TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MOMBASA

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY

DEPARTMENT OF ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
DIPLOMA IN TECHNOLOGY ELECTRICAL AND ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING
YEAR ONE SEMESTER TWO

An attachment report submitted in partial fulfilment of the academic requirements for the
Diploma in Technology Electrical and Electronics Engineering.

INTERNAL ATTACHMENT REPORT AT TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF MOMBASA

NAME: WILLIAM OCHIENG ODHIAMBO

REGISTRATION NUMBER: DTEE/0672/2021
MOBILE NUMBER: 0703862112
EMAIL: [email protected]
ATTACHMENT PERIOD: 5TH MAY 2022 TO 29TH JULY 2022
DATE OF SUBMISSION: 23RD FEBRUARY 2023
DECLARATION

I would like to solemnly declare that this internal attachment report is my original work and has
not been submitted before any academic award either in this or other institutions of higher
learning for academic publication or any other purpose. The references used here from other
journals or materials are indicated in the references section.

Name…
Signature…
Date…

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Presentation, inspiration, and motivation have always played a key role in the success of any
venture.

It is a genuine pleasure to express my deep sense of thanks and gratitude to the almighty God. He
is obviously the one who has always guided me to walk on the right path of life.

I owe a deep sense of gratitude to my beloved parents for the valuable guidance and kind
supervision they have given me throughout my school life, which shaped the present work as it
shows. They are an important inspiration for me.

I would like to express my special gratitude to our technologists, who helped me in completing
the attachment. I came to know about so many new things and I am thankful to them.

Lastly, to my course mates, thank you for listening, offering me advice, and supporting me
through this entire process. Special thanks to Abdiqani Abdirazaq, Arthur Mwaringa, Charles
Oyoo, Edward Sampuli, Fridah Lundu, Joseph Lutwama, Mercy Mwikali, Moses Mutembei,
Swabir Omar, and Yunus Suleiman. The debates, classes as well as educative advice, and general
help and friendship were all greatly appreciated.

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DEDICATION

I dedicate this to my parents, whose moral and financial support has remained unrelenting.

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ABBREVIATIONS

The following is a list of abbreviations that have been used:

TERM MEANING
TUM Technical University of Mombasa
MIOME Mombasa Institute of Muslim Education
Kshs Kenya shillings
EA East Africa
MTI Mombasa Technical Institute
GOK Government of Kenya
MPUC Mombasa Polytechnic University College
emf Electromotive force
kVA Kilovolt-amps
AC Alternating Current
DC Direct Current
PCB Printed Circuit Board
MW Megawatt
kV Kilovolt
km Kilometre
CCU Consumer Control Unit
mF milliFarad
IEE Institution of Electrical Engineers
RJ Registered Jumper
LED Light Emitter Display

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ABSTRACT

Introduction
Internal attachment is an important component of education and training, which provides
students with real practical work experience in their areas of specialization as a course
requirement in most training institutions.
Objectives
 To assess the interest of the student in the occupation he/she plans to undertake.
 To enhance industry’s satisfaction with the graduate of the faculty in particular and the
university at large.
 To gain relevant technical skills required in the industrial environment.

Activities undertaken
The attachment designated areas I attended are; Soft Skills, Electrical Power System, Electrical
Workshop Practice, Mini Project, Maintenance Estate, and Instrumentation and Control
Challenges
Some of the problems I encountered during the attachment period include; inadequate hand tools,
time keeping and management, and vandalism of electrical equipment.
Conclusion
Throughout the session, I acquired the following technical skills; identifying the ratings of
electrical equipments, installation and maintenance of electrical systems,
mounting of equipments on a breadboard, soldering of equipments on a circuit board, stripping
of electrical and ethernet cables, repairing wiring systems, testing of electrical equipments,
troubleshooting and fixing of a water pump and iron box, and using and maintaining of hand
tools
Recommendations

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I highly recommend the institution to; add more workmanship, fix faulty electrical equipments,
lay down a procedure for monitoring interns as well as a motivational package for interns who
establish themselves well, purchase more hand tools, and renovate the electrical workshops.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION...........................................................................................................i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................ii
DEDICATION............................................................................................................iii
ABBREVIATIONS.....................................................................................................iv
ABSTRACT..................................................................................................................v
TABLE OF CONTENTS............................................................................................vi
LIST OF FIGURES..................................................................................................viii
LIST OF TABLES......................................................................................................ix
GLOSSARY.................................................................................................................ix
CHAPTER ONE...........................................................................................................1
1.1 Introduction............................................................................................................1
1.2 Purpose....................................................................................................................1
1.3 Company profile.....................................................................................................1
1.3.1 Historical Background........................................................................................1
1.3.2 Mission.................................................................................................................4
1.3.3 Vision....................................................................................................................4
1.3.4 Core Values..........................................................................................................4
1.3.5 Governance Structure.........................................................................................5
CHAPTER TWO.........................................................................................................8
2.1 Soft Skills.................................................................................................................8
2.2 Electrical Power System........................................................................................9

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2.3 Electrical Workshop Practice.............................................................................15
2.4 Mini project..........................................................................................................18
2.5 Maintenance Estate..............................................................................................18
2.6 Instrumentation and Control..............................................................................25
CHAPTER THREE...................................................................................................28
3.1 Challenges.............................................................................................................28
3.2 Conclusion.............................................................................................................28
3.2 Recommendations................................................................................................29
3.3 References.............................................................................................................29
3.4 Appendices............................................................................................................29

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1 9
Figure 2 12
Figure 3 12
Figure 4 13
Figure 5 14
Figure 6 14
Figure 7 14
Figure 8 17
Figure 9 17
Figure 10 18
Figure 11 18
Figure 12 19
Figure 13 21
Figure 14 21
Figure 15 22
Figure 16 22
Figure 17 23
Figure 18 23
Figure 19 24
Figure 20 24
Figure 21 25

viii
Figure 22 25
Figure 23 26
Figure 24 26

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1 16
Table 2 17
Table 3 19
Table 4 30

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GLOSSARY

An Internal Attachment is a structured, credit-bearing work experience in a professional work

setting during which the student applies and acquires knowledge and skills.
Vandalism is the malicious and the deliberate destruction of somebody else’s property.
Power grid is the supply system of electricity from generation to consumers.

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xi
CHAPTER ONE

1.1 Introduction
Internal attachment was introduced to inspire the students with practical and technical skills, as a
partial fulfilment for the award of a Certificate, Diploma or a Degree and to introduce the
students into the industrial environment.
The training time allows the students to link the theoretical principles learnt in the higher
learning institutions to the real life professional and technical application.
It gives the students the practical skills and the work environment philosophy, to use their skills
and principles learned in class to serve the institution and the society in general.
Due to the above reasons, TUM has organized 12 weeks of training inside the institution to give
every student an opportunity to apply the skills and knowledge achieved during the course of
study to acquire new skills in managing professional relationships and carrying out the jobs
assigned.
This is the reason why I joined the attachment to be trained in order to get practical skills and cut
a niche for myself in the electric power industry.

1.2 Purpose
The internal attachment program fulfils part of the requirement for the award of a Diploma in
Technology Electrical and Electronics Engineering.
This report therefore provides a summary of the activities and duties carried out, as well as
experience gained during my attachment period.

1.3 Company profile

1.3.1 Historical Background

TUM has passed through three transitional levels to become what it is now. The various phrases
it has undergone so far reflect the GOK’s concerted efforts in promoting technical, industrial,
vocational and entrepreneurship education and training in line with the dynamic technological
and industrial growth in Kenya and Africa.

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The origin of TUM can be traced back to the late 1940’s because of the consultations pioneered
by Sir Philip Mitchell in 1948 between The Aga Khan, the Sultan of Zanzibar, the Secretary of
State for the colonies, Sir Bernard Reilly and H.M. Treasury.
Out of these consultations, Mombasa Institute of Muslim Education (MIOME) was founded
from capital raised by means of gifts of Kshs.100, 000 from Sultan of Zanzibar and Kshs.50, 000
by the Bohra community of EA at the insistence of Doctor Sayedna Taher Saifuddin. Sheikh-Sir
Mbarak Al-Hinawy who served as the Liwali (Governor) for the Coast of EA and Mombasa
from 1941-1959 also had major contributions in MIOME’s development. As the governor he was
consulted by the government about various aspects of the proposed school, including its charter.
In his capacity, he represented the Sultan of Zanzibar and closely worked with the British
colonial government. Sheikh Khamis was a generous and enlightened philanthropist who sought
to assist local causes. In 1948, he was the one who donated 34 acres of land where the institute
was built and in Tudor area where the Prof. Ali Alamin Mazrui Campus stands. Sir Mbarak Al
Hinawy secured this prime land in port Tudor from his close friend Sheikh Khamis. When
MIOME was opened in 1951, the Sultan of Zanzibar Sheikh Khalifa bin Harab and Sheikh-Sir
Mbarak Al-Hinawy were the key guests in the occasion. Sheikh-Sir Mbarak Ali-Hinawy was the
founding member of MIOME’s Board of Governors.
At its inception, MIOME was charged with the prime objective of providing adequate technical
education on Muslim students of EA. In May 1951, MIOME enrolled its first batch of students to
undergo a technical education programme, which placed special emphasis on Electrical and
Mechanical Engineering, Seamanship and navigation, and Woodwork. MIOME exemplified the
corporation between lead bs-callout bs-callout infers of different muslim communities in EA
including Sultan of Zanzibar, the Aga Khan and the lead bs-callout infers from Bohra
community.
At independence, the Board of Governors accepted that if the institute was to play a full role in
the development of the education system of the independent Kenya, then its doors needed to be
open to any qualifying students of all creeds.
In 1966, MIOME became Mombasa Technical Institute (MTI) and started to admit all Kenyans
regardless of religion or race. In order to comply with the newly set educational policies of the
independent Kenya, the curriculum of the institute was restructured new more courses introduced

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that included Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Business
Studies, Mathematics, and Applied Sciences.
In the year 1976, MTI transformed to become the Mombasa Polytechnic, becoming the second
National Polytechnic in Kenya. The Mombasa Polytechnic continued to develop more market
driven programs, anchored on the five established departments of Business Studies, Electrical
and Electronics Engineering, Building and Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and
Applied Sciences.
The GOK’s strategy to increase access to university education across the country, the dream to
convert the polytechnic to a university college was realized on 23 rd August 2007, through a Legal
Notice No.160, when the Mombasa Polytechnic University College (MPUC) was established.
The university college status resulted in many positive changes implemented with great support
by the GOK, including recruitment and development of staff, expansion of infrastructure,
provision of facilities and introduction of new academic programmes under the mentorship of
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. All these came at a time when the
country had started warming up to the Kenya Vision 2030.
In 2013, MPUC became Technical University of Mombasa (TUM).The University had two well
established Faculties and two Schools namely Faculty of Applied and Health Science and
Faculty of Engineering and Technology and School of Humanities and Social Sciences and
School of Business Studies. The University has programs running all the way from Masters to
certificate level. The student statistics currently stands at 10,680, composed of 3,062 females and
7,618 males, spread across all the programs. The University also recognizes the importance of
human capital in driving the vision of the institution. A number of human resource management
policies have been developed to guard against loss in human capital while also attracting the best
capital in the region. To this effect, the university college boasts of 240 teaching staff, 112 staff
on contracts and 432 administrative staff, giving 784.
This is projected to grow to 782 teaching staff and 700 administrative staff by the year 2017.
Extending the knowledge and skills of its employees is one of the University’s key
commitments. Ensuing from this quest, TUM has modelled itself as a ‘learning organization’ that
continually aims at improving the provision of learning opportunities to its employees. To this
end, the university averagely spends kshs 27.5 million annually on staff development. Currently
148 members of staff have are on sponsorship, taking various programs both locally and

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internationally. Since elevation into a University, TUM has recorded tremendous all round
growth, making her on one of the fastest growing universities in Kenya. To sustain the growth
and reposition as an excellent university of Engineering, Science and Technology, TUM has
continued to develop policy instruments, infrastructure and human resources that are dynamic
and responsive to the Country needs. In addition, the university has signed collaborative
agreements with lead bs-callout bs-callout-infoing international institutions of higher learning to
collaborate in research, training and technology transfer. In line with government policy to
increase access to university education, the University has opened two strategic satellite
campuses in Kwale and Lamu county. These campuses have made it convenient for deserving
students to access TUM degree, diploma and certificate programs without necessarily coming to
the main campus.
The transition to the Technical University of Mombasa is therefore timely as the country moves
forward in addressing the social pillars of the Kenya vision 2030.

1.3.2 Mission
To advance knowledge and its practical application through teaching, research, and innovation to
serve both industry and the community.

1.3.3 Vision
A Technical University of global excellence in advancing knowledge, science, and technology.

1.3.4 Core Values

The TUM fraternity will endeavour to institutionalize and inculcate values fostering a strong
corporate culture while promoting quality to service delivery, cohesion in our diverse community
and achieving the targeted goals. These will be realized by espousing the following values:
 Excellence – We strive for excellence in quality teaching, learning and research, and
customer focus by continuously assessing ourselves, applying our own and international
benchmarks.
 Integrity and professionalism – We expect high standards of integrity, ethics and respect
for one another across the institution and honor collegiality and a climate of critical
professionalism among staff and students.

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  Equity – we are committed to equity, diversity and fairness, seek to nurture, and build on
our diverse cultural heritage.
 Teamwork – We place a high premium on teamwork and shared responsibility in
working with each other and with external groups in ways that are mutually beneficial.
 Creativity, innovativeness and environmental sustainability – We embrace innovative
problem solving and promote creative value-based solutions. We cultivate a socially
secure, responsive and sustainable green environment.

1.3.5 Governance Structure

The organizational structure of the University takes cognizance of principles whose main aim
will be to facilitate efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery. TUM has identified a chain
of command detailing the reporting. The organizational structure of the University comprises:
The Council
The Council has the responsibility to exercise prudent leadership, innovative enterprise, and
good judgement in directing the university in all aspects of the mandate as prescribed in the
statuses.
The membership of the council comprises:
 The Chairperson
 The Principal Secretary in the Ministry for the time being responsible for university
education
 The Principal Secretary in the Ministry for the time being responsible for finance
 Five members appointed by the Cabinet Secretary through an open process
 The Vice Chancellor who shall be an ex-officio member of the council

The Council has established the following committees:

 Executive Committee
 Finance, Planning, and General-Purpose Committee
 Human Resource Management Committee
 Audit Committee
 Sealing and Statuses Committee

The Vice Chancellor

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The Vice Chancellor is the academic and administrative head of the university who is
responsible for maintaining and promoting the efficiency and good order to the university; with
overall responsibility of the direction, organization, administration, and programmes of the
university.
The Senate
The senate oversees all academic matters and the membership comprises the following:
 The Vice Chancellor, who shall be the chairperson
 The Deputy Vice Chancellors
 The Registrars
 The Deans and Directors
 The Dean of Students
 The Chairpersons of Departments
 The University Librarian
 One member of the Academic Board
 One representative of each of the Faculty/School board appointed by the respective
boards from amongst its members
 Two representatives of the Students’ Association from both gender

The following members attend only regular senate board meetings and senate committees related
to their areas of jurisdiction:
 The Finance Officer
 The Legal Officer
 The Manager ICTS
 The Supply Chain Manager
 The Estates Manager
 The Human Resource Manager
 The Corporate Communications Officer

Other members in attendance as prescribed in the statuses.

The University Management Board

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The Board is responsible for implementation of the policies of the university, assisting in the
day-to-day running management of the university.
The membership comprises the following:
 The Vice Chancellor, who shall be the chairperson
 The Deputy Vice Chancellors
 The Principals of Colleges and Campuses within the University
 The Registrars
 The Finance Officer
 The Dean of Students
 The Legal Officer
 The University Librarian

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CHAPTER TWO

Activities carried out during the attachment period

The attachment-designated areas I attended include:
 Soft Skills
 Electrical Power System
 Electrical Workshop Practice
 Mini Project
 Maintenance Estate
 Instrumentation and Control

2.1 Soft Skills

Soft skills are an essential part of improving one’s ability to work with others and can have a
positive influence on furthering your career. Communication skills are a subset of soft skills. The
different types of communication skills include:
 Active listening – It is a way of listening and responding to another person that improves
mutual understanding.
 Analytical listening – It is about the ability and the capacity to properly analyze what is
being said and quickly see logical connections.
 Appreciative listening – It is a type of listening behavior where the listener seeks certain
information which they will appreciate, and meet his or her needs and goals.
 Empathic listening – It is the practice of being attentive and responsive to others’ input
during conversation.

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  Responsive listening – It involves listening to a small amount of a language such as a
command, question, or greeting.
 Writing skills – The ability to communicate ideas through writing in various forms.

How the communication skills are acquired is as follows:

 Asking questions.
 By not interrupting the speaker.
 Do not start planning what to say next.
 Facing the speaker and having eye contact.
 Listening to non-verbal cues.

2.2 Electrical Power System

An electrical power system is a network of electrical components used to generate, transmit and
consume electricity. The institution’s power system is well designed that it ensures robust
performance of the workshops’ machines under all operating conditions.
Power Grid

Figure 1

Power Generation
Hydropower constitutes about 60% of the electricity generated in Kenya. The bulk of this
electricity is tapped from five generating plants along the River Tana. The five stations combined
which are; Kindaruma, Kamburu, Gitaru, Masinga, and Kiambere have an installed capacity of
more than 400MW. Turkwel Gorge Power Station in north western Kenya has an installed
capacity of 106MW. There are also several small hydro stations, which are; Mesco, Ndula,

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Wanjii, Tana, Gago Falls, and Selby Falls all built before independence in 1963 with a combined
generation output of 40MW.
Geothermal energy is generated using natural steam tapped from volcanic active zones in the Rift
Valley. Some 127MW is fed into the national grid from three plants located at Olkaria. Thermal
(fuel-generated) energy is generated in power stations at Mombasa and Nairobi. Kenya
Electricity Generating Company (KenGen) is the leading electric power generation company in
Kenya, producing about 80% of electricity consumed in the country. The company utilizes
various sources to generate electricity ranging from hydro, geothermal, thermal, and wind. Hydro
is the leading source with an installed capacity of 677.3MW, which is 72.3% of the company’s
installed capacity.
Power Transmission
Electricity transmission is the process by which large amount of electricity produced at power
plants is transported over long distances for eventual use by consumers. Due to the large amount
of power involved, and the properties of electricity, transmission normally takes place at high
voltage (132kV or above) to reduce losses that occur over long distances.
Kenya Power is responsible for ensuring that there is adequate line capacity to maintain supply
and quality of electricity across the country. The interconnected network of transmission and
distribution lines covers about 23,000 km. The national grid is operated as an integral network
linked by a 220kV and 132kV transmission network. Limited lengths of 66kV transmission lines
are also in use. The national grid affects the future growth of the energy sector because any new
generation capacity must take into consideration the existing network and its capacity to handle
new loads.
The construction, operation, and maintenance of new high voltage transmission lines and
associated facilities create a range of environmental impacts. The type and magnitude of the
impacts associated with transmission line construction, operation, and maintenance varies
depending on line type and size as well as length of the transmission line, and a variety of site-
specific factors.
The main components of high voltage electricity transmission lines and associated facilities:
 Transmission pylons (Towers) – These are the most visible component of the electricity
transmission system. They support high voltage lines above the ground and separate them
from other lines, buildings, and people. They vary in size and dimensions. They are

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 lattice steel between 33.5metres and 46metres tall. A minimum of 30-metre right-of-way
is needed for the area around the pylons and the span between the pylons.
 Conductors (Transmission lines) – These are the cables on the transmission pylons that
carry electricity to substations. They are varying designs of pylons and lines depending
on the voltage being carried. They are constructed primarily of twisted metal strands, but
newer conductors may incorporate ceramic fibres in a matrix of aluminum for added
strength with lighter weight.
 Right-of-way (Way leaves) – It includes the land set aside for the transmission for the
transmission line and associated facilities, and land set aside for a safety margin between
the line and nearby structures and vegetation. Having the safety margins helps avoid the
risk of fire and other accidents. The right-of-way needed for transmission lines ranges
from 30metres to 60metres. The right-of-way is also used for access roads. Vegetation
that could pose a danger to a transmission line or tower is removed inside the right-of-
way if it could come close to lines and pylons. On the right-of-way, low growing
vegetation is allowed to grow after construction and subsequently maintained at a low
optimum level.
 Access roads – Access is needed to the transmission tower sites for both line construction
and maintenance. Grading and clearing vegetation may be required for access road
construction. Roads are usually murram. Access roads can be permanent or temporary
depending on the need during construction and land use. On most rights-of-way,
permanent access roads provide a way to maintain the pylons and lines and are available
for emergencies. In farmland and other areas where the existing is land use is not
compatible with a permanent access road, a temporary access road is used during the
construction then removed and replanted or otherwise returned to the original land use.
 Substations – The voltages used for electricity transmission are converted for consumer
use to lower voltages at substations. Substations vary in size and configuration but may
cover several acres, and are cleared of vegetation and surfaced with gravel. Access is
limited to authorized personnel and the substation is fence and gated for safety and
security. In general, substations include a variety of structures, conductors, fencing,
lighting and other features that result in an “industrial” appearance.

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  Conductors – Overhead power transmission lines/cables are classified in the electrical
power industry by the range of voltages:
i. Low voltage - Less than 1,000 volts used for connection between a residential or
small commercial customer and the utility.
ii. Medium voltage - Between 1,000 volts (1kV) and to about 33kV, used for
distribution in urban and rural areas.
iii. High voltage - Less than 100Kv; sub transmission or transmission at voltage such
as 115Kv and 138kV, used for sub transmission and transmission of bulk
quantities of electric power and connection to very large consumers.
iv. Extra high voltage - Over 230Kv, up to about 800kv, used for long distance of
very high power transmission.
v. Ultra high voltage – Higher than 800kV.

Transformer
Transformers are used to transform voltage from one level to another, usually from a lower
voltage to a higher voltage.

Figure 2

There are three main parts of a transformer. They include:

 Primary winding – This produces magnetic flux when it is connected to an electrical
source.
 Iron core – The magnetic flux produced by the primary winding will pass through this
low reluctance path linked with secondary winding and creates a closed magnetic circuit.
 Secondary winding – The flux produced by primary winding, passes through the core,
will link with the secondary winding. This winding is also wound on the same core and
gives the desired output of the transformer.

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An alternating voltage is applied at the primary causing the magnetic flux to change thus an emf
is induced in the primary and secondary according to Faraday’s Law which states that change in
magnetic flux through a coil causes an emf to be induced in it. This induced emf in the
secondary, causes secondary current. Consequently, terminal voltage, V 2 will appear across the
load.

Figure 3

The lower side whose output is 415kVA has four lines whereas the higher side whose input is
6.6kVA has three lines. This is be explained using the star delta transformation.

Figure 4

The transformer contains silica gel, which is a good absorber of moisture.

Transformers can be configured as either a single-phase or a three-phase configuration. There are
several important specifications to specify when searching for transformers. These include;
maximum secondary voltage rating, maximum secondary current rating, maximum power output
rating and, output type. A transformer may provide more than one secondary voltage value. The
Rated Power is the sum of the VA (Volts × Amps) for all of the secondary windings. Output
choices include AC or DC. For AC waveform output, voltage values are typically given in RMS
values.

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Cores can be created as either toroidal or laminated. Toroidal units typically have copper wire
wrapped around a cylindrical core so the magnetic flux, which occurs within the coil, does not
leak out, the coil efficiency is good and, the magnetic flux has little effect on the other
components. Laminated refers to the laminated steel cores. These steel laminations are insulated
with a no conducting material such as varnish and then formed into a core that reduces electric
losses. There are many types. These include; autotransformer, control, current, distribution,
general purpose, instrument, isolation, potential (voltage), power, step up, and step down.
Mountings include; chassis mount, dish or disk mount, enclosure or free standing, frame, and
PCB mount.
Bus bar Chamber
In electric power distribution, a bus bar is a metallic strip or bar, typically housed inside
switchgear, panel boards, and busway enclosures for local high current power distribution. They
are also used to connect high voltage equipment at electrical switchyards and low voltage
equipment in battery banks. They are generally uninsulated and have sufficient stiffness to be
supported in air by insulated pillars. These features allow sufficient cooling of the conductors
and the ability to tap in at various points without creating a joint.

Figure 5

Capacitor Banks
Capacitive loads such as capacitor banks or buried cables generate reactive power with current
phase leading.

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Figure 6

Diesel Engine Generator

Diesel generators convert some of the chemical energy, contained by the diesel fuel to
mechanical energy through combustion. This mechanical energy then rotates a crank to produce
electricity. Electric charges are induced in the wire by moving it through a magnetic field.
The generator has a three-phase circuit breaker and a battery voltage of about 48V. It also has
sensors for automatic changeover.

Figure 7

2.3 Electrical Workshop Practice

Workshop practice is the backbone of the real industrial environment, which helps to develop
relevant technical hand skills.

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Safety rules and regulations
A safe work environment is not always enough to control all potential electrical hazards. You
must be very cautious and work safely. Safety rules and regulations helps control you and others
risk of injury or death from workplace hazards. Some of the rules and regulations to ensure
safety include:
 Avoid contact with energized electrical circuits.
 Disconnect the power source before servicing or repairing an electrical equipment.
 Do not wear loose clothing near an electrical equipment.
 Do not store highly flammable liquids near an electrical equipment.
 Equipment producing a “tingle” should be disconnected and reported promptly for repair.
 Enclose all electric contacts and conductors so that no one can accidentally come into
contact with them.
 Never handle an electrical equipment when hands, feet, or body is wet or perspiring, or
when standing on a wet floor.
 Treat all electrical devices as if they are live or energized.
 Use only tools and equipment with non-conducting handles when working on electrical
devices.

The causes and effects of dangers associated with electricity and their first aid are as follows:
Dangers Causes Effects First Aid
Electric shock Faulty electrical Tightening of Turn off the power
wiring, installations muscles source
and repairs Begin CPR if victim
Overloaded electrical shows no signs of
circuits breathing
Electric fire Worn-out electrical Death Call 999 for
wiring Loss of property emergency help
Overloaded electrical
circuits
Electrical burns Faulty electrical Damage to the veins Assess consciousness
equipments and arteries of the victim

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 Check on the victim’s
pulse
Apply a sterile
bandage to the open
burn
Table 1

Types of electrical connections

There are different types of electrical connections, which include:
 Radial connection – Power is transmitted from point to point by a single length of cable
each point to the next. It starts at the main fuse box and terminates at the last connected
device. Intermediate junction boxes may connect individual sockets or chains of several
sockets, but there is never a loop wiring structure. An advantage of this connection is that
it uses fewer cables while the disadvantage is that high voltage drops across the circuit.
 Ring connection – An electrical wiring technique in which sockets and the distribution
point are connected in a ring. It is contrasted with the usual radial circuit, in which
sockets and the distribution point are connected in a line with the distribution point at one
end. Advantages of this connection is that voltage drop across the circuit is less and more
appliances can be connected across the circuit while the disadvantage is that it uses more
cables.
 Spur connection – An electrical circuit that runs between a fused spur and the main
electrical supply to a building. It operates independently, as a separate branch of the ‘ring
circuit’ which runs between all the devices on-site using conventional plug sockets.

Ceiling fan regulator

Its main function is to control the speed of the fan. When we move the knob, different amount of
resistance gets in the circuit thus affecting the speed. To increase the speed of the fan we increase
the resistance by turning the knob.

17
Figure 8

Stocktaking
It is the process of recording the amount of stock held by a business and is a vital part of your
inventory control, but will also affect your purchasing, production and sales. The following is an
example of a stock taking exercise that was done:
Name of item Ok Faulty Total
1 gang 2 way switch 36 9 45
1 gang 1 way switch 50 13 63
Phase tester 11 22 33
Screw driver 41 11 52
Table 2

Single-phase installation
A single phase uses the phase and the neutral wires. The phase wire carries the current load while
the neutral wire provides a path where the current returns.

Figure 9

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2.4 Mini project
Mini projects provide opportunities for expansion of knowledge and skills. A mini project
strengthens the understanding of your fundamentals through application of theoretical concept.
Traffic Light Controller
Traffic lights use adaptive signal control technology that adjusts the timing of red, blue and green
lights to accommodate changing traffic patterns and ease traffic congestion. They use a detector,
which can communicate with the traffic light control system to let them know about current
traffic. When an intersection is jammed, they will adjust timing to let traffic flow better.

Figure 10

Figure 11

2.5 Maintenance Estate

Fluorescent Lamps
Fluorescent lamps give light from a large glowing surface and are commonly used in situations
which call for general illumination at an even level such as offices, classrooms etc.
The components of a fluorescent lamp and their respective functions include:
 Argon gas – It completes the circuit.
 Choke – It gives a high momentary voltage to the lamp.
 Phosphorous powder – It gives out the color of light.

19
  Starter – It aids in lighting the lamp. There are two types of starters. They include; glow
type and starter type.

Figure 12

The working principle of a fluorescent lamp is that, when voltage supply is on with the starter
switch closed. A current flows through the choke, tube electrodes and back to the supply through
the conductor. This initial current hits the tube electrodes in readiness in constructing the lamp.
The starter switch opens making a certain interruption in the current flowing causing a high
voltage to be shortly used. This high voltage starts a discharge through the tube hence emitting
light.
Troubleshooting of a fluorescent lamp:
Symptom Possible causes
Fuses blows Earth fault in the fitting
Faulty power factor correction capacitor
Short circuit in the wiring
Lamp appears completely dead when Broken tube electrodes
switched on Faulty starter switch
No voltage supply
Lamp does not light but both electrodes glow Faulty capacitor
continuously Faulty starter switch
Lamp makes repeated efforts to start Faulty starter switch
Low voltage
Worn out lamp
Table 3

Electric Cables

20
Electric cables play a crucial role in making sure that the conductance in an electrical circuit
stays at the optimum level.
The components of an electric cable and their respective functions include:
 Auxiliary elements – Protect the cable and guarantee its longevity.
 Copper wire – Enables flow of electrons in a conductor.
 Insulation – Prevents division out of the conductor.
 Sheath – Prevents the conductor against mechanical damage.

Fuse
A fuse is defined in the IEE regulations as a device for opening a circuit by means of a conductor
designed to melt when an excessive current flows along it. The fuse comprises all the parts that
form the complete device.
Terms commonly used with fuses include:
 Fuse element - Part of a fuse, which is designed to melt and thus open a circuit. Fusing
time (ms) Rated current current (A)
 Fuse link - Part of a fuse, which comprises a fuse element and a cartridge (or other
container) and is capable of being attached to the fuse contacts.
 Current rating - This is the maximum current, which the fuse will carry for an indefinite
period without undue deterioration of the fuse element.
 Fusing current - This is the minimum current that will cause the fuse element to heat up
melt or blow.
 Fusing factor - This is the ratio of the fusing current-to-current rating.
 Discrimination – It is the arrangement of fuses to protect the correct part of a circuit.

Types of fuses include:

 Rewirable or semi enclosed fuse - Consist of a porcelain bridge and base. The bridge has
two sets of copper contacts, which fit into contacts in the base. The fuse element for
example tinned copper ire is connected between the terminals of the bridge. The asbestos
tube or pad is generally fitted in the fuse to minimize effect of arcing when the fuse
elements melt. This type of fuse is termed a semi enclosed fuse to distinguish it from the
older type of fuse, which consist simply a piece of wire connected between two terminals.
Its advantage is that it is easy to replace fuse elements. Some of its disadvantages are;

21
 fuse elements deteriorate in use, any size of fuse wire can be fitted thus defeating the
purpose of the fuse, lacking in discrimination, and easily damaged particularly with short
circuit currents.

Figure 13

 Cartridge fuse – It consists of a porcelain tube with a metal end caps to which the element
is attached. The tube is filled with silica. The colour code for these types of cartridge fuse
is as follows; 5A - White, 30A – Red, 13A – Brown, 60A – Purple and 15A – Blue. The
fuse element is contained in a porcelain tube fitted with two connecting cap and has
fusing factor of 1.5. These fuses are found generally in modern top plugs used with 13A
socket outlets and in some distribution boards and at main intake position. It has an
advantage over the renewable fuse of not deteriorating. Its disadvantage is that it is
expensive to replace.

Figure 14

 High Breaking Capacity fuse (HBC) – It was formerly termed as the high rupturing (capacity
fuse), this type of fuse is designed to protect circuit against heavy overload and is capable of
opening a circuit under short circuit conditions without damaging surrounding equipment. It is
normally found in protecting motor circuits and industrial installations. It is very fast acting and
can discriminate starting surge and overload. The construction of a high breaking capacity
fuse consist of the following; porcelain tube, silver element, indicating element which is

22
 used to ignite powder under label to show when the fuse element is opened, end caps,
silica (fine sand) filling which is used to quench the arc.

Figure 15

Circuit Breaker
The IEE regulation define a circuit breaker as a mechanical device for making and breaking a
circuit both under normal conditions and under abnormal condition such as those of a short
circuit, the circuit being broken automatically.
The circuit breaker is generally operated and closed by hand (manually) but is automatically
opened (triple). Some of the conditions that make a circuit breaker triple include:
 Earth fault – It is the intimate contact between the live wire and the earth wire.
 Overvoltage – It is when voltage is excess of the normal operating voltage of a device.
 Short circuit - It is the intimate contact between the live wire and the neutral wire.

Figure 16

Electric Water Pump

The water pump acts as the heart of the engine, pumping much-needed liquid through to the
motor to help it run efficiently and reliably. There are two types of water pumps, which are;
surface pump and submersible pump.

23
The working principle of a water pump mainly depends upon the positive displacement principle
as well as kinetic energy to push the water. These pumps use AC power otherwise DC power for
energizing the motor of the water pump. The water pump is a portable device and can be used in
several household applications.

Figure 17

Figure 18

Some of the components of a water pump and their respective functions include:
 Capacitor – Used in starting and running of a meter.
 Double pole switch – It controls two separate circuits. It has high rating current that is
why it is preferable.
 Float switch – Used in controlling the tank water, when full it cuts off the flow of water
into the tank and when empty it allows water to flow inside the tank.

Figure 19

24
Electric Iron Box
An iron box is used to press on clothes to remove wrinkles and unwanted creases when heated.

Figure 20

The components of an iron box and their respective functions include:

 Base plate – It holds the iron pressure plate and cover plate in position.
 Element (Coil) – It has a powder that prevents it from causing contact with the iron
material.
 Thermostat – It bridges the current from the supply to the element.

The working principle of an electric iron is that if an electric current is passed through a coil or
other heating element present in the iron, it becomes very hot. This heat is then transferred to the
base plate through conduction, which elegantly irons your clothes. However, if the iron
continuously draws electricity from the power supply, the heating element gets hotter and hotter.
This causes a lot of energy waste, as an iron consumes a lot of electricity in just a few minutes,
ruining clothes and in the worst-case scenario, causing serious and potentially dangerous
accidents.

2.6 Instrumentation and Control

Pneumatic Processor Trainer
A pneumatic controller uses compressed air to control and transmit energy. It has filters to purify
the compressed air. It also uses logic gates to operate. These systems are commonly incorporated
into automatic production lines, controlling train doors and mechanical clamps.
Some of its advantages include:
 In case of power failure, it can still be used.
 No electric shock.

25
Figure 21

Figure 22

Transducer
A transducer is important for detecting physical quantities it converts non-electrical signals to
electrical signals. There are different types of transducers, which include:
 Capacitive transducer
 Flow transducer
 Level transducer such as dip stick, float switch, and ultrasonic sensor
 Metallic transducer such as an inductive transducer
 Non-metallic transducer
 Motion transducer such as a proximity sensor
 Pressure transducer such as ball valve, bellow, diaphragm, manometer, and bottom tube
(C type and spiral)
 Speed transducer such as a stroboscope and taco generator
 Temperature transducer such as resistance temperature transducer(RTP), semi-conductor
temperature transducer(STP), and thermocouple

26
  Weight transducer such as a load cell

Ethernet Cables
Ethernet cables transfer data from one device to another. An ethernet cable has four colours
which are; orange, blue, green, and brown. They each have a white strip.
Ethernet cable configurations include:
 Cross through – It links two unlike devices.

Figure 23

 Cross over – It links two like devices.

Figure 24

Ethernet cable instructions include:

 Pull the cable off the reel to the desired length and cut.
 Start on one end and strip the cable jacket off (about 1”) using a stripper or a knife.
 Spread, untwist the pairs, and arrange the wires in the order of the desired cable end.
 Hold the RJ-45 plug with the clip facing down or away from you.
 Check the color orientation, check that the crimped connection is not about to come apart,
and check to see if the wires are flat against the front of the plug.

27
Ethernet cable tips include:
 A straight-through cable has identical ends.
 A crossover cable has different ends.
 A straight-through is used as a patch cord in ethernet connections.
 A crossover has one end with the orange set of wires switched with the green set.
 Odd numbered pins are always striped; even numbered pins are always solid colored.
 Looking at the RJ-45with the clip facing away from you, brown is always on the right
and pin 1 is on the left.
 No more than ½” of the ethernet cable should be untwisted otherwise, it will be
susceptible to crosstalk.
 Do not deform, do not bend, do not stretch, do not staple, do not run parallel with power
cables, and do not run Ethernet cables near noise inducing components.

CHAPTER THREE

3.1 Challenges
The challenges I faced are as follows:
 Inadequate hand tools in the electrical workshop. Unfortunately, TUM is facing an
ingrained challenge of lack of these essential hand tools, meeting deadlines was very
hectic and one had to persevere for the future to be bright.
 Time keeping and management was not well catered for in the electrical workshop
practice and mini project sessions since most of the time was wasted in preparation and
duty allocation thus slowing work as well as making others to be idle.
 Too many interns performing a job that can be handled by a few people especially in the
electrical workshop and maintenance estate. This makes some interns miss the
opportunity to practically do the job and thus lack the experience.

28
  Too many restrictions in the instrumentation and control laboratory while operating a
machine. Learners are not allowed to freely operate a machine even under the supervision
of the technologist.
 Vandalism of electrical equipments. In the maintenance estate we discovered that there
was too much of destruction and damage of TUM property. The installations affected in
this are switches, sockets and cables.

3.2 Conclusion
The technical skills acquired during the course of my attachment forms the bedrock of my future
career development and they are as follows:
Electrical Power System
 Identification of the components of an electrical power system
 Identification of the ratings of electrical equipments
 Installation and maintenance of electrical systems

Electrical workshop practice

 Connecting and stripping of electrical cables

 Identification of the different types of wiring systems and electrical connections

 Repairing of wiring systems
 Testing of electrical equipments
 Using and maintaining of hand tools

Mini project
 Mounting of equipments on a breadboard
 Soldering of equipments on a circuit board

Maintenance Estate
 Changing of a fluorescent lamp into LED
 Regular inspection of installed systems
 Troubleshooting and fixing of a water pump and iron box

Instrumentation and Control

29
  Connecting and operating a pneumatic systems board
 Connecting and operating a RJ-45 tester
 Stripping of ethernet cables

3.2 Recommendations
I highly recommend the institution to:
 Divide the interns into smaller groups to avoid overcrowding and also to help individual
learners understand what is being done.
 Lay down a procedure for monitoring interns as well as a motivational package for
interns who establish themselves well.
 Provide enough technicians during the attachment period to avoid the mix up of
laboratories as it takes a lot time.
 Purchase more equipments in the workshop so as individuals have their own so as to
boost the understanding of the work done.

3.3 References
I would like to thank all those involved in the preparation and availing of the following
resourceful materials:
 Attachment session
 https://en.wikipedia.org/
 https://www.draw.io/
 https://www.wikihow.com
 Laboratory manuals
 Principles of Electrical and Electronics Engineering by V.K. Mehta and Rohit Mehta
 https://www.quora.com

3.4 Appendices

Symbol Meaning
Electric wire

30
 Resistor

Lamp

Two way switch

Intermediate switch

13A socket outlet

Capacitor

Distribution board/Transistor

Table 4

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