secured by staples to the framing of the building or on running boards. Where conductors went through walls, they were protected with cloth tape. 3pliceswere done similarly to telegraph connections, and soldered for security. 4nderground conductors were insulated with wrappings of cloth tape soaked in pitch, and laid in wooden troughs which were then buried. 3uch wiring systems were unsatisfactory because of the danger of electrocution and fire, plus the high labour cost for such installations.

Knob and tube

'he earliest standardized method of wiring in buildings, in common use in ,orth -merica from about "##$ to the "56$s, was knob and tube (78') wiring1 single conductors were run through cavities between the structural members in walls and ceilings, with ceramic tubes forming protective channels through 9oists and ceramic knobs attached to the structural members to provide air between the wire and the lumber and to support the wires. 3ince air was free to circulate over the wires, smaller conductors could be used than re0uired in cables. :y arranging wires on opposite sides of building structural members, some protection was afforded against short circuits that can be caused by driving a nail into both conductors simultaneously. :y the "5;$s, the labour cost of installing two conductors rather than one cable resulted in a decline in new knob and tube installations. 2owever, the 43 code still allows new 78' wiring installations in special situations (some rural and industrial applications).

Metal-sheathed wires
(n the 4nited 7ingdom, an early form of insulated cable, <"= introduced in "#5*, consisted of two impregnated paper insulated conductors in an overall lead sheath. >oints were soldered, and special fittings were used for lamp holders and switches. 'hese cables were similar to underground telegraph and telephone cables of the time. ?aper insulated cables proved unsuitable for interior wiring installations because very careful workmanship was re0uired on the lead sheaths to ensure moisture did not affect the insulation. - system later invented in the 47 in "5$# employed vulcanized rubber insulated wire enclosed in a strip metal sheath. 'he metal sheath was bonded to each metal wiring device to ensure earthing continuity. - system developed in .ermany called @7uhlo wire@ used one, two, or three rubber insulated wires in a brass or lead coated iron sheet tube, with a crimped seam. 'he enclosure could also be used as a return conductor. 7uhlo wire could be run e&posed on surfaces and painted, or embedded in plaster. 3pecial outlet and 9unction bo&es were made for lamps and switches, made either of porcelain or sheet steel. 'he crimped seam was not considered as watertight as the Stannos wire used in !ngland, which had a soldered sheath.<+= - somewhat similar system called @concentric wiring@ was introduced in the 4nited 3tates around "5$A. (n this system, an insulated electrical wire was wrapped with copper tape which was then soldered, forming

the grounded (return) conductor of the wiring system. 'he bare metal sheath, at earth potential, was considered safe to touch. While companies such as .eneral !lectric manufactured fittings for the system, and a few buildings were wired with it, it was never adopted into the 43 ,ational !lectrical )ode. Brawbacks of the system were that special fittings were re0uired, and that any defect in the connection of the sheath would result in the sheath becoming energized. <6=

Other historical wiring methods

/ther methods of securing wiring that are now obsolete include1 Re use of e&isting gas pipes when converting gas light installations to electric lighting. (nsulated conductors were pulled into the pipes formerly feeding the gas lamps. -lthough used occasionally, this method risked insulation damage from sharp edges inside the pipe at each 9oint. Wood mouldings with grooves cut for single conductor wires, covered by a wooden cap strip. 'hese were prohibited in ,orth -merican electrical codes by "5+#. Wooden moulding was also used to some degree in !ngland, but was never permitted by .erman and -ustrian rules. <;= - system of fle&ible twin cords supported by glass or porcelain buttons was used near the turn of the +$th century in !urope, but was soon replaced by other methods. <A= Buring the first years of the +$th century, various patented forms of wiring system such as :ergman and ?eschel tubing were used to protect wiringC these used very thin fiber tubes, or metal tubes which were also used as return conductors.<*= (n -ustria, wires were concealed by embedding a rubber tube in a groove in the wall, plastering over it and then removing the tube and pulling in wires in the cavity. <D=

%etal moulding systems, with a flattened oval section consisting of a base strip and a snap on cap channel, were more costly than open wiring or wooden moulding, but could be easily run on wall surfaces. 3imilar surface mounted raceway wiring systems are still available today. [edit]Cables -rmoured cables with two rubber insulated conductors in a fle&ible metal sheath were used as early as "5$*, and were considered at the time a better method than open knob and tube wiring, although much more e&pensive. 'he first polymer insulated cables for building wiring were introduced in "5++. 'hese were two or more solid copper electrical wires with rubber insulation, plus woven cotton cloth over each conductor for protection of the insulation, with an overall woven 9acket, usually impregnated with tar as a protection from moisture. Wa&ed paper was used as a filler and separator. /ver time, rubber insulated cables become brittle because of e&posure to atmospheric o&ygen, so they must be handled with care, and are usually replaced during renovations. When switches, outlets or light fi&tures are replaced, the mere act of tightening connections may cause hardened insulation to flake off the conductors. Rubber insulation further inside the cable often is in better condition than the insulation e&posed at connections, due to reduced e&posure to o&ygen.

Rubber insulation was hard to strip from bare copper, so copper was tinned, causing slightly more electrical resistance. Rubber insulation is no longer used for permanent wiring installations, but may still be used for replaceable temporary cables where fle&ibility is important, such as electrical e&tension cords. -bout "5A$, ?E) insulation and 9ackets were introduced, especially for residential wiring. -bout the same time, single conductors with a thinner ?E) insulation and a thin nylon 9acket (e.g. 43 'ype '2,, '22,, etc.) became common. 'he simplest form of cable has two insulated conductors twisted together to form a unitC such un9acketed cables with two or three conductors are used for low voltage signal and control applications such as doorbell wiring. (n ,orth -merican practice, an overhead cable from a transformer on a power pole to a residential electrical service consists of three twisted (triple&ed) wires, often with one being a bare wire made of copper (protective earth/ground) and the other two being insulated for the line voltage (hot/live wire and neutral wire). For additional safety, the ground wire may be formed into a stranded co a&ial layer completely surrounding the phase conductors, so that the outmost conductor is grounded.

Copper conductors
!lectrical devices often contain copper conductors because of their multiple beneficial properties, including their high electrical conductivity, tensile strength, ductility, creep resistance, corrosion resistance, thermal conductivity, coefficient of thermal e&pansion, solderability, resistance to electrical overloads, compatibility with electrical insulators, and ease of installation. Bespite competition from other materials, copper remains the preferred electrical conductor in nearly all categories of electrical wiring. <#=<5= For e&ample, copper is used to conduct electricity in high, medium and low voltage power networks, including power generation, power transmission, power distribution, telecommunications, electronics circuitry, data processing, instrumentation,appliances, entertainment systems, motors, transformers, heavy industrial machinery, and countless other types of electrical e0uipment.<"$=

Aluminium conductors
-luminium wire was common in ,orth -merican residential wiring from the late "5*$s to mid "5D$s due to the rising cost of copper. :ecause of its greater resistivity, aluminium wiring re0uires larger conductors than copper. For instance, instead of "; -W. (-merican wire gauge) for most lighting circuits, aluminium wiring would be "+ -W. on a typical "A ampere circuit, though local building codes may vary. -luminium conductors were originally indiscriminately used with wiring devices intended for copper conductors. 'his practice was found to cause defective connections unless the aluminium was one of a special alloy, or all devices G breakers, switches, receptacles, splice connectors, wire nuts, etc. G were specially designed for the purpose. 'hese special designs address problems with 9unctions between dissimilar metals, o&idation on metal surfaces, and mechanical effects that occur as different metals e&pand at different rates with increases in temperature. -luminium conductors are still used for bulk power distribution and large feeder circuits, because they cost less than copper wiring, and weigh less, especially in the large sizes needed for heavy current loads. -luminium conductors must be installed with compatible connectors.

Modern wiring materials

%odern non metallic sheathed cables, such as (43 and )anadian) 'ype ,%: and ,%), consist of two to four wires covered with thermoplastic insulation and a bare wire for grounding (bonding) surrounded by a fle&ible plastic 9acket. 3ome versions wrap the individual conductors in paper before the plastic 9acket is applied. (t is often called Rome cable, since the first of its type was manufactured by Rome )able Bivision of )yprus %ines, Rome, ,ew Hork. 'he trade name has been owned by 3outhwire since it purchased the electrical building wire assets of .eneral )able in +$$". 3pecial versions of non metallic sheathed cables, such as 43 'ype 4F, are designed for direct underground burial (often with separate mechanical protection) or e&terior use where e&posure to ultraviolet radiation (4E) is a possibility. 'hese cables differ in having a moisture resistant construction, lacking paper or other absorbent fillers, and being formulated for 4E resistance. Rubber like synthetic polymer insulation is used in industrial cables and power cables installed underground because of its superior moisture resistance. (nsulated cables are rated by their allowable operating voltage and their ma&imum operating temperature at the conductor surface. - cable may carry multiple usage ratings for applications, for e&ample, one rating for dry installations and another when e&posed to moisture or oil. .enerally, single conductor building wire in small sizes is solid wire, since the wiring is not re0uired to be very fle&ible. :uilding wire conductors larger than "$ -W. (or about * mmI) are stranded for fle&ibility during installation, but not stranded enough to be fle&ible enough to use as appliance cord. )ables for industrial, commercial, and apartment buildings may contain many insulated conductors in an overall 9acket, with helical tape steel or aluminium armour, or steel wire armour, and perhaps as well an overall ?E) or lead 9acket for protection from moisture and physical damage. )ables intended for very fle&ible service or in marine applications may be protected by woven bronze wires. ?ower or communications cables (e.g., computer networking) that are routed in or through air handling spaces (plenums) of office buildings are re0uired under the model code to be either encased in metal conduit or rated for low flame and smoke production. For some industrial uses in steel mills and similar hot environments, no organic material gives satisfactory service. )ables insulated with compressed mica flakes are sometimes used. -nother form of high temperature cable is a mineral insulated cable, with individual conductors placed within a copper tube, and the space filled with magnesium o&ide powder. 'he whole assembly is drawn down to smaller sizes, thereby compressing the powder. 3uch cables have a certified fire resistance rating, are more costly than non fire rated cable, and have little fle&ibility and are effectively rigid to the user of the cable. [edit]Raceways (nsulated wires may be run in one of several forms of a raceway between electrical devices. 'his may be a specialized bendable pipe, called a conduit, or one of several varieties of metal (rigid steel or aluminium) or non metallic (?E) or 2B?!) tubing. Rectangular cross section metal or ?E) wire troughs (,orth -merica) or trunking (47) may be used if many circuits are re0uired. Wires run underground may be run in plastic tubing encased in concrete, but metal elbows may be used in severe pulls. Wiring in e&posed areas, for e&ample factory floors, may be run in cable trays or rectangular raceways having lids.

!us bars" bus duct" cable bus

For very heavy currents in electrical apparatus, and for heavy currents distributed through a building, bus bars can be used. !ach live conductor of such a system is a rigid piece of copper or aluminium, usually in flat bars (but sometimes as tubing or other shapes). /pen bus bars are never used in publicly accessible areas, although they are used in manufacturing plants and power company switch yards to gain the benefit of air cooling. - variation is to use heavy cables, especially where it is desirable to transpose or @roll@ phases. (n industrial applications, conductor bars are often pre assembled with insulators in grounded enclosures. 'his assembly, known as bus duct or busway, can be used for connections to large switchgear or for bringing the main power feed into a building. - form of bus duct known as @plug in bus@ is used to distribute power down the length of a buildingC it is constructed to allow tap off switches or motor controllers to be installed at designated places along the bus. 'he big advantage of this scheme is the ability to remove or add a branch circuit without removing voltage from the whole duct. :us ducts may have all phase conductors in the same enclosure (non isolated bus), or may have each conductor separated by a grounded barrier from the ad9acent phases (segregated bus). For conducting large currents between devices, a cable bus is used. <further explanation needed= For very large currents in generating stations or substations, where it is difficult to provide circuit protection, an isolated phase bus is used. !ach phase of the circuit is run in a separate grounded metal enclosure. 'he only fault possible is a phase to ground fault, since the enclosures are separated. 'his type of bus can be rated up to A$,$$$ amperes and up to hundreds of kilovolts (during normal service, not 9ust for faults), but is not used for building wiring in the conventional sense.

Fuse
Normally, the ampacity rating of a conductor is a circuit design limit never to be intentionally exceeded, but there is an application where ampacity exceedence is expected: in the case offuses. A fuse is nothing more than a short length of wire designed to melt and separate in the event of excessive current. Fuses are always connected in series with the component(s) to be protected from overcurrent, so that when the fuse blows (opens) it will open the entire circuit and stop current through the component(s). A fuse connected in one branch of a parallel circuit, of course, would not affect current through any of the other branches.

A fuse is a small, thin conductor designed to melt and separate into two pieces for the purpose of brea ing a circuit in the event of excessive current. A circuit breaker is a specially designed switch that automatically opens to interrupt circuit current in the event of an overcurrent condition. !hey can be "tripped" (opened) thermally, by magnetic fields, or by external devices called "protective relays," depending on the design of brea er, its si#e, and the application. Fuses are primarily rated in terms of maximum current, but are also rated in terms of how much voltage drop they will safely withstand after interrupting a circuit. Fuses can be designed to blow fast, slow, or anywhere in between for the same maximum level of current. !he best place to install a fuse in a grounded power system is on the ungrounded conductor path to the load. !hat way, when the fuse blows there will only be the

grounded (safe) conductor still connected to the load, ma ing it safer for people to be around.