Electrical Design Course

Lesson 1 • Ohm's Law and Circuit Fundamentals

Applies Ohm's Law to series, parallel, and series-parallel circuits. Provides the analytical foundation for load calculations and conductor sizing.

Lesson 2 • Electrical Quantities and Units

Covers voltage, current, resistance, and power with SI units. Establishes the measurement language used in every subsequent design calculation.

Lesson 3 • AC vs. DC Systems Overview

Distinguishes alternating and direct current characteristics and waveforms. Prepares students to select the correct system type for a given design application.

Lesson 4 • Reading Electrical Symbols and Diagrams

Teaches standard schematic symbols and diagram conventions used in industry. Students gain the visual literacy needed to interpret and produce design drawings.

Lesson 1 • Wiring Methods and Installation Rules

Covers permitted wiring methods, conduit fill limits, and installation requirements. These rules directly govern conductor routing decisions in building designs.

Lesson 2 • Grounding and Bonding Requirements

Details grounding electrode systems, equipment grounding, and bonding jumpers. Proper grounding design is mandatory for personnel safety and equipment protection.

Lesson 3 • Structure of Electrical Codes

Explains how electrical codes are organized, adopted, and enforced. Understanding code hierarchy prevents compliance gaps in design submissions.

Lesson 4 • Special Occupancy and Location Rules

Examines code requirements for hazardous locations, wet areas, and high-density occupancies. Designers must recognize when special rules override general installation methods.

Lesson 1 • General Load Calculation Methods

Introduces connected load, demand factor, and diversity factor concepts. These methods form the basis for sizing all electrical distribution equipment.

Lesson 2 • Power Factor and Reactive Load

Explains power factor, reactive power, and apparent power in load analysis. Poor power factor increases conductor and transformer sizing requirements.

Lesson 3 • Industrial Load and Motor Load Analysis

Addresses motor nameplate data, locked-rotor current, and industrial demand factors. Industrial load profiles differ significantly from commercial and require distinct sizing methods.

Lesson 4 • Residential Load Calculations

Applies standard and optional calculation methods to single-family and multifamily dwellings. Students size service entrances and feeders for residential projects.

Lesson 1 • Conductor Selection for Special Conditions

Addresses high-temperature environments, wet locations, and direct burial applications. Special conditions require specific insulation types and installation methods.

Lesson 2 • Conductor Scheduling and Documentation

Teaches how to compile a complete conductor schedule for a project. Proper documentation ensures field installation matches design intent.

Lesson 3 • Voltage Drop Calculations

Covers single-phase and three-phase voltage drop formulas and acceptable limits. Voltage drop compliance ensures equipment operates within rated voltage tolerances.

Lesson 4 • Ampacity Correction and Adjustment Factors

Applies temperature correction and conduit fill adjustment factors to base ampacity values. Failure to apply these factors is a common design error with safety consequences.

Lesson 1 • Selective Coordination Principles

Explains how to achieve selective tripping so only the nearest upstream device operates. Coordination prevents unnecessary outages in critical and commercial facilities.

Lesson 2 • Overcurrent Device Characteristics

Examines fuse and circuit breaker time-current characteristics and interrupting ratings. Device selection must match both the circuit's fault current level and load type.

Lesson 3 • Short-Circuit Current Calculations

Covers available fault current calculation methods from the utility source to branch circuits. Fault current values determine minimum interrupting ratings for all protective devices.

Lesson 4 • Coordination Study Documentation

Teaches how to compile and present a coordination study report with time-current curves. Documentation supports design review, commissioning, and future system modifications.

Lesson 1 • Transformer Selection and Sizing

Addresses transformer kVA sizing, voltage ratios, and connection types for distribution. Correct transformer selection affects voltage regulation and fault current levels downstream.

Lesson 2 • Panelboard and Switchboard Design

Teaches panelboard layout, bus sizing, and circuit assignment for balanced loading. Panelboard design translates load calculations into physical distribution equipment.

Lesson 3 • Feeder and Branch Circuit Design

Applies conductor sizing and overcurrent protection rules to feeders and branch circuits. This section integrates skills from Chapters 3, 4, and 5 into a complete circuit design.

Lesson 4 • Medium-Voltage Distribution Basics

Introduces medium-voltage switchgear, cable systems, and substation layouts. Medium-voltage design is required for large commercial and industrial facilities.

Lesson 1 • Lighting Control Systems

Addresses occupancy sensors, daylight harvesting, dimming, and networked control systems. Controls reduce energy consumption and are required by most energy codes.

Lesson 2 • Receptacle and Power Layout Design

Teaches receptacle spacing rules, dedicated circuit requirements, and power outlet placement. Power layout design ensures adequate and accessible power for all occupant needs.

Lesson 3 • Lighting Calculation Methods

Applies the zonal cavity method and point-by-point calculations to design lighting layouts. Calculation results verify that designs meet required illuminance levels.

Lesson 4 • Emergency and Exit Lighting Design

Covers egress illumination requirements, exit sign placement, and backup power sources. Emergency lighting is a life-safety system with mandatory code compliance requirements.

Lesson 1 • Specifications and Equipment Schedules

Covers writing electrical specifications and compiling equipment schedules for procurement. Specifications define quality and performance requirements that drawings alone cannot convey.

Lesson 2 • Design Review and Quality Control

Teaches internal design review checklists, peer review processes, and correction workflows. Systematic review catches errors before permit submission and construction.

Lesson 3 • Electrical Drawing Set Organization

Defines the standard sheets, drawing order, and title block requirements for an electrical drawing set. A well-organized set reduces RFIs and construction errors.

Lesson 4 • Interdisciplinary Coordination

Addresses coordination with architectural, mechanical, and structural drawings to resolve conflicts. Unresolved interdisciplinary conflicts are a leading cause of construction change orders.