Chapter 5: Electrical construction and

documentation
OUTLINE
 Contracting parties
 Testing and Inspection of electrical works
 Bill of quantities of materials and labor
 Contract document
 Contracting parties
• The client (Owner), consultant and the contractor teams are known as contracting
party of construction or electrical installation works.

1. Client (Owner):
 the person or an entity with the actual need for the electrical design and
installation work service.
 responsible for financing installation service costs.

2. Electrical contractor:
 Contractor is a business person or firm that

 performs installation design, installation works, and maintenance of electrical

systems.
 Electricians and contractors need to have professional and trade licenses, electrical
 Cont’d…
3. Electrical works consultant:
 Conduct analysis on the design of an electrical system in a commercial or residential
building and suggest solutions or possible improvements on design drawings.
 Prepares quantity of materials, bill of quantity and project execution plans

 Performs engineering cost estimation

 Follows up installation work progresses

 Prepares tender(Biding) document based on nationaly prepared standard procurement

document
Installation work contract document:
 It is mutual or legally binding agreement between two parties (contractor and
client/owner of the project) set by procurement departments.
 It outlines the scope of installation work, expected risks, duration of project, duties,
deliverables and legal rights of both the contractor and owner(client).
 Testing of Installation

The tests to be performed before a new installation or an addition to an existing

installation is connected to the supply mains are as follows:

1. Insulation Resistance

a) The insulation resistance between the wiring and earth with all fuses
(breakers) and lamps in and all switches ‘ON’

b) The insulation resistance between the conductors with all lamps out and all
switches ‘ON’

2. Testing of polarity of switches.

3. Testing of earth continuity path.

4. Testing of earth-electrode resistance.

 Cont’d…

1. Insulation Resistance
 The aim of this test is to know whether the wires or cables used in the wiring are
sufficiently insulated to avoid leakage current.
 Test is performed by a DC source not less than twice of working voltage but not
exceeding 500 V. A 500 V tester, known as ‘Megger’ is used for this purpose.

Since installation circuits are wired in parallel, one can see that for a very large
installations an insulation resistance test at the intake position may show a low value,
which isn’t actually due to bad insulation. In order to overcome this problem, EELPA
regulation (SECTION E-2) permits such installation to be broken down into smaller
units of not less than 50 outlets.
 Cont’d…

1.1. Testing of Insulation Resistance Between the line conductors and the
Earthing system.
 The resistance offered to leakage current from conductors to earth is known as
insulation resistance.
 Before making an insulation test ensure that:

a) Supply is isolated, i.e. the main switch, breaker or fuse is in OFF position.

b) All protective devices are in place.

c) All switches are in ON position.

d) All lamps are in their positions or the holders are short-circuited.

e) Link all the poles of the supply together i.e. line and neutral terminals are
shorted on the input side.
 Cont’d…

Megger

Fig. 1. Insulation Resistance to Earth

The line terminal of the megger (marked as L) is connected to the point where the
conductors have been shorted at the main switch and the E terminal is connected to
the earth. Now the handle of the tester is turned so that it begins to slip and the
reading on the dial gives the insulation resistance between the wiring and earth.
The insulation resistance to earth measured should not be less than 1 Mega ohm.
This allows very small leakage current flow (IL= 220/1MΩ )
 Cont’d…

1.2. Testing of Insulation Resistance Between Conductors(phases and

neutral)
 The objective of this test is to ensure that the insulation is sound between
the conductors so that there may not be an appreciable current leakage
between conductors.
 All lamps and all metallic connections between the two wires of the
installation are removed from the holders.
 With the power supply isolated, all protective devices in place, and all
switches in ‘ON’ position; the terminals of the megger are connected
between poles (i.e. R to S, R to T, S to T, and each pole in turn to N).
The reading should not be less than 1 Mega ohm.
Cont’d…

Fig. 2 Between Poles Test

 Cont’d…
2. Testing of polarity of Single Pole Switches
• Fuses, circuit breakers and switches are connected to live (phase) conductor only,

• Outer contacts bayonet and Edison-type lamp holders are connected to the neutral
or earthed conductor, and
• phase line has to be connected to the base contact.

• A convenient and quicker method of performing this test is by means of a small

neon tube tester.
An alternative method is by means of a test lamp. In this
method one end of the test lamp is connected to earth and
the other end is tapped to each contact of the switch in
turn. If the test lamp is in the live wire i.e. gives light,
otherwise the installation is wrong.
 Cont’d…
3. Testing of Earth Continuity Path

 For safely all metal parts or covering such as steel conduits, metal covers of switches, metal

casing of portable apparatus, frame of every generators, transformers and motor, etc, must be

solidly connected to earth otherwise when the insulation is damaged the leakage current will start

giving severe shock to the person touching it.

• The test shall be made when the normal supply is disconnected from the final sub-circuit under

test. One end of the earth-continuity conductor shall be connected to a cable of known resistance.

An AC voltage not exceeding 40 V at approximately the frequency of supply shall then be applied

between the other end of the earth conductor and the other end of the cable. Subject to the

requirement for the total earth loop impedance, it is satisfactory if, after allowance has been made

for the return conductor, value not exceeding 0.5 ohm for the ratio voltage/current is obtained

where steel conduit or pipe form part or whole of the earth-continuity conductor, or a value of 1

ohm where the earth-continuity conductor is composed entirely of copper, copper alloy or
 Cont’d…
4. Testing of Consumers Earth-Electrode Resistance
 The following procedure shall be adopted where it is desired to measure the
resistance of the earth electrode, e.g. where the installation falls to satisfy the
earth-loop impedance test or where it is desired to check the continuity effected
through an earth electrode.
 An alternating current of a steady value shall be passed between the earth
electrode x and an auxiliary earth electrode Y placed at such a distance from X
that the resistance areas of the two electrodes do not overlap. A second auxiliary
earth electrode, Z which may be a metal; spike driven into the ground, shall the
be inserted half-way between X and Y and the voltage drop between X and Z
shall be measured.
 Cont’d…
 The resistance of the earth electrodes is then the voltage between X and Z
divided by the current flowing between X and Y, provided that there is o
overlap of the resistance areas.

To check that the resistance of the earth electrode is a true value, two further
readings shall be taken with the second auxiliary electrode Z moved 6 meters
further and 6 meters nearer to X
Cont’d…
 Bill Of Quantity

• It is one of systematic ways applied in the construction industry to record items

of works for tendering purposes and to create a fair agreement among the parties
involved for contracting purposes.
• It is common practice that electrical works contractors(bidder) submits a price for
work specified in the bill of quantities.
• The contractor must specify costs of all the materials, accessories and labor
required to perform installation works.
• profit and overhead or running costs(VAT 15% and contingencies for unseen
works during BOQ preparation 10% ) are added in order to arrive at a final
estimate for the work
 Cont’d…

Cost estimation

a) Material cost
 When the bill of quantities is prepared it need to be priced based on latest price
lists of suppliers of the materials.

b) Labor costs

Cost estimation of the installation performed by sub dividing parts of installation

works as:
 high Voltage distribution

 low V, distribution

 feeder line installation

 distribution boards assembly
 Cont’d…
 Lighting installation

 General purpose and power socket outlet installation

 Earthing system works

 Lightning conductors and

 boiler power installation

 alarm systems works

 bell systems installation

 Machinery installation

 Telephone line and TV-systems installation

Note: mechanical, electrical service and labor price schedules are published by the

government institutions like Ethiopian statistical agency’

Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…
Cont’d…