ELECTRICAL

1. Evaluate the advantage and disadvantage of exposed and

concealed electrical wiring methods in design and construction of a
building. Discuss with valid reasons.
**Concealed conduit wiring
*advantage
-PVC conduit is non-corrosive, impervious of most chemicals, weather
proof and It will not support combustion
-There is no need of earthing in case of PVC plastic conduit system
-The weather condition cannot effect on this system
-There is no risk of mechanical injury
-The wiring seems good and beautiful
-There is no risk of electric shock
-Durable and have a long life
- There is no risk of fire (decrease the chances)
*disadvantage
-PVC conduit is not suitable for temperature below than -5c or above 60c
-Extra earthing conductor is required when PVC conduit is used
-More time is required to make the grooves into the walls
-Fault finding process id difficult
-Wiring installation id difficult
-Alternations are difficult

**exposed wiring
*advantage
-The whole wiring is replaces in short period of the time and material of
wiring is used on another place if we want
-The alternations and additions are possible in cleat wiring system and
inspection of this wiring is wiring is very easy
-because all the cables are in open air, therefore fault is very easily and
replaces it very quickly-cheap and simple wiring system and this type of
wiring is installed very quickly. Or very short period of time is required to
finish it
-this is the temporary wiring system

*disadvantage
-If the cap of the cleat is tightly screwed on the base then the insulation of
the cables is damaged and risk of the current leakage is occur
-The weather conditions are directly affected on cables such as rain, oil,
vapour, steam, humidity, smoke and acidic effect and also mechanical
injuries are directly affected on the cables
-The dust and smoke are directly affected on cables therefore after some
duration the beauty of this wiring is cost
-The risk of fire is present because all the cables are in open condition
-This wiring system is not safe and durable
-After some duration sag is produced in the cables
-It is used only on low temperature places
-It is used on 220/440 V only

2. Explain using diagrams how electricity reach your office/home from

the power generation station:

Electric power supply system in a country comprises of generating units

that produce electricity; high voltage transmission lines that transport
electricity over long distances; distribution lines that deliver the electricity
to consumers; substations that connect the pieces to each other; and
energy control centres to coordinate the operation of the components.
The maintenance of a secure supply is an important consideration
for any electrical engineer or supply authority because electricity
plays a vital part in an industrial society, and a loss of supply may
cause inconvenience, financial loss or danger to the consumer or
the public. The principle employed with a ring system is that any
consumers substation is fed from two directions, and by carefully
grading the overload and cable protection equipment a fault can be
disconnected without loss of supply to other consumers.

a. Explain about design of Substation (Design, Sizes and Location)

And other electrical rooms in a building.
b. Explain the above with aid of sketch and diagrams.

The substation is an assemblage of electrical components that are

connected in a definite sequence in which a circuit can be switched off
manually or automatically. The substation receives electrical power from
generating station via incoming transmission lines and delivers electrical
power via the outgoing transmission lines.
There are four types of substations:
1. Transmission Substation
2. Distribution Substation
3. Collector Substation
4. Switching Substation
Every Substation has the following parts and equipment:
1. Outdoor switchyard
2. Main office building
3. Switchgear and Control panel
4. Battery room and D.C Distribution System
5. Mechanical, Electrical and other auxiliaries (firefighting system, oil
Purification system, Diesel generator set)

Switchboard room is regarded as the main hub of the electrical power

source delivered to a building. Its main function is to receive electrical
power supply, control the power supply, distribute the power supply and
protect the power supply. Switchgear is one of the mechanisms installed at
the switchboard used to open and break the circuit designed to operate
automatically or manually depending on the required purposes.
Below are the design considerations for a switch board room:
The switch board room shall preferably be provided with an alternative
emergency exit door.
The door shall be arranged to be opened outwards and shall not obstruct
a passageway into which open. All doors shall be fitted with locks to
prevent the entry of unauthorized persons, but shall be readily opened
from the inside without the use of a key. Sliding door is acceptable.
The switch board room shall either be naturally or forced ventilated depending on location. Forced ventilation shall be required if the switch
board room is located at basement levels where ducted fresh air and
exhaust are to be maintained effectively. The exhaust fan shall be of
adequate capacity and shall be controlled by a timer.
Trenches, cable trays and cable entry duct/pipes where required for services to and from the switch board room are to be provided
Low voltage (LV) switchrooms are common across all industries and
one of the more common spatial requirements which need to be designed
into a project. Main LV switchrooms will typically contain free standing
switchboards and Motor Control Centres (MCC), along with auxiliary
equipment required for the room to function.
The low voltage switchboards provides electrical protection, safe isolation
from live parts and local or remote switching. The switchgears has a
functional switch which helps to energize or de-energize part of a system,
emergency switching and stopping as well as a switch for mechanical
maintenance.

The dimensions for a switchboard are below:

height would be 2.2 m (2000 mm for the switchboard and a 200 mm
plinth)
width 600 mm to 1050 mm depending on construction
depth 600 mm
weight 200 to 400 kg per panel
The design considerations for a LV switchroom are below:
access for personnel (normal and emergency)
access for equipment (installation, operation and maintenance)
regulatory compliance and approvals
cable containment and entries
earthing and grounding
water sealing (if below ground)
air conditioning, lighting & small power
fire detection, alarm and suppression

Genset room is a specific case of engine-generator in which, a diesel

engine combines with an electric generator to generate electricity. This
generator are used without connection to a power grid and is used as an
emergency power supply if the grid fails. As stated on the section, the
genset room is located further away from other rooms due to the noises
and the danger it may produce if not properly handled.
Below are the design considerations needed for a Genset Room:
Floor space between an engine and parallel wall space or another gen
set should not be less than the width of the engine.
Overhead, there should be enough space allocated to allow convenient
removal of cylinder heads, manifolds, exhaust piping and any other
equipment for service.
Consider specifying enough room for a chain hoist or overhead crane.
Space fore and aft of the engine should allow camshaft removal.
Batteries to start gen sets should be kept as near as possible to the
engine to avoid long energy robbing cables.
The fuel tank should be located near gen sets to prevent long fuel line
runs which can tax fuel pumps. Access to this equipment for service must
also be considered in the design phase.
Meter room Multi tenanted commercial premises except shop lots shall
be given bulk supply. The meter shall be installed at the metering room.
An enclosed locked room specifically for the purpose of installing floor
mounted metering cubicle shall be provided. The minimum size of the
room shall be 2.0 m x 2.0 m x 2.5 m (height).

The battery room is used to house batteries for backup supply during an
emergency electrical failure. Moreover, this room is used to segregate
fumes and corrosive chemicals of wet cell batteries from the operating
equipment which also allows for a better control of the ventilation and
temperature of the batteries. The batteries may provide power for
minutes, hours or days depending on the electrical system design. The
electrolyte used for the PJ Trade Centre batteries are nickel-cadmium.
Below are the general design considerations for a battery room:
Batteries of the non-seal type shall be located in enclosures with outside
vents or in well ventilated rooms, so arranged as to prevent the escape of
fumes, gases, or electrolyte spray into other areas.
Ventilation shall be provided to ensure diffusion of the gases from the
battery to prevent the accumulation of an explosive mixture.
Racks and trays shall be substantial and treated to be resistant to the
electrolyte.
Floors shall be of an acid resistant construction or be protected from acid
accumulations.
Face shields, aprons, and rubber gloves shall be provided for workers
handling acids or batteries.
Facilities for quick drenching of the eyes and body shall be provided
within 25 feet of the work area for emergency use.
Facilities shall be provided for flushing and neutralizing spilled electrolyte, for fire protection, for protecting charging apparatus from damage
by trucks, and for adequate
Ventilation for dispersal of fumes from gassing batteries.