Introduction to Electrical Circuits

An electrical plan for a room or house can look like a super complicated maze of lines and symbols! So in this course, we break it all down for you. An electrical plan shows single lines for all the circuits, and symbols for receptacles, switches, different types of lights, and so on. We actually go line by line and symbol by symbol through a variety of rooms in a house – actually the same house we use for our residential wiring troubleshooting simulations. Each room is designed to include a new element, and a little more complexity, so you gradually progress through 5 different electrical plan scenarios. The circuits are deliberately designed to familiarize you with different components, like 3- and 4-way switching, standard and GFCI receptacles, and 2- and 3-wire cabling. We also take different approaches to circuit design like having switches at the start or end of a run, and operating two fixed appliances with one cable in a multi-wire branch circuit that shares a common neutral. By the end of the course, you’ll be comfortable reading complex electrical plans and will have an appreciation for the variety of ways room circuits can be designed.