Category: Definitions

Fault – (Ground fault) This happens when an ungrounded conductor (line wire) comes in contact with anything that is grounded (i.e. motor winding touching case, or line wire of appliance touching the metal frame.)

Direct current (DC) – Current that only goes in one direction. Battery supplied power is DC.

Device* – A unit of an electrical system that carries or controls (but does not use) electric energy as its principal function. (Example:  receptacle or switch)

A circuit that has only one receptacle and is used for one load that has a high current rating.

Current flow direction – It is not known for sure what direction currents flows. The conventional theory of current flow is from positive (+) to negative (-).

Current – The flow of electrons through a conductor, the quantity is measured in amps (A) .

Continuity – A circuit has continuity when there is a continuous path for electricity to flow through the circuit (free from open circuit conditions). A multimeter, continuity tester, and certain solenoid testers can measure continuity.

Conductor – Materials that allow the flow of electrons easily, including silver, copper, gold, and aluminum. Electrical wires are mostly made of copper, some are made of aluminum.

A device designed to open and close a circuit by nonautomatic means and to open the circuit automatically on a predetermined overcurrent without damage to itself when properly applied within its rating. (Example: The circuit breaker will trip during a short circuit, ground fault, and overload condition.)

Circuit – Circuit breaker(s), conductors (wires), and electrical outlets. Conductors in a circuit contain line, neutral, and ground conductor(s). Older systems may not contain ground conductors.