Burley Electrical Service, Inc extends services to commercial businesses owners and residential homeowners in South Florida. We are fully licensed and insured to deliver professional craftsmanship at affordable rates. Our pleasure is contributing to the community with our expertise. In an effort to live up to our reputable name, we continue to uphold high morals and apply exceptional work ethics. We strive to deliver exceptional customer service and always execute superior quality workmanship on all services rendered. Our electricians are well trained, experienced and skilled. In conjunction with their attributes that utilize high-end products and equipment sold only to licensed professionals to ensure our customers receive maximum results.

Basic Glossary of Electrical Wiring & Other Related Terms & Definitions

We at Burley Electrical Service, Inc know that sometimes our commercial and residential customers in South Florida can feel at a loss with some terminology our industry presents. In an effort to help, we have compiled a helpful glossary.
Adapter: A cord or block style apparatus with 2 different ends that permits separate gadgets to connect.
Alternating Current (AC): An electric current in which the flow of electric charge periodically reverses direction, whereas in direct current (DC, also dc), the flow of electric charge is only in one direction.
Amperage (Amps): The measurement of the flow rate of electricity. If you think in terms of water through a hose, amperage would be a measure of water volume flowing through the hose.
American Wire Gauge (AWG): A standard measuring gauge for non-ferrous conductors. Lower gauge numbers is an indication of a larger conductor size.
Cable: A cable is a set of wires, which is often protected by an exterior jacket
Cable Harness: A cable harness is a string of cables and/or wires which transmit informational signals or operating currents of energy. The cables are bound together by clamps, cable ties, cable lacing, sleeves, electrical tape, conduit, a weave of extruded string, or a combination of these options.
Conductor: The internal material of a cord that conducts electricity. Generally, copper is the most common material used for electrical wiring. Silver is the most optimal choice of material for a conductor, but is expensive. Gold is noncorrosive and is used for high-quality surface-to-surface contacts.
Connector: A female cord mounted wiring gadget with the conducting elements recessed behind the mating surface. This type of device is normally wired to be live when nothing is plugged in to it. Therefore, connectors are wired to the source of power.
Current: The rate of flow of electrical energy through a conductor or wire, comparable to the amount of water flowing in a pipe. The electric current is measured in amperes or “amps”
Dielectric: Any insulating medium, which intervenes between two conductors and permits electrostatic attraction and repulsion to take place across it.
Dielectric Test: Tests which consist of the application of a voltage higher than that of the rated voltage for a specified time for the purpose of determining the adequacy against breakdown of insulating materials and spacing under normal conditions.
Direct Current (DC). The DC is the current which moves in a single direction in a continuous and steady flow. Normal household electricity is alternating current (AC) which repeatedly reverses its direction. However, many electronics devices require DC, and therefore must convert the current into DC before it can be used.
Ferrite: Ferromagnetic ceramic non-conductive compound material used to prevent high frequency electrical noise from entering or exiting the equipment.
Fuse: A safety contraption consisting of a strip of wire that melts and breaks an electric circuit if the current exceeds a safe level.
Ground-Fault Circuit-Interrupter (GFCI): The GFCI is an electrical wiring mechanism that disconnects a circuit whenever it detects that the electric current is not balanced between the energized conductor and the return neutral conductor. Such an imbalance is sometimes caused by current leakage through the body of a person who is grounded and accidentally touching the energized part of the circuit.
Ground: A connection between an electrical device and the Earth or at the voltage defined as zero (in the U.S., called ground; in the UK, called earth).
Harmonized Code: The harmonized code is an international coding system for specifying the attributes of cord voltages, jackets, diameters, etc.
Hertz: Hertz is a measurement of frequency, equaling one cycle per second, U.S. devices are typically 60 Hertz and international devices are typically 50 hertz.
International Color Code (ICC): Standard for wire jacket colors; Hot=Brown, Neutral=Blue, Ground=Green/Yellow.
International Electro-technical Commission (IEC): the IEC is an international organization that sets standards for electrical products
Inlet: A male flange mounted wiring device with the conducting pins protruding and exposed. This type device should never be wired to make the exposed pins live while the mating device is unplugged.
Insulation: The material that encases a conductor preventing leakage of current from a conductor.
Ingress Protection Rating (IP Rating): the IP rating is a two digit code, and an optional letter, specifying the level of protection from foreign objects with the first digit referring to protection from solids and the second digit referring to protection from liquids. The optional letter can be appended to classify only the level of protection against access to hazardous parts by persons or to provide additional information related to the protection of the device.
Jacket: The outer material layer of a cord.
Midget: Referring to an inlet or outlet with a shallow depth. Often mounted in areas where space is limited.
North American Color Code (NACC): Hot=Black, Neutral=White, Ground=Green.
National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA): NEMA is an organization based in the U.S. that sets many common standards used in electrical products.
Outer Diameter (OD): the outer diameter of a cord.
OEM: Original Equipment Manufacturer.
Pigtail: A very short patch cable or wiring adapter. Primarily used in the automotive industries where a longer cable assembly is not needed.
Plug: A male cord mounted wiring device with the conducting pins protruding and exposed. This type device should never be wired to make the exposed pins live while unplugged. Plugs are always dead until they are plugged into a power source such as a wall outlet or generator outlet.
Polarized: A plug and connector formed in a way that only allows proper connection.
Receptacle: A female flange mounted wiring device with the conducting elements recessed behind the mating surface, commonly referred to as an outlet. This type of device is normally wired to be live when nothing is plugged in to it, and typically the receptacles are wired to the source of power.
Restriction of Hazardous Substances (RoHS): a European directive dictating materials that may not be used in the manufacture of certain products. Materials restricted include: Lead, Mercury, Cadmium, Hexavalent Chromium, Polybrominated Biphenyl, and Plybrominated Diphenyl Ether.
ROJ: The designation to Remove Outer Jacket.
Slitting: The application of separating insulated parallel wires.
Straight Blade: Refers to a NEMA device with straight prongs.
Stripping: The activity of the removing the insulation or jacket from a conductor/wire.
Temperature Rating: The maximum temperature at which insulation will maintain its integrity.
Terminal: A terminal is the point at which a conductor from an electrical component, device or network comes to an end and provides a point of connection to external circuits. A terminal may simply be the end of a wire or it may be fitted with a connector or fastener. The connection may be temporary, as for portable equipment, or may require a tool for assembly and removal, or may be a permanent electrical joint between two wires or devices.
Twist-Locking: Refers to a NEMA device with circular prongs that locks the connection in place. Locking connectors use curved blades. Once pushed into the receptacle, the plug is twisted and its now-rotated blades latch into the receptacle. To unlatch the plug, the rotation is reversed. The locking coupling makes for a more reliable connection in commercial and industrial settings, where vibration or incidental impact could disconnect a non-locking connector.
Underwriters Laboratories (UL): an independent non-profit product safety and certification organization.
Voltage: The force or push of driving electrical energy through a conductor or wire that can be compared to the pressure of water in a pipe.
Watt: A unit of power, defined as one joule per second. Wattage is calculated as Voltage x Amperage.

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