Molly Ayala
Electrical symbols are used to represent electrical components or devices in schematic diagrams or circuit diagrams. These symbols are used to draw electrical circuits and are internationally standardized. Some common electrical symbols include earth electrodes, cells, batteries, resistors, capacitors, antennas, and switches. These symbols can be used to create accurate electrical diagrams, allowing anyone familiar with electrical and electronic circuits to quickly read, understand, and build them.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Purpose | Used for drawing schematic diagrams |
| What they represent | Electrical and electronic components or devices |
| Types | Earth electrodes, cells, batteries, resistors, switches, isolators, circuit breakers, SPST, SPDT, DPST, DPDT, transistors, capacitors, antennas, relays, inductors, diodes, LEDs, TVS diodes, Zener diodes, speakers |
| Variations | May vary from country to country or engineering discipline |
| Standards | IEC 60617 (BS 3939), IEC 61131-3, JIC (Joint Industrial Council), ANSI Y32.2-1975 (IEEE Std 315-1975 or CSA Z99-1975) |
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What You'll Learn
Electronic circuit symbols
Electrical and electronic symbols are used to draw schematic diagrams. They represent electrical and electronic components. Electronic symbols are a type of electrical symbol, but they are more specific to electronic components such as transistors, diodes, integrated circuits, and other electronic devices.
There are many standard symbols used to represent specific components in a circuit diagram. Basic electrical symbols include earth electrodes, cells, batteries, resistors, and more. A resistor, for example, is represented by a zigzag line, and a battery is represented by a long, thin rectangle.
Electronic symbols can include a circle, and the pin letters B/C/E and G/D/S are not part of the transistor symbols. For multiple-pole switches, a dotted or dashed line can indicate two or more switches at the same time.
The symbols used can vary depending on the context and discipline. For instance, lighting and power symbols used in architectural drawings may differ from symbols for devices used in electronics.
It is important to learn how to read and understand these symbols, especially if you are a beginner in electronics and electrical planning. Software such as EdrawMax offers libraries and templates to help create diagrams and understand the various symbols and their meanings.
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Schematic diagrams
Electrical symbols are used to represent electrical and electronic components in schematic diagrams. These diagrams pictorially show the electrical connections, components, and operations of a particular electrical circuit or system. They are a simple and effective way of demonstrating how a circuit's components are connected.
There are many standard symbols used to represent specific components in a circuit diagram. Basic electrical symbols include earth electrodes, cells, batteries, resistors, and more. For example, resistors are represented by zigzag lines, while capacitors are shown using parallel lines. Arrows are also used within schematic symbols to indicate the direction of current flow around a circuit or through a component.
Transistor symbols are used to indicate amplification or switches of power. There are three major types of transistors: bipolar junction transistors (BJTs), junction gate field-effect transistors (JFETs), and metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs). Each type has unique advantages and drawbacks. For instance, BJTs have high transconductance, while MOSFETs perform better at low voltages.
It is important to note that while there are universally accepted schematic symbols, there are also variants and alternative symbols used to represent the same electrical component or device. For example, the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) each have their own set of symbols for the same component. Additionally, national or local variations to international standards exist, such as in architectural drawings, where lighting and power symbols may differ from those used in electronic devices.
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Symbols for switches
Electrical switch symbols are a standardised visual language used to represent different switches and their functions in circuit diagrams. They are used by engineers, electricians, and technicians to communicate and understand the position and actions of switches in electrical circuits.
One of the most common symbols for a basic single-pole switch is a dollar sign with only one vertical bar, or simply the letter 'S'. This symbol indicates the position of the switch, such as open or closed, which is crucial for understanding the circuit's operation.
There are also symbols for specific types of switches, such as the Single-Pole, Single-Throw (SPST) switch, which controls the current flow in a single path with one input and one output connection. The SPST symbol is similar to the SPDT symbol, which stands for Single-Pole, Double-Throw, and represents a switch with a common terminal and two traveller connections. The SPDT symbol is Y-shaped, with one line as the common terminal and the other two as traveller connections.
Other switch symbols include the Normally Open (NO) and Normally Closed (NC) symbols. The NO symbol represents a switch that opens the circuit when the liquid level is low, while the NC symbol represents a switch that opens the circuit when the liquid rises. These symbols are also used for push-button switches, where the NO symbol closes the circuit and activates when the button is pressed, and the NC symbol disconnects the circuit when pressed.
It is important to differentiate switch symbols from other electrical symbols in a circuit diagram to avoid confusion and errors in understanding the circuit's operation.
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Symbols for power sources
Electrical symbols are used to represent various electrical and electronic devices in a schematic diagram of an electrical or electronic circuit. They are standardized and universally recognized, making it easier for engineers, technicians, and electricians to understand and interpret electrical plans.
An electrical source is a device that can convert non-electric energy to electric energy and vice versa. Electrical energy is most often generated at a power station by electromechanical generators, driven by heat engines fuelled by chemical combustion or nuclear fission. Other sources include solar photovoltaics, geothermal power, and electrochemical batteries.
The electrical symbol for a battery, for instance, is used to represent a container consisting of one or more cells, in which chemical energy is converted into electricity and used as a source of power. A voltage source, on the other hand, is represented by a two-terminal device that can maintain a fixed voltage.
Other power sources, such as generators and power systems, can be modelled for analysis as a combination of an ideal voltage source and additional impedance elements. These ideal sources are theoretical concepts with no losses and a perfect voltage or current supply. They are used for analytical purposes as they cannot occur in nature.
Software such as EdrawMax and ConceptDraw DIAGRAM provide libraries of electrical symbols, templates, and samples to assist users in creating electrical diagrams quickly and efficiently.
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International variations
Electrical symbols are used to visually represent electronic elements in a circuit diagram. While these symbols are largely standardised internationally, there are some variations between countries and engineering disciplines based on traditional conventions.
International Standards
There are several national and international standards that cover graphic symbols for electrical components in circuit diagrams:
- IEC 60617 (also known as BS 3939)
- IEC 61131-3 for ladder-logic symbols
- JIC (Joint Industrial Council) symbols approved by the NMTBA (National Machine Tool Builders Association)
- ANSI Y32.2-1975 (also known as IEEE Std 315-1975 or CSA Z99-1975)
Variations
Despite standardisation efforts, some international differences in electrical symbols persist. For example, the symbol for a wire, a basic component in electrical circuits, can vary between countries. There are three main types of wire symbols: electrical wire, connected wire, and not connected wire. The symbol for a galvanometer, a device used to measure electric current, also has two variations, both of which are commonly used in circuit diagrams.
The way inductor symbols are drawn can vary internationally as well. An inductor can be represented as a series of loops or half-circles. Transistor symbols may or may not include a circle, and the placement of voltage text on power transformers may differ, with input and output voltages indicated on either side.
In addition, speaker symbols can include an internal inductor symbol, and impedance text is placed next to them. Connector symbols also have variations, with "A", "B", and "D" representing TS, TRS, and TRS with two switches, respectively. Logic gate symbols may have different numbers of inputs and outputs, and additional I/O variations like Schmitt trigger inputs and tri-state outputs.
Some symbols have changed over time and are now considered obsolete, found only in old electronic books, magazines, or schematics.
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Frequently asked questions
Electrical symbols are small images used to represent electrical or electronic functions or devices. They are also called circuit symbols or schematic symbols and are used in electrical diagrams and schematics.
There are three types of ground symbols: Earth Ground, Common Ground, and Chassis Ground. Earth Ground depicts a point in an electric circuit that shows voltage measurement or the electric current's returning path. Common Ground depicts the source voltage of digital logic ICs, indicating no analog signals are bonded to this reference plane. Chassis Ground is the metal housing for some electrical devices, often connected to the green ground wire of power lines.
Basic electrical symbols include earth electrodes (metal plates partially buried in the earth to provide a path for fault current), cells (devices with electrodes in an electrolyte, generating current), batteries (containers with one or more cells, converting chemical energy to electricity), and resistors.
Voltmeter and ammeter are two types of meter symbols. A voltmeter measures the electric potential in a circuit, while an ammeter measures the electric current.
Standard symbols used in circuit diagrams include those for wires, batteries, resistors, and transistors. These symbols are largely standardized internationally but may vary based on country or engineering discipline.
