EE 158: Electrical System Design

TDETWX Practice Set

For the homework (to be submitted on Oct 16), answer items 1 to 3 for conductors; items 3 and 4 for
raceways; and 1.c, 1.d, and 1.e for branch circuits. The final answers will be given on Oct 15.

Conductors

1) Three 50mm2 THWN-2 copper conductors, one of which is an equipment grounding wire, are
placed in a raceway exposed to 35OC ambient temperature. The circuit breaker terminating
the conductors has a temperature rating of 75OC. Can these be used to supply a 112-A
continuous load? Show your solution.
2) A raceway (30OC ambient temperature) contains seven conductors. These are terminated with
breakers rated to operate up to 75OC. Three of these conductors serve a three-wire, two
phase system; the other four are part of a four-wire, three-phase system. What would be the
adjusted maximum ampacity of these conductors given they are all 22mm2 THWN copper
conductors.
3) A feeder supplying a combination of 44-A continuous loads and 42-A non-continuous loads
will use three THHN copper conductors, one of which is an equipment grounding conductor.
These will be terminated by breakers with unlabeled temperature rating and would run through
a conduit with 32OC ambient temperature. What is the minimum size that can carry the loads?
4) Eleven conductors are in a raceway that runs through two spaces with different ambient
temperatures (34OC and 42OC). The conductors are terminated by circuit breakers rated at
60OC. Determine the maximum ampacity of these conductors given the conditions. For this
raceway:
a) Three conductors emanate from a three-phase, three-wire delta system;
b) Three come from a single-phase, three wire system with a grounded neutral wire;
c) Four are used for a four-wire, three-phase system supplying adjustable speed drives of a
small generator; and
d) One is an equipment grounding conductor.

Raceways

1) Ten conductors of the same size will be placed in a raceway. What is the minimum trade size
that can contain the conductors?
2) A double-conductor cable (short diameter = 4.9mm; long diameter = 10.4mm) will be
contained in a flexible metal conduit. What is the minimum conduit trade size that can contain
the double-conductor cable?
3) An IMC will contain four conductors of different sizes. Conductor sizes are: 14mm2, 5.5mm2,
22mm2, and 2mm2 (RHW-2). What is the minimum trade size to contain all conductors?
4) Two receptacle boxes will be connected with a 0.985-inch IMC. The boxes are at the same
level from the floor and are 20 meters apart horizontally. How many couplings and supports
should be provided for this installation?
Branch Circuits

1) A 450m2 two-storey single-family dwelling unit has the following specifications based on the
architectural and engineering design, as well as the client’s requirements:
• It has an attached garage with a workstation, three toilet & bath rooms, a kitchen with
an island, a pantry, and a laundry & ironing area.
• Each bathroom is equipped with shower water heaters and exhaust fans.
• Heavy load appliances include: one 1-Hp water pump, three 1-Hp air-conditioning units,
one 1.5-Hp air-conditioning unit and one 6.4-kW electric range.
• There will be at least 26 general luminaires in the area, including exterior lighting.
• There will be 15 duplex receptacle outlets and 6 single receptacle outlets.
• The branch circuits should, as much as possible, be rated at 20A.

a) In what rooms/areas should you provide GFCI-protected convenience outlets?

b) Where/In what rooms might you find the single receptacle outlets placed? Why?
c) Group the loads accordingly for the allotment of branch circuits. List down the groups you
have made (include a short description/list of the loads within each group).
d) What are the loads that need individual branch circuits?
e) Calculate how many branch circuits shall be provided for the entire unit. Show all your
solutions.
f) Specify the minimum size of the conductors of the following branch circuit groups (assume
two-conductor branch circuits, one hot and one neutral; 31OC ambient temperature with
exactly one branch circuit per conduit):
i. laundry & ironing area;
ii. each of the individual branch circuits you have identified;
g) Specify the rating/size of the circuit breaker/s that will protect the branch circuit/s supplying
power to the:
i. convenience receptacles in the kitchen, pantry, and dining rooms;
ii. bathrooms;
iii. each of the individual branch circuit you have identified;