1. Branch Circuits Chapter 2

2. Introduction
The purpose of branch circuits is to carry the current from the service entrance panel (SEP) to the electrical devices.
Three common types of current are used in agricultural buildings:
120 volt (108 – 125)
240 volt (220 – 250)
Three phase
Why are a range of voltages listed?
120 V is RMS voltage. Utilities try to keep it within this range.
Brown out—extremely harmful for electric motors on hard to start loads. Compressors
Very damaging to electronic equipment.
What happens when the voltage drops below 108 V?
What happens when the voltage goes above 124 V?

3. Service Entrance Panel (SEP)
The service entrance panel (load center) is the entry point for the electricity into the building.
The size (amp capacity) of the load center is determined by the number of circuits and total amp load for the building.
Current NEC regulations require that the load center have a master disconnect.
The entrance panel must be grounded with a NEC approved earth connection.
The minimum is a10 foot, 5/8 inch brass rod driven into the ground vertically or not more than 45 degrees from vertical.
What is an NEC earth connection?

4. Service Entrance Panel [SEP] “Load Center”
Master Disconnect
120/240 V Service
Service Entrance Neutral
Service “Hot” Conductors
Breaker
Metal Box
Non-conducting base
Grounding Bar
Non-conducting Attachment bars
Circuit Neutral & Ground Connections
Conducting Attachment bars
Bonding Screw
Ground
Neutral
240 V Circuit
120 V
120 V
120 V Branch Circuit “Hot” (black) Conductor
Earth Ground
120 V Branch Circuit Neutral (white) Conductor
120 V Branch Circuit Ground (bare) Conductor

5. SEP--cont.
The 120/240 service is attached to the master disconnect (breaker).
From master breaker each hot conductor is connected to one of the conducting breaker bars.
The 120/240 neutral conductor is attached to the grounding bar.
A 120 volt breaker attaches by snapping onto one conducting and one non-conducting bar in the load center.
For a 240 volt circuit two individual breakers may be used and the levers are pined together or a combination breaker may be used.

6. Grounding Branch circuits have two different types of grounds.
System
Equipment
System grounding is accomplished by one of the two current carrying conductors (white).
What is another term for the system ground?
neutral
white
No insulation, bare wire
What is the insulation color of the system ground?
What is the insulation color of the equipment ground?

7. Grounding - Equipment
Equipment grounding is the bonding of all non current carrying metal components back to the SEP.
The equipment ground is designed to provide a low resistant circuit to the earth in the event of a short from the energized conductor to any metallic component.
Must make a complete, low resistance circuit from all metallic electrical devices in the system to the earth.
Equipment ground
Increased chance of electrical shock
What hazard is created if the equipment ground is interrupted?

8. 120 V Circuits 120 V circuits have 3 or 4 conductors:
one energized (hot) conductor Black or red
one neutral conductor White
one ground conductor. Bare or green
What does PVC stand for?
Polyvinyl chloride
What other common building component is made from PVC

9. 240 V Circuits 240 Volt circuits have three conductors:
Two hot
Equipment ground
Neutral circuit is not required unless both 240 and 120 circuits are supplied by the device.
The 240 Volt electrical service to the SEP will have a neutral so both 240 and 120 Volt branch circuits can be used.

10. Three Circuit Types General purpose branch circuits
Individual branch circuits
Motor

11. General Purpose Branch Circuits
Designed for temporary loads such as lights and DCOs (Duplex Convenience Outlets) under 1500 W.
Minimum 12 AWG
Fused at 20 amps
No more than ten (10) DCOs or light fixtures per circuit. (Fig. 2-3, pg 21)
Recommended location for DCOs (Table 1-12, pg 18).

12. Special Purpose Branch circuits
Used for known specific loads
Stationary motors
Stationary appliances
SPOs (Special Purpose Outlets)
Usually used for loads greater than 20 amps—240 V.
What would be an example of an SPO in an agriculture building?
Welder
Air compressor
Water pump

13. Motor Circuits Use 240 V whenever possible.
Reduces amperage load on circuit
Reduces stray voltage potential
Five (5) horsepower and larger should be 3 phase.

14. Motor Circuits—cont.
Branch circuits for electric motors have four (4) requirements (Fig 2-6 through 9, pg 23-26):
Branch circuit, short circuit protection
A disconnecting means
A controller
Overload protection
Summary Table 2-1, pg 26

15. Motor Circuits—Short Circuit Protection
Fuse or circuit breaker
For motor circuits they must have greater capacity than full load current.
Motor starting load is higher than the running load—SCP devices must be able to handle temporary overload.
Inverse time breaker
Time delay fuses
Maximum size
Inverse time breaker = 2.50 times full load current
Time delay fuses = 1.75 times full load current.

16. Motor Circuits—Short Circuit Protection--example
Determine the required SCP for a 120 V circuit for a ½ horsepower, single phase motor.
Determine the required SCP for a 240 V circuit for a 1/6 horsepower, single phase motor.
Smallest breaker is 10 A
Solution—Use 10 A breaker in the SEP and install a 4 to 6 amp fuse inline with the motor.

17. Motor Circuits—Disconnecting Means
Each motor or motor circuit must have an individual disconnecting means.
The disconnecting means must disconnect all hot wires.
The DM must clearly indicate whether it is on or off.

18. Motor Circuits—Disconnecting Means-cont.
Must be located within sight and within 50 feet of the controller and the motor.
Disconnecting Means
Stationary motors can use the circuit switch as long as correct size.
Portable motors the plug and receptacle is acceptable.
The circuit switch can be a snap switch as long as the motor is 2 hp or less and its capacity is equal to or 1.25 times greater than the motor full load rating.
What is a snap switch?
Standard wall switch.

19. Motor Circuits—Controller
A controller is a device used to automatically start and stop a motor.
Only required to open enough conductors to stop the motor.
One wire for 120 & 240 V single phase.
Must be located within sight and 50 feet of the motor.
Thermostats, variable speed controllers and timers are considered to be a controller.
Ye, if low voltage.
Is a heater/airconditioner thermostat within sight and 50 feet of the furnace/airconditioner?
If not, does this meet code?

20. Motor Circuits—Controller—cont.
Current rating must be greater than or equal to motor full load rating, or a magnetic starter must be used.
For 1/3 hp and less portable motors the plug and receptacle can function as the controller.
If motor is 2 hp or less, a snap switch an serve as the controller.
If a knife switch is operated by hand, it can serve as both the disconnecting means and the controller.
next slide
What is a magnetic starter?

21. Motor Circuits—Controller—Magnet Starter

22. Motor Circuits—Overload protection
Motors and conductors must be protected from overloads.
Because motors draw more current for starting that running, the overload protection device must allow temporary overload on the circuit but not allow the overload to last long enough to damage the motor.
When magnetic starters are used the overload protection is usually included in the starter.
Common practice to use a heater device to trip the controller before the conductors or motor overheats.
One hp and larger motors have specific requirements based on the design and size of the motor.

23. Motor Circuits—Overload protection—cont.
For motors less than 1 hp, and manually started, the circuit breaker or fuse can serve as the OPD.
Smaller motors may include a built in overload protection switch.

24. Motor Circuits—Overload protection—cont.
Critical issue is if a manual restart or automatic restart is used.
Manual restart is usually used unless the motor operates a critical function such as a ventilation fan in a chicken house.
Why?

25. Branch Circuit Conductors

26. Conductors are usually considered single wires.
Sizing Conductors
Conductors are usually considered single wires.
Cables are multiple conductors in the same sheathing.
Conductor are sized using two systems—
American Wire Gauge (AWG)
circular mills (cmil).

27. Sizing Conductors—cont.
AWG
Numbers run from 40 to 0000
AWG numbers only apply to non-ferrous metals.
The larger the number--the smaller the diameter of the wire.
cmils
Circular-mils (cmils) is a unit used to describe the cross-sectional area of wire.
A mil = inch
AWG sizes greater than 0000 are sized in thousands of circular mils (kcmil)
AWG #8 and higher are usually multiple strands.
The diameter of multiple strand wire in cmils is the cmils of each strand times the number of strands.

28. Sizing Conductors—cont.
The minimum size of an individual conductor is determined by two factors.
Ampacity
Voltage drop
What is ampacity?
What is voltage drop?
Ampacity is the maximum amount of electrical current a conductor or device can carry before sustaining immediate or progressive deterioration
The amount of voltage loss from a circuit because of resistance.

29. Ampacity--Resistivity
All materials will conduct electricity.
Good conducting materials have low resistance.
The resistance of a conductor depends on the physical properties of the material (), the length (ft) of the conductor and the cross-sectional area of the conductor (cmils).
Expressed in an equation:
A = cross-sectional area in cmils = (diameter in mils)2
1mil = in

30. Example--Resistance
Material
Resistivity ()
Silver
9.55
Copper
10.67
Gold
14.7
Aluminum
17.01
Tungsten
33.10
Platinum
66.9
Steel
100
Lead
129
Cast iron
360
Mercury
577
What is the resistivity of a 1/2 inch steel rod that is 12 feet long?
Steel = 100 ohm-cmil/foot
Electricity for Agricultural Applications, Bern

31. Voltage Drop
When electricity passes through a resistance heat is generated.
Heat is energy
The loss energy shows up as voltage drop.
All conductors have resistance = all conductors have voltage drop.
What must be avoided is excessive voltage drop.
What will cause excessive voltage drop?
Excessive voltage drop will occur when the load is too large for the conductors.
Excessive resistance
Heat
Heat + fuel = fire
What are some possible outcomes of a circuit with excessive voltage drop?

32. Voltage Drop--Cont.
When there is no current flow, there is no voltage at the load.
A 2 % voltage drop is considered normal.
If the voltage drop is more than 2% the circuit will overheat. 32

33. Three Ways of Wiring Circuits
The loads and electrical components in a circuit can be connected in three different ways:
Series
Parallel
Series-parallel (not included) 33

34. Series Circuit
In a series circuit the electricity has no alternative paths, all of the electricity must pass through all of the components.
The total circuit resistance is the sum of the individual resistances.
For these calculations assume no resistance in the conductors or connections.
Determine the total resistance for the circuit in the illustration. 34

35. Series Circuit-cont.
To the power source, a series circuit appears as one resistance. =
In all circuits a voltage drop occurs as electricity passes through each resistance in the circuit.
The method for calculating voltage drop in series circuits is different than the method for parallel circuits. 35

36. Parallel Circuits
In parallel circuits the electricity has alternative paths.
The amount of current in each path is determined by the resistance of that path. “Electricity follows the path of least resistance”
Because there are alternative paths, the total resistance of the circuit is not the sum of the individual resistances.
In a parallel circuit: The inverse of the total resistance is equal to sum of the inverse of each individual resistance. 36

37. Parallel Circuits--cont.
An alternative equation is:
When a circuit has more than two resistors, select any two and reduce them to their equivalent resistance and then combine that resistance with another one in the circuit until all of the resistors have been combined. 37

38. Parallel Circuit Resistance
Determine the total resistance for the circuit in the illustration. or or 38

39. Circuits Summary
When the source voltage, and the total resistance of the circuit is known, amperages and voltages can be determine for any part of a circuit.
In a series circuit the amperage is the same at all points in the circuit, but the voltage changes with the resistance.
In a parallel circuit the amperage changes with the resistance, but the voltage is the same throughout the circuit. 39

40. Calculating Voltage In A Series Circuit
What would V1 read in the illustration?
Ohm’s Law states:
Therefore:
At this point there is insufficient data because I (amp) is unknown.
Using Ohm’s Law to solve for the current in the circuit:
Knowing the amount of current we can calculate the voltage drop.
Note: circuit conductors behave like resistors in series. 40

41. Determining Voltage In A Parallel Circuit
Assuming no resistance in the conductors, the two volt meters in the illustration will have the same value--source voltage. 41

42. Determining Amperage In A Series Circuit
Determine the readings for A1 and A2 in the illustration.
In a series circuit the electricity has no alternative paths, therefore the amperage is the same at every point in the circuit.
The current in the circuit is determined by dividing the voltage by the circuit resistance. 42

43. Determining Amperage in a Parallel Circuit
Determine the readings for amp meters A1 and A2 in the circuit.
In a parallel circuit the amperage varies with the resistance.
In the illustration, A1 will measure the total circuit amperage, but A2 will only measure the amperage flowing through the 6.3 Ohm resistor.
To determine circuit amperage the total resistance of the circuit must be calculated: 43

44. Determining Amperage in a Parallel Circuit--cont.
When the total resistance is known, the circuit current (Amp’s) can be calculated.
Total current is:
A1= A
When the circuit current (Amp’s) is known, the current for each branch circuit can be calculated.
Branch current is:
A2 = 1.9 A 44

45. The type of insulation is determined by the environment.
Conductor Size
The conductor size is determined by seven (7) factors.
the load on the circuit
the voltage of the circuit
the distance from the load to the source
the circuit power factor
the type of current (phases)
the ampacity of the conductor
the allowable voltage drop
The type of insulation is determined by the environment.

46. Insulation The common types used in Agriculture. 90o C = 194o F
Electricity for Agricultural Applications, Bern

47. Environment--cont.
The selection of insulation is very important because the life of the conductor is usually determined by the life of the insulation.
Conductors never wear out.
Insulation deteriorates over time.
Insulation reacts with oxygen, ammonia, oil, gasoline, salts, UV and water.

48. Determining Conductor Size
The first step is to determine answers for five of the seven factors. These are:
the load on the circuit
the voltage of the circuit
the distance from the load to the source
the circuit power factor
the type of current (phases)
Once these are known, the remaining two factors are used to determine the conductor size.
the ampacity of the conductor
the allowable voltage drop

49. Determining Conductor Size--cont.
Circuit load
The circuit load is the amperage used by the electrical device, or the size of over current protection device that will be used.
Circuit voltage
Circuit voltage is the source voltage.
Distance from source
The distance between the source and the load is not used as often as the run.
The run is the total amount of conductor that is used to connect the load to the source.
Power factor
The power factor for reactive loads is less than one.
The power factor for resistance loads is equal to one.
The number or phases must be know.
Three phase current can use smaller diameter wires.

50. Determining Conductor Size--cont.
Once values are known for the first five factors, the last two are used to determine the minimum conductor size.
Ampacity is the largest load that a conductor is designed to carry regardless of length.
Voltage drop is the amount of energy that is lost from the electricity passing through the resistance of the conductors.

51. Ampacity
Ampacity refers to the current carrying ability of the conductor.
Ampacity is dependent on the conductor resistance, the allowable operating temperature of the insulation and the heat dissipation ability of the conductor.
Ampacity increases with conductor size.
Ampacity for copper is higher than the ampacity for aluminum.
Ampacity is higher for conductors which have higher temperature ratings.
Exceeding the ampacity rating increases the heat of the insulation.
The amount of damage that occurs is a function of the amount of overload and the duration of the overload.
Ampacity ratings for conductors can be determined from tables such as (Agricultural Mechanics)

52. Ampacity-cont.
Ampacity can be calculated, but tables present this information.
Example: what is minimum size of conductor with THWN insulation in conduit, operating on 120 volts that should be used to carry 15 amps?
AWG 14 ??
Note: Based on ampacity, #14 is sufficient, but according to the NEC #12 is smallest size of wire that can be used under any conditions using 120 V.
Pg 35 Wiring handbook

53. Sizing Conductors by Voltage Drop
Voltage drop is the result of a current passing through a resistance.
Example:
What is the percent voltage drop at the service entrance panel for the building in the illustration?

54. Example--cont.
The first step is to determine the total resistance of the circuit.
Copper
Aluminum
Size (AWG)
Area (cmil)
Number of Strands
Weight (lb/1000 ft)
Resistance (ohms/1000 ft) 14
4110 1
12.5
3.07
3.78
5.06 12
6530
19.8
1.93
6.01
3.18 10
10380
31.43
1.21
9.556
2.00 8
16510
49.98
0.764
15.20
1.26 6
26240 7
79.44
0.491
24.15
0.808 4
41740
126.3
0.308
38.41
0.508 3
52620
159.3
0.245
48.43
0.403 2
66360
205
62.3
0.319
In this example the resistance for each conductor is determined separately.

55. Example--cont.
This circuit diagram illustrates the resistance of the conductors.

56. This is an unacceptable voltage drop.
Example--cont.
The next step is to determine the voltage drop and the percentage drop.
Voltage drop is:
Percent voltage drop is:
This is an unacceptable voltage drop.
Picking the wire size first must not be the best way.
The conductor size is determined by calculating the allowable resistance for the desired voltage drop.

57. Voltage Drop Example--cont.
A voltage drop of 4.09% is excessive.
Results of excessive voltage drop.
The heat output of a resistance heater will decrease more than 8% because power output is proportional to the square of the voltage.
The useable light from an incandescent lamp will drop about 10%.
Five (5) possible solutions:
Decrease the load.
Use larger conductors.
Reduce the distance between the load and the source.
Use a conductor that has a lower resistance.
Use a higher voltage.
Of these 5 options, number 2 and 5 are usually the only practical solution.

58. Voltage Drop Example--cont.
If the voltage is increased to 240 V, what will be the percent voltage drop?
2.04% is an acceptable loss for this electrical service.

59. Designing For Acceptable Voltage Drop
Because all conductors have resistance, it can not be eliminated from the circuit.
Therefore, circuits are designed for a specific voltage drop.
Maximum of 2% in branch circuits is common standard
NEC allows up to 3% maximum in branch circuit at farthest power outlet
NEC allows 5% maximum drop in feeder and branch circuit combined

60. Conductor Size Equation
The equation for calculating the conductor size (cmils) for a specified voltage drop:
Note: it is common practice to add 10% to the length to account for the resistance of the connections.

61. Conductor Size Example -1
Using the resistivity equation, determine the size of conductor that should be used to power an grow lamp that draws 6.6 amps and is operating on single phase and 120 volts. The grow lamp is located 75 feet from the nearest source. Copper conductors will be directly buried and a 2% voltage drop is acceptable.

62. Conductor Size Example-cont.
cmil = AWG #12
Ampacity = #12
Voltage Drop = #12
Note: 10% has been added for connections.
Copper
Aluminum
Size (AWG)
Area (cmil)
Number of Strands
Weight (lb/1000 ft)
Resistance (ohms/1000 ft) 14
4110 1
12.5
3.07
3.78
5.06 12
6530
19.8
1.93
6.01
3.18 10
10380
31.43
1.21
9.556
2.00 8
16510
49.98
0.764
15.20
1.26 6
26240 7
79.44
0.491
24.15
0.808 4
41740
126.3
0.308
38.41
0.508 3
52620
159.3
0.245
48.43
0.403 2
66360
205
62.3
0.319

63. Resistivity Equations
Because of inductance in the conductor, the equation for copper is usually changed for design purposes to:
22 = constant for copper
I = Circuit load (amp)
l = Run (distance)
E = Allowable voltage drop (V)
The resistivity equation for aluminum conductors is changed to:
Note: in these equations the length is the one way length, not the total length.

64. Conductor Size Example #2
Using the table method, determine the size of copper conductor that should be used to provide electrical service to a livestock building that is located 65 feet from the source. The service is 120 V and the estimated load for the building is 35 amps. UF-B cable and a 2% voltage drop will be used.
First determine minimum size based on ampacity. =
Second: determine size based on VD =
AWG #8
AWG 6

65. Conductor Size Example #3
Determine by calculation, using the standard equation, the size of conductor that will be required to provide service to a 120 V, 1-1/2 hp water pump that is located 250 feet from its source. The conductors with be copper and directly buried. A 2% voltage drop is acceptable. The motor has a power factor of 0.70.
The standard equation for copper requires values for amperage, voltage and length.
The load on the circuit, amperage, must be determined first.
1 hp = 746 watts, but when determining conductor sizes for electric motors it is common practice to use 1,000 watts per horsepower.

66. Conductor size #3--cont.
For this circuit with a 8.75 amp load, the circular mills of the conductors can be determined by:
The conductor size is:
Size (AWG)
Area (cmil) 14
4110 12
6530 10
10380 8
16510 6
26240 4
41740 3
52620 2
66360
#6 = 26,240 cmil
#8 = 16,510 cmil.
Which size should be used?

67. Conductor Sizing Conclusion
For short distances, ampacity determines the minimum conductor size.
For long distances, voltage drop determines the minimum size.
Because long and short are relative terms, both ampacity and voltage drop must be checked when sizing conductors.

68. Questions ?