Design of Electrical Installations

Course Overview

Domain

Engineering

Format

Short Course

Duration

3 days

Fee Subsidy

Up to 90% SF Funding

Professional Development Units

20 PDUs (PEB)
24 PDUs (SCEM)

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.

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

Prerequisites

Learners should have fundamental knowledge in electrical engineering in order to benefit fully from the course.

What You Will Learn

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

Professor, Engineering, Singapore Institute of Technology

Schedule

Day 1

Topic	Content
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

Day 2

Topic	Content
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

Day 3

Topic	Content
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

Certificate and Assessment

A Certificate of Participation will be issued to participants who:

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

Fee Structure

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

Category	After SF Funding
Singapore Citizen (Below 40)	S$882.90
Singapore Citizen (40 & Above)	S$342.90
Singapore PR / LTVP+ Holder	S$882.90
Non-Singapore Citizen	S$2,943.00 (No Funding)