The IEE Wiring Regulations, the requirements for Electrical

Installations (BS 7671)

- The IEE Wiring Regulations relate principally to the design, erection,
inspection, and testing of electrical installations.
The Regulations are Non-Statutory Regulations but are recognized as the
National Standards for electrical installation work in the United Kingdom.

They apply to:

Permanent or temporary installations
In and about buildings generally
To agricultural and horticultural premises
To construction sites
And to caravans and caravan sites

They are the electricians bible and provide authoritative framework for all
work activities undertaken by electricians.
If your work meets the requirements of the IEE Regulations, it will also
comply with the Statutory Regulations.

Ohms Law
This is one of the most famous electrical laws published by Dr George Ohm
in 1826.
It allows us to understand the relationship between the basic elements of an
electric circuit, voltage current and resistance.
Voltage is the pressure or potential driving current around a circuit.
Current, as we saw a little earlier at fig 2.1 is the movement of electrons
through a conductor and resistance is the opposition to that current flow.
His law may be expressed as voltage is equal to current times
resistance or expressed mathematically as:
V IR Volts

(a) Shows the random movement of free electrons;

(b) Shows the free electrons drifting towards the positive terminal when a
voltage is applied

Series Connected Resistors

When resistors are connected as shown in Fig. 2.4 we say they are connected
in series. The same current flows through each resistor and so we say the
current is 'common'.
When the current flows through R1 there will be a volt drop across R1
because of ohm's law V I R .
For the same reason a volt drop will occur across R2 and R3 .
The addition of the three volt drops will add up to the total voltage VT

So, VT V1 V2 V3 volts
and from the calculations made in Ohm's Law:
Total Resistance RT R1 R2 R3 ohms
The unit of resistance is the ohm to commemorate the great work done by
Dr George Ohm.

Parallel Connected Resistors

When resistors are connected as shown in Fig. 2.5 we say they are connected
in parallel.
The same voltage is connected across each resistor and so we say the voltage
is common in a parallel circuit.
When the current reaches the resistor junction, it will divide, part of it
flowing through each resistor.
The addition of the three currents will add up to the total current drawn from
the battery, so:
I T I1 I 2 I 3 Amps
and from the calculations made in Ohm's Law:
1 1 1 1
1 - 1 Total resistance is found from
RT R1 R2 R3

Site plans and layout drawings

These are scale drawings based upon the architects site plan of the building
and show the position of the electrical equipment which is to be installed.
The electrical equipment is identified by a graphical symbol.
The standard symbols used by the electrical contracting industry are those
recommended by the British Standard EN 60617, Graphical Symbols for
Electrical Power, Telecommunications and Electronic Diagrams.
Some of the more common electrical installation symbols are given in
bellow fig.

The layout drawing or site plan of a small domestic extension is shown in

bellow fig.
It can be seen that the mains intake position, probably a consumer unit, is
situated in the store-room which also contains one light controlled by a
switch at the door.
The bathroom contains one lighting point controlled by a one-way pull
switch at the door.
The kitchen has two doors and a switch is installed at each door to control
the fluorescent luminaire.
There are also three double sockets situated around the kitchen.
The sitting room has a two-way switch at each door controlling the centre
lighting point.
Two wall lights with built-in switches are to be wired, one at each side of the
window.
Two double sockets and one switched socket are also to be installed in the
sitting room.
The bedroom has two lighting points controlled independently by two one-
way switches at the door.