What is the function of an electrical panel in a house?

Industries require equipment and machines that have functions that need electricity. These functions are done with the help of electrical panels. It is a vital, necessary part of any industry. Electricity has been part of the world for many ages. This is an essential part for many reasons. 

See also: Electrical tools: Everything you need to know

 

What is an electrical panel?

The electrical control panel is an electrical device with power and many other electrical devices to control the mechanical processes. This is a metal box with a door to open and is usually present in a corner of the house. The structure of the electrical panel includes a combination of enclosure and back panel. The rear panel contains breaker switches that can be turned on and off. It will automatically turn on or off if the electrical current is high. The main circuit breaker is present in the electrical panel. This controls the whole house. The breakers have labels for specific places in the house. An enclosure and back panel protect the electrical panel.

Enclosures

The enclosure is a metal box made of either stainless steel or aluminium. There are various types of enclosures depending on their use. Examples include enclosures for indoor or outdoor use, waterproof, dustproof, etc. The classifications are printed on the metal to identify the box. 

Back panels

The back panel is a sheet of metal in the enclosure to support the wires. The DIN (a meta rail) rail mounts are the equipment where the cables are mounted. This DIN is present in the back panels. The rear panel helps to support the DIN metals. 

 

Electrical control panel components

There are eight types of components present in the electrical panel enclosure that are used to organise and understand the panel’s functions. Here are the constituents of an electric panel.

• Main Circuit Breaker: The main circuit breaker is used to break the electricity connection from the entire house. The circuit breakers can handle from 120V-480V in industries. 
• Surge arresters: The lightning strikes and power surges damage the electrical wires. The surge arresters prevent this from occurring.
• Transformers: The transformers reduce the voltage to 120V. It also reduces incoming 120V to 24V to reduce the issue.
• Terminal blocks: The terminal blocks assist in organising and distributing the wires which come from different sources.
• Programming Logic Controller: This is the CPU of the electric panel. The PLC controls and monitors various mechanical processes. 
• Relays and contactors: These are switches that control the commands from PLC. The small relays can control the fan and lights. The significant relays control motor controllers and other advanced functions. It is also called contacts.
• Network switches: The network switches are the communication point for the control panel. It connects the PLC and other network devices of the production line.
• Human Machine Interface (HMI): The operator allows to monitor and control functions of the machine. Examples include video monitors, buttons, and switches.

 

How does an electrical panel work?

The circuit breakers can break, so they can shut off when the electricity is overloaded. It is used to prevent damage to the electrical devices in a place. When the breaker does not trip, the circuit might start a fire and electrocute a person. The breaker controls a circuit that is in a room. The breaker is present in carrying a particular type of electrical load. The breakers depend on the amount of electricity. 

A single circuit usually provides 120V, while a double circuit breaker has 240V. The dual circuit is for bigger appliances such as refrigerators. 

 

What should you do when something goes wrong?

If a tripped breaker is present, one should turn the power off in all other appliances. If there is an insufficient capacity, then the breaker trips over. If one breaker has an issue, it can be repaired. The corrosion of electrical panels is a serious issue that corrodes the wires and switches. A short circuit is more severe than other issues. It will happen when mice or other animals damage the cables. A short circuit trips a breaker on the spot. In such cases, it is important to shut off the breaker as soon as possible. A short circuit might happen when a ground fault or a hot wire touches a ground wire. This can occur when the wire connects to the water. This is prevented through GFCI or ground fault circuit interrupter. GFCI helps to remove the power when they detect such a situation. 

 

Custom control panel

A custom electronic panel is a more complex system for an organisation. It can include advanced features that control the system better. The maintenance for such control panels is different. An electrical control panel, when customised, gets more efficient for any business. There are a few critical things present in such panels. They are clearly labelled wiring and its terminals, control for dust and particles for exposure, pest control, etc.

The electric panel is an integral part of any building and construction site. This panel helps to organize and keep the wires in a known place. A circuit can break, which is prevented through the electric panel. This panel is the leading electricity supplier coming from the main electric board. Therefore, it is necessary to understand and regulate the electric panel.

 

FAQs

What is an electric panel?

An electric panel is a system for keeping all electrical devices to control the mechanical process.

What are the compositions of an electric panel?

An electric panel contains eight components: main circuit breakers, surge arresters, transformers, terminal blocks, PLC, HMI, network switches, relay and contacts.

How does an electric panel break?

It can break due to short circuits.

What is the enclosure of the electric panel?

The enclosure is the metal box in which all the items are filled in.

What are the different problems faced by electric panels?

The electric panels may break due to corrosion, overload and insufficient capacity.

What are a double circuit and a single circuit in the electric panel?

A single circuit is a breaker that breaks at 120 V, while a double circuit breaks at 240 V.

What is GFCI in the electric panel?

Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter removes the short circuit due to grounding.

Got any questions or point of view on our article? We would love to hear from you. Write to our Editor-in-Chief Jhumur Ghosh at jhumur.ghosh1@housing.com