Electrical Tools, Calculators, and Charts

208V Three Phase – Configuration and Color Codes

208 V three-phase provides standard voltage for light commercial applications. It can power industrial equipment such as data centers, server racks, and control panels. Further applications include air compressors, pumps,…

Conductive Metals – Examples and Uses

Many industries, including electronics, aerospace, and telecommunications, rely heavily on conductive metals. Some metals are more conductive than others, although most metals do conduct heat and electricity to some extent….

Stress Cones

Stress cones conduct heat and electricity to spread voltage across a wire, preventing electrical surges and fires. In this article, you will learn how stress cones work, how to install…

460V Three Phase – Configuration, Wiring Diagram, vs. 480V

460V three phase is a common electrical specification for running industrial equipment. In this article, you will learn about the 460V three phase, review its wiring configurations, and compare the…

Power Dissipation – Process, Formula, Applications

Power dissipation refers to the process by which an electrical or electronic device loses or wastes energy via heat production while performing its primary action. Moreover, it is important to…

NEMA 4X vs NEMA 12 – Overview, Applications, Differences

NEMA 4X and NEMA 12 characterize degrees of protection in line with specifications from the National Electrical Manufacturers Association. In this article, you will learn about the NEMA vs IEC…

Quiescent Current – Calculation, Formula, vs. Other Types

Quiescent current is a very important parameter in battery-powered applications. This particularly holds true for products that are often on standby. In this article, you will learn the meaning of…

Line vs Load – Practical Implications, How to Differentiate, GFCI

In electrical terms, line refers to the wires that supply electricity to a device. Such a device could be a switch or panel that receives power into a building from…

208V vs 220V – Differences, Connection Types, vs. 240V

208V and 220V are both standard voltages for power supply. As power demands from clients vary, so do the application of these standard voltage levels. In this article, you will…

Motor Rotation – Directions, Relevance, and Reversal

In a magnetic field, a coil of wire that carries current experiences a force that causes rotation. This is the governing principle of electric motors, which scientists refer to as…

PLC Cabinet – Types, Layout, Wiring, and Components

PLC is short for Programmable Logic Controller. PLC cabinet refers to the housing that contains a control system, which automates various industrial processes. In addition, the cabinet protects its components…

Germanium Transistor – History, Purpose, and Pin-Out

As civilization grows bigger, technological developments get smaller in size. The discovery of the germanium transistor ushered in a new age of computing. Its technology would become the building blocks…

Copper Wire

Copper is one of the most versatile and commonly used materials. Copper has a wide range of uses, some of these uses are power transmission lines, electrical wiring, and spark…

Power Cables

Power cables connect equipment to a power supply, allowing energization and proper functioning. They are used extensively in facilities and plants for lighting, power and control circuits installed in the…

Raceways

A raceway is an enclosed electrical conduit that forms a pathway for electrical wiring. Raceways protect the wires and cables from physical threats. In this article, you will learn about…

PLC: Programmable Logic Controller

Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) are industrial computers that have been adapted to run industrial and manufacturing processes. They are the brains of industrial process, giving orders and passing information to…

Control Wiring

Control wiring is a physical mode of communication between control devices used to transmit commands. Sometimes referred to as the nervous system of the control system, control wiring connects all…

Instrumentation

Instrumentation is the collective term for instruments that are used for indicating, measuring, and recording physical quantities in systems. Instrumentation gives engineers and operators insight into system behavior and allows…

Control Panel Enclosures

In engineered equipment, the term enclosure may mean several different things. There are electrical enclosures, also known as electrical “houses”, that contain large critical equipment such as variable frequency drives…