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Electrical Components - What They Are, How They
Work and What They Look Like on Drawings
Robert J. Scoff, P.E.
Overview
I wrote this course with
the intention of showing engineers in all disciplines how to recognize drawings
of a variety of common electrical components. This is, by no means, a complete
list. A task of that magnitude would be almost impossible. I have selected,
however, those components that I have used the most in my career. I did start
with a review of the three basic elements from which most electrical and
electronic components are made. These are resistance, capacitance, and
inductance. If there is some understanding of these basic elements, determining
how electrical components function is somewhat easier. There are many drawings
of the various components; and voltage, current, and power curves of resistors,
capacitors, and inductors.
This course was designed
mostly for non electrical engineers. This course would also be a good review
for electrical engineers who have gotten away from electrical engineering, and
young PE’s, just entering the profession. It really helps, when reading
electrical prints, to have a basic feeling for what components look like on
drawings.
There is very little math
involved in doing this course. Some vector algebra understanding is helpful
when looking at how resistors, capacitors, and inductors react to alternating
current voltages. Other than some representation of AC voltages with vectors,
there is no math involved in this course. And even then, it’s just pictures,
not working with numbers.
The student must take a
twenty (20) question multiple choice quiz at the end of the course to obtain PDH
credits. It is my intention that the material presented in this course will
help engineers understand drawings that have common electrical components as
part of the drawings. I also intend that the students of this course will be
better able to do their job after taking this course.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Attained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and
skills:
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How resistors work.
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How capacitors work.
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How inductors work.
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How switches work.
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How relays, contactors,
and starters work.
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How solenoids work.
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How transformers work.
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How transfer switches
work.
Course
Click on the following PDF attachment and review the document
prior to taking
a quiz for credit.
Electrical Components (320 KB)
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