About Course

In Singapore, all low-voltage electrical installations are required to comply with the provisions of the Singapore standard SS 638:2018 Code of Practice for Electrical Installations.

This mandate is set by the Energy Market Authority to prioritise safety, particularly in guarding against electric shock and fire hazards related to electricity usage. The code primarily concerns the design, selection, erection, inspection, and testing of these electrical installations.

This three-day course provides an in-depth understanding of the requirements and provisions of SS 638:2018. Solar photovoltaic (PV) installations and the requirements of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure will also be covered.

Learners can expect practical demonstrations showcasing the real-world application of these regulations using design examples. Moreover, the course will focus on imparting the skills needed to design electrical installations that prioritise safety, reliability, ease of maintenance, and energy efficiency. Learners will also receive a copy of SS 638:2018 worth S$147.40 during the course.

Skills you’ll gain
Electrical Engineering

Who Should Attend

Electrical engineers
Engineers preparing for professional examination
Licensed electrical workers
Project engineers and site supervisors of electrical projects
Designers and specifiers of electrical installations
Electrical contractors and installers
Plant and facility engineers
Technical personnel working in inspection and testing of electrical equipment

Learning Outcomes

  • Identify and interpret the provisions in SS 638:2018
  • Apply the regulations within SS 638:2018
  • Assess the general characteristics and particular requirements of an electrical installation
  • Design electrical installations with appropriate earthing and bonding for protection against electric shock
  • Select and size cables based on current-carrying capacity and voltage drop calculations
  • Design for protection against overcurrent and faults
  • Conduct low-voltage inspection and testing to comply with code requirements
  • Analyse and size requirements of solar PV systems
  • Evaluate requirements of EV charging infrastructure
Learning Methodology

The course will be delivered via a combination of lectures, class discussions, case studies and design exercises that are mainly drawn from the instructor’s consulting work. Learners will learn the correct interpretation and application of SS 638 through many authentic design examples.

Teaching Team

Er. Dr. Lock Kai Sang
Er. Dr. Lock Kai Sang

Professor, Engineering, Singapore Institute of Technology

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Course Details

Schedule

 

    TopicContent
    Introduction
    • Background to SS 638:2018 and CP 5
    • Object and effects
    • Structure and numbering system
    • Fundamental requirements for safety
    • Identifying codes, terminology and definitions
    Assessment of General Characteristics
    • Purpose, supplies, and structures
    • Conductor arrangement and system earthing
    • Maximum demand and diversity
    • Supplies for safety services and a standby system
    • External influences
    • Electromagnetic compatibility
    • Reliability and availability considerations
    • Single-point failure consideration
    • Maintainability
    • Case studies and examples
    Protection for Safety
    • Protection against electric shock
    • Protection measures:
      • Earthed equipotential bonding and automatic disconnection
      • Double or reinforced insulation
      • Electrical separation
      • Extra low-voltage provided by SELV or PELV
    • Protection against burns and fire caused by electrical equipment
    Protection against Overcurrent and Fault Current
    • Characteristics of protective devices
    • Protection against overload current, fault current and both overload and fault current
    • Coordination between conductor and overload protective devices
    • Coordination of overload current and fault current protection
    • Nature and characteristics of earth faults
    • Maximum permissible earth fault loop impedance
    • Calculation of fault current, touch voltage, earth fault loop impedance, with examples
    • Calculation of protective conductor cross-sectional areas, with examples
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    TopicContent
    Selection, Sizing and Erection of Wiring Systems
    • Selection and erection of wiring systems
    • Current-carrying capacities of cables
    • Sizing of cross-sectional areas of conductors
    • Calculation of voltage drop – approximate and accurate method
    • Effects of power factor on voltage drop calculation
    • Current-carrying capacity and voltage drop for the busbar trunking system
    • Selection and erection of wiring systems to minimise the spread of fire
    • Earthing arrangements and protective conductors
    • Case studies and examples
    Protection, Isolation, Switching, Control and Monitoring

     

    • Definition and principles
    • General and common requirements
    • Devices for fault protection by automatic disconnection
    • Devices for protection against: risk of fire, overcurrent, overvoltage and undervoltage
    • Isolation requirements and appropriate devices
    • Switching off for mechanical maintenance and appropriate devices
    • Emergency switching and appropriate devices
    • Functional switching and appropriate devices
    • Lock-out, tag-out procedure
    Inspection and Testing
    • Purpose of initial verification
    • Initial inspection and checklist
    • Initial testing: continuity, insulation resistance, polarity, phase sequence, earth electrode resistance, prospective fault current, voltage drop, operational and functional testing of RCDs, EMF
    • Requirements for periodic inspection and testing
    • Periodic inspection checklist
    • Periodic testing
    • Electrical installation condition report
    • Test instruments and equipment
    • Demonstration of test equipment
    Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Power Supply Systems
    • Overview of solar PV systems, components and architectures
    • PV energy conversion
    • PV technology
    • Solar PV array and module operating characteristics and behaviour
    • Grid-connected solar PV systems
    • System performance
    • DC system electrical design
    • Inverters
    • Maximum power point tracking
    • AC system requirements
    • Protection for safety
    • Case study of a PV installation @SIT
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    TopicContent
    Design Considerations for Energy Efficient Electrical Installations
    • Energy efficiency standards and regulations
    • Barycentre method for determination of the transformer and switchboard location
    • Transformer selection, motor selection
    • Electrical distribution design
    • Power factor improvement
    • Energy efficient lighting
    • Power quality and harmonics
    • Application of SS 530 code of practice for energy efficiency standard for building services and equipment
    Design Considerations for EV Charging Infrastructure
    • Overview of EVs charging requirements
    • Demand limitation
    • Safety aspects
    • Power quality issues
    Design Exercise 1
    • Design of a final circuit incorporating cable sizing and fault calculation
    • Design of a simple installation
    Design Exercise 2

    Design of an electricity distribution system for a commercial mixed development with a 6-storey shopping mall and an 18-storey office tower. The design process involves:

    • Design philosophy and considerations
    • Load estimation
    • Maximum demand estimation
    • Conceptual design of power distribution circuits
    • Design of power distribution circuits for the chiller plant and office tower


    Course Assessment, Q&A

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    Certificate and Assessment

    A Certificate of Attainment will be issued to participants who:

    • Attend at least 75% of the course
    • Undertake and pass non-credit bearing assessment during the course

    Participants who meet the attendance requirement but do not pass the assessment will receive a Certificate of Participation.

    Fee Structure

    The full fee for this course is S$2,943.00.

    Funding CategoryEligible FundingCourse Fees Payable After Funding
    Singapore Citizen (Below 40)70%S$882.90
    Singapore Citizen (40 & Above)
    Funded under SkillsFuture Mid-Career Enhanced Subsidy (MCES)
    90%S$342.90
    Singapore PR / LTVP+ Holder70%S$882.90
    Non-Singapore CitizenNot EligibleS$2,943.00


    Note: All fees above include GST. GST applies to individuals and Singapore-registered companies.

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    Course Runs

    August 2025
    calendar-day
    05 Aug 2025 - 07 Aug 2025
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    3 days
    delivery-mode
    In-person
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    SIT Punggol Campus, 1 Punggol Coast Road, Singapore 828608
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    SGD $2,943.00
    Up to 90% SF Funding
    Apply By:
    14 Jul 2025 23:59
    Apply now