TYPES OF CIRCUIT PROTECTION

OVERCURRENT DEVICES

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• Limit amperage
• Fuses & circuit breakers
• Rated by # amps
• Wire size determines amp rating

FUSE

CIRCUIT BREAKER

GROUND FAULT CIRCUIT INTERRUPTER

CONDUCTOR

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• Wire carrying electrical current
• Copper, aluminum, copper-aluminum

CIRCUIT

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• Complete, uninterrupted path of electricity

POSITIVE WIRE

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• Acts as conductor of power
• Red or black

NEUTRAL WIRE

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• Conducts electricity from appliance back to source
• Completes circuit
• White or gray

INSULATION

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• Protective covering
• Plastic or rubber

GROUNDING

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• Connection from appliance to earth

FUSE

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• Safety device
• Prevents overload
• No burning out

CIRCUIT BREAKER

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• Switch
• Breaks current when overloads

ALTERNATING CURRENT

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• Changes direction of flow
• 60 times/second

DIRECT CURRENT

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• One direction
• Produced by generator or battery

AMPERAGE

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• Measure of
• Flow of current through system
• Amperes or amps (A)

VOLTAGE

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• Measurement of
• Pressure created by electricity
• Movement through conductor
• Volts (V)

WATTAGE

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• Measurement of
• Total electrical power in system
• A x V= W

KILOWATT

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• 1000 watts

RESISTANCE

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• Opposition to flow through conductor
• Measured in ohms

VOLTAGE DROP

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• Loss of pressure from source to pt of use

SHORT CIRCUIT

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• Wires in same circuit contact
• Flow moves leaves intended path

NEC