Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals

Knowledge of the fundamentals of electricity and application is increasingly necessary not only for those of us who work in the electric power industry but also for the general public.

Basic electrical power fundamentals.

Then we will step through each of these topics in detail. 2 fundamentals of electricity we will start with an overview to introduce you to the main points about these devices and the parts that make them. Figure 1 1 shows the basic building blocks of an electric power system. Let s start with three very basic concepts of electricity.

Electric charge refers to a fundamental property of matter that even physicists don t totally understand. But what is electricity really. The system starts with generation by which electrical energy is produced in the power plant and then transformed in the power station to high voltage electrical energy that is more suitable for efficient long distance transporta tion. Alternating current ac and direct current dc.

Ac current is produced by all electric utilities. There are two types of electrical current in common use today. In this four module program on electrical fundamentals we introduce for study the general physics or basic natural laws that govern the use of electricity. Understanding basic electrical theory.

The purpose of this info tec is to help you understand the fundamentals of electrical systems. Basic electrical power fundamentals load reference kilowatts kilovolt amps power factor pf motors kw kva use nec 430 148 kw kva 6 95 and 430 150 to find current for given hp indancescant lighting use actual wattage kw kva 1 0 fluorescent lighting use 50va per 4 foot kw kva 95. It s also important to know who is responsible for what portion of your electrical service. Suffice it to say that two of the tiny particles that make up atoms protons and electrons are the bearers of electric charge.

People depend on electricity constantly and when the power goes out in a storm or there s a tripped breaker or another problem in an electrical circuit understanding the basic components of an electrical system can help you get things running again. Namely electric charge electric current and electric circuit. It lights our way cooks our food and can even brush your teeth.