Wire color designations in car wiring diagrams. How to read car wiring diagrams? How to read car wiring diagrams? How to read circuit diagrams correctly. How to read car wiring diagrams

Today, with such a rapid development of technology, it is very important to know how to read the wiring diagrams of cars. And do not think that only owners of modern foreign cars, where there is a lot of automation, need it. Even if you have old Zhiguli, it will also be useful to familiarize yourself with this information, since the device of any machine requires the presence of auto electrics.

What are electrical circuits?

Wiring diagrams are an ordinary graphic image that shows pictograms of different elements arranged in a certain order in a circuit and connected to each other in series or in parallel. At the same time, such drawings do not show the actual location of these elements, but only indicate their relationship to each other. Thus, a person who understands them can determine the principle of operation of an electrical appliance at a glance.

Three groups of elements are always depicted in the diagrams: power sources that generate current, devices responsible for converting energy, and nodes that transmit current, different conductors act in their role. Galvanic cells with very low internal resistance can act as a power source. And electric motors are often responsible for converting energy. All objects that make up the schemes have their own symbols.

Why understand electrical circuits?

Being able to read such diagrams is quite important for anyone who owns a car, because it will save a lot of money on the services of a specialist. Of course, it is difficult to repair some serious damage on your own without the participation of professionals, and it is fraught, because the current does not tolerate mistakes. However, if we are talking about some elementary malfunction, or if you need to connect, the computer, headlights, parking lights, etc., then doing it yourself is quite realistic.

In addition, we often want to introduce additional electronic devices into the circuit, such as an alarm system, a radio tape recorder, which greatly facilitate the driving process and fill our lives with comfort. And here you can not do without the ability to understand electrical circuits, because they are often attached to all of the listed devices. This is also true for owners of cars with a trailer, as sometimes there are problems with connecting it. And then you will need an electrical circuit of a car trailer and, of course, skills that allow you to understand it.

How to read car wiring diagrams - basic notation

In order to understand the principle of operation of a device, it will be enough for a knowledgeable person to look at the electrical circuit. Consider the main nuances that will help even a beginner to understand the chains. It is clear that not a single device will work without current, which comes through internal conductors. These routes are indicated by thin lines, and their color must match the actual color of the wires.

If the electrical circuit consists of a large number of elements, then the route on it is depicted as segments and breaks, while the places of their connection or connection must be indicated.

Automotive expert. Graduated from IzhGTU named after M.T. Kalashnikov with a degree in Operation of Transport and Technological Machines and Complexes. Over 10 years of professional car repair experience.

Seeing for the first time the electrical circuit of the car, many car owners are lost in the conventions and terms, although in reality everything is quite simple. In addition, all elements are designated the same on any car, regardless of model and manufacturer. However, some graphic designations may differ slightly; there are both color and black and white elements in the diagram. Letter characters are always identical. Now three-dimensional wiring diagrams have become the most popular, which even a beginner can easily read, because everything is shown more than clearly.

When reading the wiring diagram, you should consider some features:

electrical wiring is indicated by one or two colors, usually there are risks located across or along the additional color designation;
in one bundle, single-color wires are always connected to each other;
at the entrance to the bundle, any wire has a certain slope, indicating the direction in which it is laid;
black wire color is always used for ground connections;
some of the wires are digitally marked at a specific connection point, so you can find out where the wire comes from without looking at the entire electrical circuit.

More and more modern cars are becoming a real collection of electronic devices. After all, with an increase in comfort and, a large number of different devices and control devices are used in cars. All this complicates the maintenance of the electrical part of the car and requires the ability to read electrical circuits. In this article, we will tell you what electrical circuits are, why you need to be able to read them, and tell you about the basic notation.

What is an electrical circuit?

The electrical circuit is a graphic (on paper) image of special symbols and pictograms that have a parallel or serial connection. The diagram never shows the actual image of the totality of objects, but only shows their relationship to each other. Thus, if you know how to read diagrams correctly, you can understand the principle of operation of a particular device or system of devices.

Almost all electrical circuits contain the following items:

Power supply. This is either a generator.
conductors - wires, with the help of which the transmission of electrical energy through the circuit.
Control equipment- these are devices designed to close or open an electrical circuit, which may or may not be present in the circuit.
Consumers of electrical energy and - these are all devices or devices that convert to another type of energy. For example, a cigarette lighter converts electrical current into heat energy.

Why do you need to be able to read electrical schematics?

Such knowledge was not needed by the owners of the first cars. The fact is that their electrical equipment was limited, which made it easy to remember the connection of the circuit elements and learn all the wires by heart. Another thing is modern cars, where a large number of electrical devices and appliances are mounted. This is where the wiring diagram comes in handy.

You may need the ability to read a diagram when operating any car. This will help you easily find and fix minor faults associated with the failure of an electrical device. After all, the diagnosis of malfunctions and then subsequent repairs can cost quite a considerable amount. Why not do it yourself?

Otherwise, knowing the circuit will help you when connecting new electrical appliances. For many drivers, the scheme helps to install alarms, autoruns and many other devices where connection to the car's on-board network is mandatory.

Many drivers find it difficult to connect the trailer circuit to the car's electrical network. Knowing the elements of the circuit will help you quickly find the problem and make it promptly eliminated.

Video - How to read a car wiring diagram

Symbols on the wiring diagrams of the car

Symbols for electrical circuits are not difficult. To understand them, it is necessary to have a minimal understanding of the action of electric current.

As you know, current is the ordered movement of charged particles along the conductors of electric current. Multi-colored wires act as conductors, which are indicated in the diagram as straight lines. The color of the lines must necessarily match the color of the wires in reality. This is what helps the driver to deal with thick wiring harnesses and not get confused.

Various contact connections are indicated by special numbers, which are both on the diagram and at the junctions. As a rule, relays with many contact outputs must have such numbers. The elements of the electrical circuit on the diagram are signed using numbers. At the bottom of the diagram or in the form of a separate table, a special interpretation of these numbers is displayed, which displays the name of the circuit element.

Let's summarize. Reading electrical schematics is pretty easy. The main thing is to correctly interact with the symbols and be able to understand the symptoms of a malfunction in order to timely and correctly determine the type and location of the malfunction on the diagram.

An electrical circuit is a specialized graphic image that shows pictograms of various elements that are in a certain order in a circuit, as well as interconnected in parallel or in series. At the same time, it is worth noting the fact that any such drawing does not show the real location of certain elements, but is used only to indicate their relationship to each other. Thus, a person who knows how to read electrical circuits can understand the principle of operation of a device at a glance.

There are three groups of elements in the scheme:

power supplies that take on the function of generating current;
various devices that are responsible for the further conversion of energy;
nodes that carry out the transmission of current (conductors).

A wide variety of galvanic cells characterized by low resistance can act as a source. In this case, various electronic motors are involved in the conversion of energy. At the same time, it is quite important to know the symbols of each individual object that makes up this circuit, since it is difficult to read electrical circuits without this knowledge.

What are they needed for?

Many people often wonder why they are needed at all. However, in fact, understanding them is important for every motorist, because if you know how to read electrical circuits, you can subsequently save a lot on professional services. Of course, it will not be easy for you to independently repair any particularly complex malfunctions without involving qualified specialists in this work, and in principle, this is fraught with further complications. But if you need to fix some minor malfunction or connect headlights, an ECU, a battery and other elements, you can even do it yourself if you know how to read electronic circuits.

Why are they a motorist?

Often people want to introduce a wide variety of electronic devices into the circuit, including a radio, alarm, air conditioning and many other devices that greatly simplify the driving procedure and make our life more comfortable. In this case, it is also important to understand how to learn how to read electrical circuits, because in the vast majority of cases they must be attached to almost every device.

This is especially true for owners of cars with a trailer, because often there are a variety of problems with its connection. In such cases, it will be necessary to use the electrical circuit of a car trailer, and at the same time be able to understand it, since it will not be possible to learn how to read electrical circuits in a short time.

Basic concepts

To understand on what principle a particular device works, a knowledgeable person can simply look at its electrical circuit. At the same time, it is quite important to take into account several basic nuances that will help even a beginner to read such drawings in detail.

Of course, no device can function normally without current flowing through the internal conductors. These paths are indicated by thin lines, the color of which is chosen according to the actual color of the wires.

In the event that the electrical circuit includes a sufficiently large number of elements, the route on it is displayed in the form of breaks and segments, while the places of their connection or connection must be indicated without fail.

In addition, the numbers that are indicated on the nodes must also fully correspond to real numbers, since otherwise it will be pointless to read the electrical diagrams (notations). The numbers indicated in the circles determine the places where the "minus" is connected to the wires, while the designation of the current-carrying tracks makes it easier to find elements located on different circuits. Combinations of letters and numbers fully correspond to detachable connections, while there are a fairly large number of specialized tables with which you can quite simply identify the elements of any electrical circuit. Such tables are quite easy to find not only on the Internet, but also in various manuals for specialists. In general, figuring out how to read circuit diagrams correctly is not so difficult. The main thing in this is to understand the functionality of various elements, as well as to be able to correctly follow the numbers.

To understand how to read automotive electrical circuits correctly, you need not only to understand in detail the symbols of various components, but also to have a good idea of how they are formed into blocks. So that you can understand the features of the interaction between several elements of an electronic device, it is worth learning how to determine how the signal is passed and converted. Next, we'll look at how to read electrical schematics. For beginners, the instructions are as follows:

Initially, you need to familiarize yourself with the power supply circuit allocation scheme. In the vast majority of cases, the places where the supply voltage is supplied to the cascades of the device are located closer to the top of the circuit. Power is directly supplied to the load, after which it passes to the anode of the electron tube or directly to the collector circuit of the transistor. You should determine the place where the electrode is connected to the load output, since in this place the amplified signal is completely removed from the cascade.
Install the input circuits on each stage. You should select the main control element, and then study in detail the auxiliary ones that are adjacent to it.
Look for capacitors located near the input of the cascade, as well as at its output. These elements are extremely important in the process of amplifying AC voltage. Capacitors are not designed for the passage of direct current through them, as a result of which the value of the input resistance of the next block will not be able to bring the stage out of a stable state by.
Start looking at the stages that are used to amplify a particular DC signal. All kinds of elements that form the voltage are combined with each other without capacitors. In the predominant majority of cases, such cascades operate in the analog mode.
The exact sequence of stages is determined in order to establish the direction of the signal. In this case, special attention will need to be paid to detectors, as well as various frequency converters. You also need to determine which stages are connected in parallel and which are in series. When using a parallel combination of stages, several signals will be processed completely independently of each other.
In addition to understanding how to learn how to read electrical circuit diagrams, you should also understand the connection diagrams attached to them, which are commonly called wiring diagrams. The layout features of various components of an electronic device will help you understand which blocks in a given system are the main ones. Among other things, the wiring diagram makes it easier to identify the central component of the system, as well as understand how it interacts with auxiliary systems, since it is difficult to read automotive wiring diagrams without these values.

How to learn?

Even if a person thoroughly understands the various conventions that are used in electronic circuits, this does not at all mean that he will immediately be able to understand how signals are transmitted between components. That is why, in order to learn not only to name specific components on the diagram, but also to determine their interaction with each other, you need to master a certain number of tricks on how to read circuit diagrams.

Circuit types

First of all, you need to learn how to distinguish standard power circuits from signal circuits. You should pay attention to the fact that the place where power is supplied to the cascade is almost always displayed at the top of the corresponding circuit element. A constant supply voltage in almost all cases initially passes through the load, and only with time is transferred to the anode of the lamp or to the transistor collector. The point of connection of a certain electrode with the lower output of the load will be the place where the amplified signal is removed from the cascade.

Input circuits

Often, for those people who roughly understand how to read the electrical circuits of a car, the input circuits of the cascade do not require any explanation. In this case, you should take into account that the additional elements located around the control electrode of the active component are much more important than it might seem at first glance. It is with the help of these elements that the so-called bias voltage is formed, with the help of which the component will be introduced into a much more optimal DC mode. It should also not be forgotten that different active components have individual features of the bias supply method.

Capacitors

Be sure to pay attention to the capacitors located both at the input and at the output of the cascade, which amplifies the alternating voltage. These capacitors do not carry out direct current, and therefore neither the input resistance nor the input signal have the ability to bring the stage out of direct current mode.

Gain stages

Next, be sure to pay attention to the fact that certain stages are used for DC amplification. In the design of such cascades, specialized voltage formers are completely absent, while they are connected to each other without the use of capacitors. Certain instances are capable of operating in analog mode, while some others work only in key. In the latter case, the minimum possible heating of the active component is provided.

Subsequence

If the system uses several stages at the same time, you will need to learn how to understand exactly how the signal passes through them, since you will not be able to correctly read the electrical circuits of a car without this knowledge. It is imperative to develop the skills to identify cascades that are involved in certain transformations in relation to the signal, for example. In this case, it should be taken into account that several parallel cascade chains can be present in one circuit at the same time, processing several signals absolutely independently of each other.

It is impossible to immediately outline all the subtleties, without the knowledge of which it would be possible to understand how to read electrical circuits correctly without any errors. It is for this reason that many people who do this professionally study specialized textbooks on circuitry.

How to draw?

Accordingly, before installing any electrical circuit, its image is necessarily drawn, but it is worth noting that manufacturers do not always prefer to attach electrical circuits to certain devices. If you are assembling electronic equipment with your own hands, you can complete this scheme completely on your own. With the help of modern computer programs, this procedure has become extremely simple, and is conveniently performed even by beginners.

What is needed for this?

To carry out this procedure, you will need only a few available things:

Paper.
Standard pencil.
A utility from Microsoft called Office Visio Professional.

Instruction

Initially, you need to draw a schematic image of a specific device design on paper. The scheme executed in this way will provide the opportunity to correctly arrange the different elements of the system and arrange them in the correct sequence, as well as combine them with conditional lines that display the order of attachment of certain electronic elements.
For a more accurate numerical presentation of your electronic diagram, you need to use the Visio program mentioned above. After the software is fully installed, launch it.
Next, you should go to the "File" menu and select the "Create Document" item there. On the presented toolbar, select items such as "Snap" and "Snap to Grid".
Fine-tune all page settings. To do this, you need to use a special command from the "File" menu. In the window that appears, you will need to select the image format of the diagram and, depending on the format, already determine the orientation of the drawn drawing. It is best in this case to use a landscape layout.
Determine the unit of measurement in which the electrical circuit will be drawn, as well as the required image scale. At the end, click the "OK" button.
Go to the "Open" menu and then to the stencil library. You should transfer to the drawing sheet the necessary form of the main inscription, the frame and a lot of other additional elements. In the latter, you will need to make inscriptions that will explain the features of your scheme.
To draw circuit components, you can use both already prepared stencils located in the program library, and any of your own blanks.
All kinds of blocks of the same type or components of the circuit will need to be depicted by copying the presented elements, only then making the necessary additions and edits.

After the work on the diagram is completed, you should check how correctly it was drawn up. Also try to correct the explanatory inscriptions in detail, and then save the file under the desired name. The finished drawing can be printed.

Each car owner should know how the symbols present in the electrical circuits of a car are correctly deciphered. Indeed, in practice, a malfunction in the operation of electrical equipment can overtake the driver at any time, even on the road. Therefore, it is important to understand this issue in order to be able to fix the problem yourself if necessary.

What are electrical circuits?

In order to correctly read the fundamental decoding of automotive electrical circuits and know what the symbols in electrical circuits mean, let's first understand the concept. The schematic diagram of the electrical equipment of a car is a graphic image, in which pictograms of various components are shown. These components of the system device are installed in a certain order on the electrical circuit and they can be connected to each other either in parallel or in series.

It should be noted that the car's electrical circuit diagram does not display the actual location of these components, but demonstrates their relationship to each other. That is, a motorist who can figure out the structure of the system with his own hands and read the transcript will understand the principle of operation of electrical equipment at a glance.

Any car electrical circuit shows several groups of components:

power system devices designed to generate voltage;
elements intended for energy conversion;
as well as the devices of the system necessary for the transmission of voltage (this function is performed by conductors).

Various galvanic components, characterized by low internal resistance, act as power devices for the system. All kinds of electric motors are designed to convert energy. In any case, the electrical circuit of the car contains the objects conventionally indicated on it.

Each vehicle owner should be able to read the circuit diagram of the designation of devices, since in the event of a breakdown this will save money on repairs. Of course, without the participation of specialists, it will be problematic to repair more complex system malfunctions. Moreover, the electrical equipment of a car, especially a modern one, is a rather complex system that will not tolerate mistakes. But if the breakdown of the electrical circuit is not particularly significant or you just need to connect the optics, then it is quite possible to do it yourself.

In addition, understanding what elements the car's electrical equipment consists of is very important for those motorists who want to make changes to the system. For example, today many domestic drivers do their own tuning of vehicles in various ways. This does not have to be the installation of new bumpers or body kits - sometimes you want to do the interior tuning with your own hands by installing a new multimedia system or air conditioning. In addition, it is also necessary to understand the electrical circuit of the car with your own hands if you install an anti-theft system - after all, you cannot do without car protection at such a time (the author of the video is Auto Electrician VCh).

It is also necessary to read the wiring diagram for those drivers who have a trailer, since it is often difficult to connect it with their own hands to the system. In any case, if you decide to install additional equipment in the system, then the ability to read the wiring diagram will come in handy. At a minimum, without this, you will not be able to properly connect the wires with your own hands and set up the equipment.

So, let's consider the main points that will allow you to correctly read the wiring diagram of the equipment of any vehicle. After all, as mentioned above, without this knowledge, repairing devices with your own hands simply will not work. Of course, no device can function without voltage supplied to the device through internal conductors.

The wiring diagram of the vehicle with the designation of all elements must be in the service book for the car. Looking at it, you will see many different designations of devices and devices connected by lines. It should be noted that each of these lines can have its own specific color, which in fact should correspond to the actual color of the wires of the electrical circuit (the author of the video is Avtoelectrica VCh).

In the event that the car is equipped with multiple electrical appliances and devices, then a large number of components will be marked on the diagram. Accordingly, the wiring itself on it can be images with breaks and segments. At first, this can be confusing, but there is nothing difficult in this, it is quite possible to figure it out on your own.

Any scheme consists of the following elements:

Power supply device. In this case, this function is performed by the battery or the generator of the vehicle.
conductors, that is. These components allow the transmission of current through the network.
Control equipment. Such devices are necessary for closing the wiring or opening it, if necessary. It should be noted that devices of this type may or may not be present on the wiring diagram.
Direct consumers of voltage. This item includes all electrical equipment that consumes energy by converting current into another type of energy. For example, if we are talking about a cigarette lighter, then this element converts voltage into thermal energy.

If it becomes necessary to repair the vehicle with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account the basic principles when decoding the scheme:

Any conductors, as mentioned above, are marked with a certain color on the diagram. As for the color itself, the wire can have one color or two, that is, be either primary or secondary. If we are talking about additional components, then strokes should be applied to them - they can be transverse or longitudinal.
If several wires are installed on the same bundle and marked the same way, then they have a galvanic connection. In other words, these conductors are simply connected to each other.
On any circuit, if a conductor enters a bundle, it should have a slight slope towards where it is.
In practice, that is, in most diagrams, conductors are marked in black, which are connected directly to the mass of the vehicle, that is, to its body.
As for the relay, their contacts are marked in the state when no voltage passes through the winding of the devices. In the standard state, these components are different because they can be either closed or open.
You may also notice that certain markings may be placed on the conductors, in particular, in the place where the wire connects to the equipment. Thanks to this designation, the driver can immediately understand where this conductor goes without tracing the circuit as a whole.

If certain numbers are indicated on certain mechanisms, then they must correspond to the numbers. If this or that number is marked in a circle, then this indicates that you have a conductor connection with a minus. As for the number and letter combinations, they correspond to plug-in connections.

A service book may come with a table that will allow you to easily decipher certain network elements that are specific to a particular vehicle model. In general, if you need to decipher the scheme, then the most important thing is to be assiduous in order to understand what this or that designation means. Having understood the very principle of decoding, you can easily determine the purpose of all elements.

Foreign cars have different markings, but the principle is the same.

Video "Correctly decipher the circuit elements in the car"

More about this issue is discussed in the video below (the author of the video is MR. BORODA).

What are electrical circuits?

Why understand electrical circuits?

Being able to read such diagrams is quite important for anyone who owns a car, because it will save a lot of money on the services of a specialist. Of course, it is difficult to repair some serious damage on your own without the participation of professionals, and it is fraught, because the current does not tolerate mistakes. However, if we are talking about some elementary malfunction, or you need to connect the computer, headlights, parking lights, etc., then doing it yourself is quite realistic.

How to read car wiring diagrams - basic notation

If the electrical circuit consists of a large number of elements, then the route on it is depicted as segments and breaks, while the places of their connection or connection must be indicated.

The numbers indicated on the nodes must correspond to real numbers. The numbers in the circles show the places where the wires are connected to the "minus", and the designation of the current-carrying tracks makes it easier to search for elements located on various diagrams. Combinations of numbers and letters correspond to detachable connections. There are special tables with which it is very easy to identify the elements of electrical circuits. They are very easy to find both on the Internet and in manuals for specialists. In general, auto electrical circuits are easy to read, the main thing is to understand the functionality of their elements and follow the numbers.

To connect or repair electrical equipment, a novice electrician or auto electrician needs a graphic design of the device. To understand the symbols in electrical circuits, you need to rely on the regulatory framework.

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Normative base

To facilitate reading and reference, GOST documents are used.

Types and types of circuits in electrics

There are hundreds of symbols in electrical diagrams and drawings, which are divided into:

fundamental;
fundamental and assembly;
mounting.

In electrics and auto electrics, electrical circuits are widely used for various purposes:

scheduled maintenance;
re-equipment of a car (installation of additional equipment, for example, gas);
elimination of defects in the operation of the lighting network, alarm systems, security systems.

Wiring diagrams are classified as follows:

Structural. Gives an idea of the principle of operation of the electrical installation of an automobile unit. The direction of the arrows determines the sequence of operation of the node as a whole.
Functional. It shows not only the principle of the device, but also indicates which elements are installed.
Fundamental. Explains the principle of operation of distribution networks, automotive network, security systems.
Mounting. Shows the schematic installation and placement of equipment (sockets, switches, lamps, car lighting systems, etc.).
Combined (fundamentally assembly). This diagram describes the installation location and the principle of operation of the equipment.

circuit diagram United scheme

Graphic symbols in electrical circuits

Graphic designations are used more often than alphabetic ones. They are used in everyday life, based on GOST 2.702-2011. All symbols are depicted as simple geometric figures, which are represented as circles, as well as lines and triangles.

Due to the large number of elements, any specialist in the field of engineering can create circuits for various purposes. When depicting symbols, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the elements, the thickness of the lines. Unlike alphabetic ones, graphic ones can be found both on the principle and on the assembly, structural, and also combined diagram.

Vehicle on-board network control

Also, the finalization can be attributed to the wiring diagram for fog lights, which is quite simple for a novice auto electrician:

First of all, you need to install the headlights themselves.
Install the power button on the control panel, as well as relay equipment.
Carry out the installation according to the diagram, observing the polarity of the connection, which should be done with the battery terminal disconnected. Be sure to install the fuse according to the indicated scheme.

Content:

Each electrical circuit consists of many elements, which, in turn, also include various parts in their design. The most striking example is household appliances. Even an ordinary iron consists of a heating element, a temperature regulator, a control light, a fuse, a wire and a plug. Other electrical appliances have an even more complex design, supplemented by various relays, circuit breakers, electric motors, transformers and many other details. An electrical connection is created between them, ensuring the full interaction of all elements and the fulfillment by each device of its intended purpose.

In this regard, the question often arises of how to learn to read electrical circuits, where all components are displayed in the form of conventional graphic symbols. This problem is of great importance for those who regularly encounter electrical installations. Proper reading of the diagrams makes it possible to understand how the elements interact with each other and how all work processes proceed.

Types of electrical circuits

In order to correctly use electrical circuits, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic concepts and definitions that affect this area in advance.

Any diagram is made in the form of a graphic image or drawing, which, together with the equipment, displays all the connecting links of the electrical circuit. There are various types of electrical circuits that differ in their intended purpose. Their list includes primary and secondary circuits, signaling, protection, control systems and others. In addition, there are and are widely used fundamental and, full-line and deployed. Each of them has its own specific features.

Primary circuits include circuits through which the main technological voltages are supplied directly from sources to consumers or receivers of electricity. Primary circuits generate, convert, transmit and distribute electrical energy. They consist of a main circuit and circuits that provide their own needs. Main circuit circuits generate, convert and distribute the main flow of electricity. Auxiliary circuits ensure the operation of the main electrical equipment. Through them, the voltage is supplied to the electric motors of the installations, to the lighting system and to other areas.

Secondary are those circuits in which the applied voltage does not exceed 1 kilowatt. They provide the functions of automation, control, protection, dispatching service. Through the secondary circuits, control, measurement and metering of electricity is carried out. Knowing these properties will help you learn how to read electrical circuits.

Full line circuits are used in three-phase circuits. They display the electrical equipment connected to all three phases. Single-line diagrams show equipment located on only one middle phase. This difference must be indicated on the diagram.

Schematic diagrams do not indicate secondary elements that do not perform primary functions. Due to this, the image becomes simpler, allowing a better understanding of the principle of operation of all equipment. Wiring diagrams, on the contrary, are carried out in more detail, since they are used for the practical installation of all elements of the electrical network. These include single-line diagrams displayed directly on the building plan of the facility, as well as cable route diagrams along with transformer substations and distribution points plotted on a simplified master plan.

In the process of installation and commissioning, detailed schemes with secondary circuits became widespread. They are allocated additional functional subgroups of circuits associated with turning on and off, individual protection of a section, and others.

Designations in electrical diagrams

In every electrical circuit there are devices, elements and parts that together form a path for electric current. They are distinguished by the presence of electromagnetic processes associated with electromotive force, current and voltage, and described in physical laws.

In electrical circuits, all components can be divided into several groups:

The first group includes devices that generate electricity or power sources.
The second group of elements converts electricity into other types of energy. They perform the function of receivers or consumers.
The components of the third group provide the transfer of electricity from one element to another, that is, from a power source to electrical receivers. This also includes transformers, stabilizers and other devices that provide the necessary quality and voltage level.

Each device, element or part corresponds to a symbol used in graphic representations of electrical circuits, called electrical circuits. In addition to the main symbols, they display power lines connecting all these elements. Sections of the circuit along which the same currents flow are called branches. The places of their connections are nodes, indicated on electrical diagrams in the form of dots. There are closed paths for the movement of current, covering several branches at once and called circuits of electrical circuits. The simplest electrical circuit diagram is single-circuit, and complex circuits consist of several circuits.

Most circuits consist of various electrical devices that differ in different modes of operation, depending on the value of current and voltage. In idle mode, there is no current in the circuit at all. Sometimes such situations arise when connections are broken. In the nominal mode, all elements operate with the current, voltage and power that are indicated in the device passport.

All components and symbols of the elements of the electrical circuit are displayed graphically. The figures show that each element or device has its own symbol. For example, electrical machines may be depicted in a simplified or expanded manner. Depending on this, conditional graphic schemes are also built. Single-line and multi-line images are used to show winding leads. The number of lines depends on the number of leads, which will be different for different types of machines. In some cases, for the convenience of reading the diagrams, mixed images can be used, when the stator winding is shown in expanded form, and the rotor winding is shown in simplified form. Others are done in the same way.

They are also carried out in a simplified and expanded, single-line and multi-line methods. This determines the way the devices themselves are displayed, their outputs, winding connections and other constituent elements. For example, in current transformers, a thick line marked with dots is used to depict the primary winding. For the secondary winding, a circle can be used with a simplified method or two semicircles with an expanded image method.

Graphic images of other elements:

Contacts. They are used in switching devices and contact connections, mainly in switches, contactors and relays. They are divided into closing, opening and switching, each of which has its own graphic pattern. If necessary, the image of contacts in a mirror-inverted form is allowed. The base of the moving part is marked with a special unshaded dot.
. They can be single pole or multi pole. The base of the moving contact is marked with a dot. For circuit breakers, the type of release is indicated in the image. Switches differ in the type of action, they can be push-button or track, with break and make contacts.
Fuses, resistors, capacitors. Each of them corresponds to certain icons. Fuses are depicted as a rectangle with taps. For fixed resistors, the icon can be with or without taps. The moving contact of a variable resistor is indicated by an arrow. Capacitor drawings show fixed and variable capacitance. There are separate images for polar and non-polar electrolytic capacitors.
Semiconductor devices. The simplest of these are diodes with a p-n junction and one-sided conduction. Therefore, they are depicted as a triangle and an electrical connection line crossing it. The triangle is the anode and the dash is the cathode. For other types of semiconductors, there are their own designations defined by the standard. The knowledge of these graphic drawings greatly facilitates the reading of electrical circuits for dummies.
Sources of light. Available on almost all electrical circuits. Depending on the purpose, they are displayed as lighting and signaling lamps with the help of the corresponding icons. When displaying signal lamps, it is possible to shade a certain sector corresponding to low power and low luminous flux. In alarm systems, along with light bulbs, acoustic devices are used - electric sirens, electric bells, electric horns and other similar devices.

How to read electrical diagrams correctly

The circuit diagram is a graphic representation of all elements, parts and components between which an electronic connection is made using current-carrying conductors. It is the basis for the development of any electronic devices and electrical circuits. Therefore, every novice electrician must first master the ability to read a variety of circuit diagrams.

It is the correct reading of electrical circuits for beginners that allows you to understand well how to connect all the parts in order to get the expected end result. That is, the device or circuit must fully perform its assigned functions. For the correct reading of the circuit diagram, it is necessary, first of all, to familiarize yourself with the symbols of all its components. Each detail is marked with its own conventional graphic designation - UGO. Typically, such conventional signs display the general design, characteristics and purpose of a particular element. The most striking examples are capacitors, resistors, speakers and other simple parts.

It is much more difficult to work with components represented by transistors, triacs, microcircuits, etc. The complex design of such elements also implies a more complex display of them on electrical circuits.

For example, each bipolar transistor has at least three terminals - base, collector and emitter. Therefore, their conventional representation requires special graphic symbols. This helps to distinguish between parts with individual basic properties and characteristics. Each symbol carries certain encrypted information. For example, bipolar transistors can have a completely different structure - p-p-p or p-p-p, so the images on the diagrams will also be noticeably different. It is recommended that before reading the circuit diagrams, carefully read all the elements.

Conditional images are very often supplemented with clarifying information. On closer examination, you can see Latin alphabetic characters next to each icon. Thus, this or that detail is indicated. This is important to know, especially when we are just learning to read electrical circuits. There are also numbers next to the letters. They indicate the corresponding numbering or technical characteristics of the elements.

Each car owner should know how the symbols present in the electrical circuits of a car are correctly deciphered. Indeed, in practice, a malfunction in the operation of electrical equipment can overtake the driver at any time, even on the road. Therefore, it is important to understand this issue in order to be able to fix the problem yourself if necessary.

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What are electrical circuits?

Any car electrical circuit shows several groups of components:

power system devices designed to generate voltage;
elements intended for energy conversion;
as well as the devices of the system necessary for the transmission of voltage (this function is performed by conductors).

Why understand electrical circuits?

In addition, understanding what elements the car's electrical equipment consists of is very important for those motorists who want to make changes to the system. For example, today many domestic drivers tune vehicles with their own hands in various ways. It does not have to be the installation of new bumpers or body kits - sometimes you want to do the interior tuning with your own hands by installing a new multimedia system or air conditioning. In addition, it is also necessary to understand the electrical circuit of a car with your own hands if you install an anti-theft system - after all, you cannot do without protecting the car at such a time (the author of the video is Avtoelectrica VCh).

How to read car wiring diagrams - basic notation

Any scheme consists of the following elements:

Power supply device. In this case, this function is performed by the battery or the generator of the vehicle.
Conductors, that is. These components allow the transmission of current through the network.
Control equipment. Such devices are necessary for closing the wiring or opening it, if necessary. It should be noted that devices of this type may or may not be present on the wiring diagram.
Direct consumers of voltage. This item includes all electrical equipment that consumes energy by converting current into another type of energy. For example, if we are talking about a cigarette lighter, then this element converts voltage into thermal energy.

If it becomes necessary to repair the vehicle with your own hands, it is necessary to take into account the basic principles when decoding the scheme:

Any conductors, as mentioned above, are marked with a certain color on the diagram. As for the color itself, the wire can have one color or two, that is, be either primary or secondary. If we are talking about additional components, then strokes should be applied to them - they can be transverse or longitudinal.
If several wires are installed on the same bundle and marked the same way, then they have a galvanic connection. In other words, these conductors are simply connected to each other.
On any circuit, if a conductor enters a bundle, it should have a slight slope towards where it is.
In practice, that is, in most diagrams, conductors are marked in black, which are connected directly to the mass of the vehicle, that is, to its body.
As for the relay, their contacts are marked in the state when no voltage passes through the winding of the devices. In the standard state, these components are different because they can be either closed or open.
You may also notice that certain markings may be placed on the conductors, in particular, in the place where the wire connects to the equipment. Thanks to this designation, the driver can immediately understand where this conductor goes without tracing the circuit as a whole.

Foreign cars have different markings, but the principle is the same.

Video "Correctly decipher the circuit elements in the car"

More about this issue is discussed in the video below (the author of the video is MR. BORODA).

Wire color designations in car wiring diagrams. How to read car wiring diagrams? How to read car wiring diagrams? How to read circuit diagrams correctly. How to read car wiring diagrams

What are electrical circuits?

Why understand electrical circuits?

How to read car wiring diagrams - basic notation

What is an electrical circuit?

Why do you need to be able to read electrical schematics?

Video - How to read a car wiring diagram

Symbols on the wiring diagrams of the car

What are they needed for?

Why are they a motorist?

Basic concepts

How to learn?

Circuit types

Input circuits

Capacitors

Gain stages

Subsequence

How to draw?

What is needed for this?

Instruction

What are electrical circuits?

Video "Correctly decipher the circuit elements in the car"

What are electrical circuits?

Why understand electrical circuits?

How to read car wiring diagrams - basic notation

Normative base

Types and types of circuits in electrics

Graphic symbols in electrical circuits

Types of electrical circuits

Designations in electrical diagrams

How to read electrical diagrams correctly

What are electrical circuits?

Why understand electrical circuits?

How to read car wiring diagrams - basic notation

Video "Correctly decipher the circuit elements in the car"

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