Commercial Electrical Installation requires extensive planning and attention to detail. Hiring qualified professional electricians ensures the process is safe and complies with standards.
Residential wiring is usually encased in plastic sheathing, while commercial wiring is enclosed in conduits to protect it from hazards. Some common commercial electrical projects include:
Electrical wiring is a vital component in any commercial property. It carries electricity to different circuits, power outlets, and other equipment in the business. It must be well-maintained to ensure the safety and functionality of a building. Regular maintenance also prevents problems and helps keep the property compliant with local standards and regulations.
Commercial properties require more power than residential buildings. They use motors, devices, lifts, and other machinery that require a lot of energy. As a result, they need more outlets in the form of sockets. Additionally, they might need more wiring and conduits. Unlike domestic wiring, which is protected by plastic sheathing, the majority of commercial electrical wiring is safeguarded by tube-like conduits. These containments protect the wires from hazardous elements like water and dust. Some are made from metal and feature a protective insulator that wards off radio frequencies.
A detailed plan is essential when installing electrical wiring in a commercial property. This plan outlines the necessary circuits, wiring capacity, and other components. It also identifies the location of the outlet and switch boxes. The plan should be based on the building’s size, occupancy, and other factors.
Professional electricians can perform all aspects of commercial electrical installation. They have the skills and knowledge to ensure all systems are safe and compliant with local codes. They can install the right types of conduits and conductors to ensure the safety of all people in a workplace. They can also handle complex tasks like outdoor direct burial feeders and busways.
Unlike residential properties, commercial buildings do not prioritize aesthetics when it comes to wiring. Therefore, the setup is much more complicated than in a home. This is why electricians must be able to work with a more intricate setup, especially when it comes to laying new cables.
Sockets
A commercial electrical installation requires a large number of power sockets. These can be installed within walls, placed in floors or mounted on ceilings. They can be single or three-phase and have a range of ratings. They are usually used to plug in appliances, computers, lighting and other equipment. They can also be found in offices, meeting rooms, and other areas. They are often designed to have a hinged flap to cover the socket when not in use. The sockets can be used with a flexible cable or connected to a power strip that may include switches, surge voltage protection and other features.
Standard European sockets have two round pins with centres spaced 19 mm apart. They can accept either older Danish-style plugs, newer Europlugs or non-earthed ones. An earthed socket can be used with double-insulated appliances. The Danish sockets have a switch that prevents people from touching the live pins. Newer sockets are designed to be shallow enough to allow the switch to engage before the live pins make contact.
The UK sockets have three rectangular pins in a triangular arrangement with an insulated sleeve covering half of their length and an earthing pin that is uninsulated. These sockets have shutters to prevent foreign objects from entering the hot or neutral pins. They are rated at up to 16 A. The German Schuko system has two round pins measuring 4.8 mm in diameter and 19 mm apart, but it is not polarised. The German sockets are labelled CEE 7/3 and CEE 7/4 and are compatible with the CEE 7/16 Europlug. They can also accept the CEE 7/7 Schuko-French hybrid plug.
A commercial electrical installation can have any number of sockets, including single-phase and three-phase outlets. These types of outlets are often used in industrial settings where machines need more current than standard outlets can provide. It’s important to know the type of socket you have in your business before making any upgrades or repairs.
Lighting
Lighting is a vital component of any commercial space. Its purpose is to create a productive work environment and prevent safety hazards. Commercial electricians can install a range of electrical fixtures and light sources, including LEDs, fluorescent bulbs, incandescent lamps, and more. They also install power outlets, switches, and network cabling. The latter is a key aspect of modern business operations, supporting telecommunication and internet connectivity.
A successful commercial electrical installation starts with careful planning. This involves evaluating the electrical needs of a space and determining the capacity required. It also includes ensuring that the system can handle peak usage without overloading. The next step is installing a main electrical panel, which distributes electricity throughout the building. This includes circuit breakers, which protect against dangerous overloads and short-circuiting. The panel also houses wiring that delivers power to different areas of the building.
Depending on the workspace, commercial electricians may need to install multiple outlets or switchboards. The number of outlets will vary depending on the expected number of occupants and the type of equipment that will be used in the area. The electricians will need to consider how much power each outlet or switchboard can safely carry. They will also need to ensure that the wires are properly rated and not located near water pipes, fire hydrants, or other potential hazards.
In addition to installing new electrical systems, commercial electricians can also maintain and repair existing ones. This includes checking safety switches and upgrading switchboards to meet current electrical loads. They can also service generators, smoke detectors, and fire alarm systems. They are also qualified to perform test and tag activities on cables and antenna installations.
Distribution panel board
The distribution panel board is a component that divides the electrical power feed into subsidiary circuits and provides protective fuses or circuit breakers for each in a common enclosure. It also houses a main switch and, in recent panels, residual-current devices (RCDs) or circuit breaker with overcurrent protection (RCBOs).
Distribution boards are the heart of a commercial electrical installation. They are used in offices, factories, and warehouses to control and protect the supply of electricity to various workspaces, machinery, appliances and fixtures. They are usually built to accommodate specific energy requirements and to meet national standards for safety and functionality.
There are many different types of distribution boards available, each designed to accommodate specific energy needs. A professional engineer can help you determine which one is best for your project.
A distribution board is also known as a load center, panelboard, or breaker panel. North American distribution boards are generally housed in sheet metal enclosures and feature a “dead front,” which prevents the operator of the breaker switches from touching live parts inside. They may also feature a door that covers the breaker switch handles to prevent accidental tripping. Other types of panels include branch circuit monitoring panelboards that provide integrated energy monitoring for both the main incoming feeder and some or all of the branch circuits, and column width panelboards designed to fit within standard I-beam support columns.
In terms of functionality, most distribution boards do the same thing: they split a single incoming line of electricity into multiple sub-circuits that can be accessed and controlled individually. This allows for more precise and granular control of the supply of electricity to each area of your business.
Service entrance
The service entrance is where grid electricity enters your building for routing to the rest of the electrical system. This may be in the form of overhead wires connected to a utility pole, or it could be an underground conduit. In either case, the service entrance must have sufficient clearance for both residential and commercial properties.
The incoming power must first pass through the service switchboard before it can be distributed throughout your facility. A service entrance switchboard houses the incoming power supply conductors as well as the main disconnecting means with overcurrent protection and other safety equipment.
Service entrance cables are electrical conductors that connect and carry currents from the power company to your building’s service equipment. These cables come in two types: SER and SEU. SER cables have a Style R reinforcement tape, while SEU cables are unarmored. Both are made of copper or aluminum and should be rated for use in wet and dry conditions.
The service entry cables will run to the service switch cabinet, which is typically located in a finished area of your property. These cables must be routed through a weatherproof conduit, and they should terminate inside the cabinet using approved conduit fittings or directly to the meter base. If your property isn’t suitable for direct termination of the service cable, it should be routed through a buried duct to an area within six feet of the meter.
The National Electric Code requires the use of a UL listed service entrance-rated transfer switch. This device is designed to handle a maximum of 6 main disconnects. Midwest offers several models that meet these requirements, including the SEL-1250 and SEL-2050.