Classification of Electric Current

I.
Classification of Electric
Current
II. Electrical Diagrams &

Components, Standard
Symbols and Measuring
Instruments
Lesson 2
WMSU
1
OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this session, you should be able to:
• State the two types of electric current

• Understand the difference between direct current
(DC) and alternating current (AC).
• Appreciate that engineering systems may be
represented by either block diagrams or circuit
diagram and its components
2
OBJECTIVES:
• Recognize common electrical circuit diagram

symbols
• Explain the use of some basic electrical measuring
instruments
3
I.1 CLASSIFICATION
OF ELECTRIC CURRENT
4
ELECTRIC CURRENT
• Electric current is the rate of flow of electric charge
through a conductor.
• A current will only flow if a circuit is formed
comprising a complete loop and contains the
following components:
❑ Source of Voltage (i.e. a battery)

❑ A closed loop of wiring (conductor)
❑ An electrical load (i.e. appliances)
❑ A mean of opening or closing the circuit (switch)
5
6
DIRECT CURRENT
• DC is an electric current
that only flows in one
direction.
7
DIRECT CURRENT
Example: Battery
• A battery is first charged using direct current that is
then transformed into chemical energy. When it is in
use, it turns the chemical energy back into electrical
energy in the form of DC.
• Batteries need direct current to charge up and will
only produce direct current.
8
DC CAN BE GENERATED IN DIFFERENT WAYS:
• An AC generator equipped with a device called a

“commutator” can produce direct current.
• Use of a device called a “rectifier” that converts AC

to DC.
• Batteries provide DC, which is generated from a

chemical reaction inside the battery.
9
ALTERNATING CURRENT
• AC is defined as the flow
of charge that changes
direction periodically.
10
ALTERNATING CURRENT
• AC is used to deliver power to industries, houses,

office buildings, etc.
• AC is produced by an alternator, or AC generator.
11
SYMBOLS OF DIFFERENT SOURCES
12
I.2 DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN AC AND DC
13
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AC AND DC
14
I.3 APPLICATION OF
AC AND DC
15
APPLICATION OF DC
• Batteries: Batteries, bot rechargeable and non-

rechargeable can only supply DC current. The
rechargeable battery also need to be recharged by
DC.
• Electronic Equipment: All equipment like

computers, radios, mobile phones, and all electronic
equipment uses DC to power the electronic circuits.
16
APPLICATION OF DC
• Bipolar transistors, Field-effect Transistors (FETs),

and the integrated circuits (ICs) all need DC to power
them and will be damaged if a reverse polarity is
supplied.
• Although many of these items are powered by AC
mains, there is a unit called a power supply within
the unit that converts the incoming AC to DC with
the right voltage within or external to the electronic
item.
17
APPLICATION OF DC
• Solar Panels: Solar panels used for generating

electricity produce direct current directly from the
panels themselves. When used with AC mains to
supply local AC power, a unit known as “inverter” is
required that converts DC from solar panels to AC.
• Some DC Electrical Appliances
18
APPLICATION OF AC
• Home and office outlets use AC.

• Generation and transmission of AC power for long
distances are easy.
• Less energy is lost in electrical power transmission
for high voltages.
• AC can be easily transformed from high voltage to
low voltage and vice versa with the help of
transformers.
• AC powers the electric motors
19
II.1 ELECTRICAL
DIAGRAMS AND
COMPONENTS
20
BLOCK DIAGRAM
• Block diagram is a diagram of a system in which the

principal parts or functions are represented by blocks
connected by lines that show the relationships of the
blocks.
Block diagram of clothes dryer
21
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
• Circuit diagram is a simplified conventional

graphical representation of an electrical circuit.
• It illustrates how to connect components.
Example:
22
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM
• An electrical component or element is usually the
simplest part of an electrical system which has a
specific and well defined function.
Components:
❑ Battery
❑ Switch
❑ Resistor
❑ Wire
23
CIRCUIT DIAGRAM COMPONENTS
24
II.2 STANDARD
SYMBOLS FOR
ELECTRICAL
COMPONENTS
25
• Symbols are used for
components in electrical
circuit diagrams and some
of the common ones are
shown in the figure.
26
II.3 SOME BASIC
ELECTRICAL
MEASURING
INSTRUMENTS
27
AMMETER
• An ammeter is a measuring instruments used to
measure current and must be connected in series with
the circuit,
• Since all the current in the circuit passes

through the ammeter, it must have a very
low resistance.
28
VOLTMETER
• A voltmeter is a measuring instrument used to
measure potential difference and must be connected
in parallel with the part of the circuit whose p.d. is
require.
• To avoid a significant
current flowing through
it, a voltmeter must have
a very high resistance.
29
• In the figure below shows an ammeter connected in
series with the lamp to measure the current flowing
through it and a voltmeter is connected in parallel
with the lamp to measure the p.d. across it.
30
OHMMETER
• An ohmmeter is an instrument for measuring
electrical resistance.
31
TYPES OF OHMMETER
• Micro-ohmmeter: Use for low resistance

measurements.
• Megohmmeter: Also known as “Megger”, measures

large values of resistance.
Note: The unit of measurement for resistance is ohms.
32
CLAMP METER
• A clamp meter is an electrical
measuring tool that combines basic
digital multimeter with a current
sensor.
• Clamp measures current, while Probes measure

voltage.
33
MULTIMETER
• A multimeter, or universal instrument,
may be used to measure voltage,
current, and resistance.
Types:
❑ Analogue Multimeter
❑ Digital Multimeter
34
WATTMETER
• A wattmeter are used to measure the

average power in watts.
• Wattmeter has two coils; the current and pressure coil
35
ENERGY METER
• An electric meter, or energy meter, is a device that

measures the amount of electrical energy consumed
by a building, or any electrically powered equipment.
36
OSCILLOSCOPE
• The oscilloscope may be used

to observe waveforms and to
measure voltages and currents.
• The display of an oscilloscope involves a spot of light
moving across a screen.
• The amount by which the spot is deflected from its
initial position depends on the p.d applied to its
terminal and the range selected.
37

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I.

II. Electrical Diagrams &

• State the two types of electric current

• Recognize common electrical circuit diagram

❑ Source of Voltage (i.e. a battery)

• An AC generator equipped with a device called a

• Use of a device called a “rectifier” that converts AC

• Batteries provide DC, which is generated from a

• AC is used to deliver power to industries, houses,

• AC is produced by an alternator, or AC generator.

• Batteries: Batteries, bot rechargeable and non-

• Electronic Equipment: All equipment like

• Bipolar transistors, Field-effect Transistors (FETs),

• Solar Panels: Solar panels used for generating

• Some DC Electrical Appliances

• Home and office outlets use AC.

• Block diagram is a diagram of a system in which the

• Circuit diagram is a simplified conventional

• Since all the current in the circuit passes

• Micro-ohmmeter: Use for low resistance

• Megohmmeter: Also known as “Megger”, measures

Note: The unit of measurement for resistance is ohms.

• Clamp measures current, while Probes measure

• A wattmeter are used to measure the

• Wattmeter has two coils; the current and pressure coil

• An electric meter, or energy meter, is a device that

• The oscilloscope may be used

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