| Electricity is really a source of power made up of | | | | that a licensed electrician determine the correct wire |
| billions of individual electrons flowing inside a path,a lot | | | | sizes for your needs. |
| like water in a stream. The stream is the electrical | | | | The National Electrical Code sets the trade standards |
| existing. Existing flows through wires, sometimes | | | | for wires. The minimum size for copper wire, for |
| called conductors. Wires are coated with a layer of | | | | instance, is #14; for aluminum wire, #12. Circuit |
| insulation, which prevents shocks and ensures that | | | | breakers are also rated in amperes, most frequently |
| the full amount of power reaches its destination. | | | | 15 amps (a single circuit breaker) or 30 amps (a |
| The type of insulation may vary, depending on the | | | | double). The typical home electrical outlet offers 15 |
| type of appliance or whether it will be in a wet or | | | | amps to plug in appliances, lamps, and so on. As few |
| dry location. When several wires are bound together | | | | as 0.02 amps can render an electrical shock. In |
| with additional insulation, you've a cable. Cables in | | | | electrical formulas, the letter I indicates amperes. |
| food service, heavy-duty but flexible, are wrapped in | | | | 2. Volt. The volt is the driving force that pushes an |
| steel and often referred to as BX cables. When the | | | | ampere through an electrical wire. One volt may be |
| wires are encased in nonflexible steel pipe, they're | | | | the force needed to push 1 amp of electricity for 1 |
| called conduits instead of cables. The complete path | | | | second. For appliances, common voltages are 110-120 |
| of a existing, from start to finish, is generally known | | | | and 208-240. This means the amount of voltage |
| as a circuit. | | | | necessary to operate the appliance efficiently; most |
| Any circuit has three basic components: the source, | | | | appliances have a minimum requirement of 120 volts. |
| or starting place; the path along which it flows; and | | | | In electric formulas, the letter E indicates volts. |
| the electrical device (the appliance) it flows into. A | | | | 3. Watt. The watt represents actual consumption of |
| common type of circuit is found in the fluorescent | | | | electric power, the amount of power in a circuit. One |
| light bulb. A complete, working circuit is called a closed | | | | watt equals the flow of one amp of electricity at a |
| circuit. An open (or broken) circuit is one that has | | | | pressure of one volt. Numerous electric appliances are |
| been interrupted so that no electricity flows. A short | | | | rated in terms of both watts and volts. In electric |
| circuit occurs when existing flows in an unplanned | | | | formulas, the letter W indicates watts. |
| path, due to a break in a wire or some other reason. | | | | 4. Ohm. This is really a less familiar term; an ohm is |
| Short circuits are unsafe simply because they can | | | | really a unit of electrical resistance. It refers to |
| cause fire and/or other types of equipment harm. | | | | whether a substance is a good conductor of electrical |
| Fortunately, there are a couple of safety devices to | | | | power or an insulator that restricts electric flow. |
| prevent short circuits. A fuse is a load-limiting device | | | | Examples of conductors are copper, silver, and |
| that may automatically interrupt an electrical circuit if | | | | drinking water. Examples of insulators are dry air, |
| an overload condition exists. Fuses protect both | | | | wood, rubber, and distilled water. In electrical |
| appliances and humans. More about them in a | | | | formulas, the letter R (for "resistance") stands for |
| moment. A circuit breaker looks like an electrical | | | | ohms. |
| switch. It automatically switches off when it begins | | | | Why do you have to know these terms? You may |
| to receive a higher load of electrical power than its | | | | need to figure amps, volts, or watts to help you |
| capacity. | | | | decide what equipment to purchase, to check the |
| As the load decreases, the breaker might be | | | | efficiency of existing appliances, or to see if you're |
| manually switched on again without harm to electric | | | | about to overload a circuit by plugging in something |
| lines or appliances. In addition to kilowatt-hours (kwH) | | | | new. Now that you know the terminology, you will |
| and kilovoltamperes, there are four basic terms to | | | | find some easy formulas for converting the data |
| learn in measuring electrical energy. You require to | | | | you've into the power measurement you may need |
| know them, because most kitchen equipment is | | | | for a given situation. You will find two methods to |
| "rated" (for output or power efficiency) based on | | | | find volts: |
| these terms: | | | | 1. Divide watts by amps: E = W: I |
| 1. Ampere. Commonly generally known as an amp, | | | | 2. Or multiply amps by ohms: |
| this is a term for how a lot electric current flows | | | | E = I x R |
| through a circuit. A 100-watt lightbulb, for instance, | | | | There are two methods to find amps. |
| requires 0.832 amps of electricity to light up. The | | | | 1. Divide volts by ohms: I = E: R |
| larger the diameter of an electric wire, the more | | | | 2. |
| amperes it can safely carry, so it's vitally important | | | | |