BBSE2001 Utility

y Services
http://www.hku.hk/bse/bbse2001/

L.V. Electrical Installation

- Testing Procedures and Extra Low Voltage
Systems
Dr. Sam C M Hui
Department of Mechanical Engineering
The University of Hong Kong
E-mail:
E
mail: cmhui@hku.hk
cmhui@hku hk
Mar 2009

Contents
Basic Requirements
Testing Procedures
Extra Low Voltage (ELV)
Typical ELV Systems

Basic Requirements
COP for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations
19: First inspection, testing and certification
20: Periodic inspection, testing and certification
21: Procedures for inspection,
inspection testing and
certification

Useful guides:
EMSDs
EMSD s Checklists on Items for Inspection and
Testing of Low-voltage Electrical Installations
HECs Guide
id to Connection
i off Supply,
l Chp
h 6&7

Basic Requirements
First inspection, testing and certification
For new work, alternation or addition
Certified by a Registered Electrical Worker (REW)

Completion
p
of an installation
Certification on the design
Certification on the installation

Work completion certificate

Before it is energised

Basic Requirements
Periodic inspection, testing and certification
Fixed installation requiring annual inspection
Place of public entertainment
Premises for manufacturing/storing of dangerous goods
High voltage installations

Fixed installation requiring inspection every 5 yrs.

yrs
Factories & industrial undertakings > 200 A
Any premises > 100 A
Hotels, hospitals, schools/universities, etc.

Basic Requirements
Periodic test certificates
Form WR2 a complete installation
Form WR2(A) Part of an Installation

Work Completion Certificates

Form WR1 a complete installation
Form WR1(A) Part of an Installation

Testing Procedures
Inspection of L.V.
L V installations, e.g.
eg

Adequacy of working space & access

Connection & sizes of conductors
Fire protection
Protection against electric shock
Isolation & switching
Overcurrent protective devices
Warning notices and labels
Diagrams, instructions & other info.

Testing Procedures
Testingg procedures
p
(in
( correct sequence)
q
)
Continuity of ring final circuit conductors
Continuity
C ti it off protective
t ti conductors,
d t
including
i l di
main and supplementary equipotential bonding
Earth electrode resistance
Insulation resistance
Polarity
Earth fault loop impedance
Functions of all protective devices
Functions of all items of equipment

Continuity test of final circuit

(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Continuity Testers

Digital Multimeter

Earth electrode resistance test

(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Test of earth electrode resistance having four or more electrodes

(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Insulation resistance to earth test

(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Minimum values of insulation resistance

Circuit nominal
g (Volts)
(
)
voltage

Test voltage d.c.

((Volts))

Extra-low voltage *

250

Minimum
insulation
resistance
(megaohms)
0.25

Up to 500 V

500

05
0.5

Above 500 V

1,000

1.0

* When the circuit is supplied from a safety isolating transformer

or safety extra-low voltage (SELV).
(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Insulation Tester (MegOhmMeter)

Earth Bonding
Resistance Meter

Insulation resistance test between phases

(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Polarity test
(Source: EMSD, 2003. Code of Practice for the Electricity (Wiring) Regulations)

Testing Procedures
Earth fault loop impedance
Measured by a phase-earth loop tester

Functions of all protective devices

Checked by residual current device tester (built-in)
(built in)
Checked by hand operation (MCB, MCCB, ACB)

Additional checks for hazardous environment

Such
S h as DG stores & iindustrial
d i l process

Extra Low Voltage (ELV)

Extra low voltage (ELV): ( )
< 50 volts AC or < 120 volts DC
Low voltage: < 1000 V AC or 1500 V DC
High voltage: anything exceeding low voltage

Intrinsically safe circuits (BS 1259)

Three
Th types off ELV sources:
Safety extra low voltage (SELV)
Protective extra low voltage (PELV)
Functional extra low voltage (FELV)

Extra Low Voltage (ELV)

Safetyy extra low voltage
g ((SELV)) must be
Safely separated from other circuits that carry higher
voltages
Isolated from earth (ground) and from the protective earth
conductors of other circuits

The safety of an SELV circuit is provided by

The extra low voltage
Low risk of accidental contact with a higher
g
voltage
g
Lack of a return path through earth (ground) that a current
could
cou
d ta
takee in case oof co
contact
tact with
w t a human
u a body

Extra Low Voltage (ELV)

Protective extra low voltage
g ((PELV))
Has a protective earth (ground) connection
Such as a computer with a IEC Class I power supply

Functional extra low voltage (FELV)

Any other extra low voltage circuit that does not fulfill the
requirements for an SELV or PELV circuit
Such as part of the circuit uses an ELV
Protection requirements
q
for the higher
g
voltage
g have to be applied
pp
to the entire circuit

Typical ELV Systems

Common ELV systems include:
Communal aerial broadcast distribution (CABD)
Also known as Public TV antenna ()

Satellite master antenna television (SMATV)

(
)
Private branch exchange (PBX) telephone systems
Public address (PA) systems
Computer networking systems
Fire alarms and security systems

Typical ELV Systems

CABD and SMATV systems
Known as In-Building Coaxial Cable Distribution
S
Systems
(IBCCDS)
Comprises aerial, head-end equipment (amplifier/filter)
and co-axial cable network (block wiring systems)
inside multi-storey buildings
For reception and distribution of TV and FM radio
broadcast
In some buildings, it is also used to distribute cable TV,
satellite TV,, closed circuit television ((CCTV)) &
Internet services

(Source: HKU Telecomm Research Project, www.trp.hku.hk)

Typical ELV Systems

CABD and SMATV systems (cont
(contd)
d)
Services include:

Free TV Programme (TVB & ATV)

Satellite TV
Pay TV (CableTV, PCCW Media & TVB Pay Vision)
Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) (from 2007)

SMATV: receiver dishes on rooftops and signals

are fed
f d down
d
through
h
h IBCCDS
Set-topp boxes () : access function &
security function

Typical ELV Systems

Digital TV
Broadcast TV services in digital format
Clear picture & no ghosting

Supports
pp
more free-to-air TV channels,, high
g
definition TV (HDTV) & interactive TV
Support
S
t mobile
bil / portable
t bl reception
ti
How to receive it?
External decoder added between TV socket and
conventional TV set
Integrated digital TV set with decoder built in

Comparison of analogue & digital TVs

Analogue TV
(standard definition)

Digital TV
(high definition)

Resolution up to 575 lines

(vertical) x 720 pixels (horizontal)

Resolution up to 1080 lines

(vertical) x 1920 pixels
(horizontal)

Aspect ratio 4:3

Aspect ratio 16:9 (Widescreen)

Stereo sound

Multi sound channels (e.g. Dolby

5.1 multi
multi-channel
channel sound)

(Source: Office of Telecomm Authority, www.ofta.gov.hk)

Timetable for Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT) implementation in

Hong Kong

(* Si
Simulcast
l
= simultaneous
i l
analogue
l
& digital
di i l broadcasts)
b d
)
(Source: www.digitaltv.gov.hk)

Typical ELV Systems

Digital
g
TV pplatforms in Hong
g Kong
g
Terrestrial radiocommunications
Through Ultra High Frequency (UHF) radio spectrum
By TVB and ATV (launched in Dec 2007)

Cable
C bl (e.g.
(
by
b Cable
C bl TV)
Via hybrid fibre coaxial cable (HFC) network

Broadband network
Byy PCCW Media & TVB Pay
y Vision ((Galaxy)
y)

Satellite (through SMATV systems)

Some foreign & local satellite television broadcasts are
providing HDTV programmes

High
g definition TV (HDTV)
(
) equipment
q p
setupp

(Source: Office of Telecomm Authority, www.ofta.gov.hk)

Reception of Digital TV signals through CABD systems

(Source: www.digitaltv.gov.hk)

Dish = satellite dish

LNB = low noise block down converter

(Source: www.asiasat.com.hk)

(Source: www.asiasat.com.hk)

Typical ELV Systems

Satellite receivable in Hong
g Kongg

Agila 2 (2)
Apstar VI (VI)
AsiaSat 2 (2)
AsiaSat 3S (3S)
Palapa C2 (Palapa C2)
PanAmSat 2, 8, 7 / 10 (2, 8, 7/10)
Sinosat 1 (1)
Telstar 10 (Apstar IIR) (2R)
Th i
Thaicom
1A,
1A 2,
2 3 (1A,
(1A 2/3)

Typical ELV Systems

Private branch exchange (PBX) systems
Also, private automatic branch exchange (PABX)
A telephone exchange that is owned by a private
business,, to allow all users to share a certain
number of external phone lines
Main purpose: to save the cost of requiring a line for
each user

Old PBXs
PBX use analog
l ttechnology
h l
g
technology
gy
New PBXs use digital

Typical ELV Systems

A PBX includes:
Telephone trunk (multiple phone) lines that terminate at
the PBX
A computer
t with
ith memory th
thatt manages the
th switching
it hi off
the calls within the PBX and in and out of it
The network of lines within the PBX
Usually a console or switchboard for a human operator

Larger manufacturers of PBXs:

Lucent Technologies, NORTEL, Rolm/Siemens, NEC,
GTE, Intecom, Fujitsu, Hitachi, and Mitel

Latest trends: IPBX uses Internet Protocol to carry

ca s
calls

Typical ELV Systems

PBX p
performs three main duties
Establish connections (circuits) between the
telephone sets of two users (e.g.
(e g mapping a dialled
number to a physical phone, ensuring the phone
isn'tt already busy)
isn
Maintain such connections as long as the users
require
i them.
th
(i.e.
(i channeling
h
li voice
i signals
i l
between the users)
Provide info for accounting purposes

Other functions,
functions e.g.
e g call transfer

Typical ELV Systems

Public address (PA) systems
Also known as Tannoy
An electronic amplification system used as a
y
in public
p
areas
communication system
Amplifier, loud speaker & mixer for sound control
Can be fixed or portable,
portable indoor or outdoor
For general announcement, background music or
emergency messages

Details of equipment are determined by discussion

with the manufacturers

Examples of public address (PA) systems