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TECHNICAL TRAINING

Electrical Safety By Ralph Spicer, Manager Operational Standards

All In A Circuit

Flip a switch, you can start or stop the flow of electricity. The electricity used in our homes and our machines flows
along a wire in a circuit. A circuit is like a circle. The switch you press, turn, or flip opens or closes the circuit. If
there is a gap in the circuit, like a broken wire, bad connection like a wire nut that has not been attached properly, or
a loose terminal connection, (I can’t believe anyone working for Loram would do shady work like that.) electrons
cannot jump from atom to atom. There is no power. When there is no break or gap, the electrons can flow freely
to the object connected to the circuit.
What Makes the Circuit

An electrical circuit needs:
• A source of electrical power (generator or a battery)
• A material along which the electricity can flow (this may be a coper wire)
• Something to power (this could be a light, motor etc.)
The circuit is connected in a loop. Then the source of power pushes electrons around the wire. It lights the bulb or
spins the motor and continues in the circuit until it is broken. Broken meaning turning off the switch or the protec-
tion device is tripped to protect the circuit.
Circuit Protection

The circuit breaker is an absolute essential device on all household circuits, commercial applications and of course
our Loram Equipment. Whenever electrical wiring in a building or equipment has too much current flowing through
it, these simple devices cut the power until somebody can fix the problem. Without circuit breakers (or a fuse)
household electricity or our equipment would be impractical because of the potential for fires and other mayhem
resulting from simple wiring problems and equipment failures.
At one time or another you may have plugged something in an electrical outlet that could have had a high amp draw
such as an electric frying pan, hair dryer or microwave that over a short period of time while in use quit working. In
most cases it’s not the failure of the devise that is being used, it’s the capacity or load of the circuit that the device is
plugged into has been overloaded in the amount of amp draw that can be handled by that circuit.

If this happens the breaker has done its job and opened the circuit (or in other words tripped the breaker).

So where are we going with all of this regarding Circuit Protection?
Breakers
In the illustrations 1a and 1b are typical breakers that are in our homes and our equipment. Illustration 1a shows the
breaker in the on position meaning power is going through the breaker allowing voltage to pass through. Illustration
1b shows the same breaker showing RED in the window of the breaker. This represents that the breaker has done

Volume 2 : Issue 1 Page 18