Common Terms in Electrical Installations

In order to get the most out of an electrical installation, it’s best to be familiar with any of the terms used by technicians to describe an electrical system

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The following is a short glossary of commonly used terms during electrical installation that may help you better understand an evaluation or estimate when repairing, upgrading or performing maintenance on any machinery.

1. Alternating Current. This is a kind of electrical current that periodically changes in flow or direction. Alternating current is most often used in residences and offices, as they are often supplied from sockets.
2. Amperage.  Also known as amps/amperes, this term in electrical installation is the basic measure of electrical flow through a conduit. This is similar to the volume of water flowing through a pipeline.
3. Conductor. In electrical installation terminology, this refers to the internal material of an electrical cord which is the main conductor of electricity. Most often, copper is used as the conductor in electrical wires. Another option is silver but due to its high cost, cheaper alternatives are usually chosen. Gold is the best conductor, and is often used in surface to surface conductivity.
4. Fuse. This is a safety device in electrical installation which consists of a strip of wire that is connected to a circuit which melts when the amperage is far greater than the capacity of the circuit.
5. Pigtail – In electrical installation, this refers to a short patch cable or wiring adapter used to replace a longer cable assembly.
6. ROHS – This is an acronym referring to Restriction of Hazardous Substances. This is in electrical installation terms is the directive prohibiting the use of certain hazardous materials in the manufacture of products. These restricted materials include lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chromium and other identified chemical substances.
7. Voltage -  In electrical installation terms, this refers to the force that drives electrical energy through a conductor or wire.

Have any questions? You can always talk with a specialist at AS Electrical – call us or visit today!