Electrical Glossary: A Detailed Glossary of All Electrical Terms

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

[I]

 

 

Impedance:

The total effects of a circuit that oppose the flow of an AC current consisting of inductance, capacitance, and resistance. It can be quantified in the units of ohms.

 

 

 

Impulse:

A current surge.

 

 

 

Incandescent Light Bulbs:

Incandescent light bulbs produce light by passing electricity through a thin filament, which becomes hot and glows brightly. Incandescent light bulbs are less energy-efficient than fluorescent lamps, because much of the electrical energy is converted to heat instead of light. The heat produced by these bulbs not only wastes energy, but can also make a building's air conditioning system work harder and consume more energy.

 

 

 

Infrared Cameras:

Energy contractors use infrared cameras to look at the heat leaking into or out of your house. The infrared camera "sees" the heat and can show "hot spots" where a lot of heat is being lost. This helps to identify the places where your home's energy efficiency can be improved.

 

 

 

Insulation:

A material having a high resistance to the flow of electric current; insulation over underground conductor is made of either EPR or XLPE material.

 

 

 

Insulator:

Any material which does not allow electrons to flow through it.

 

 

 

Interrupter:

An element designed to interrupt specific currents under specified conditions.

 

 

 

Inverter:

An electrical device which is designed to convert direct current into alternating current. This was originally done with rotating machines which produced true sine wave ac output. More recently this conversion has been performed more economically and efficiently using solid state electronics. However, except for the most expensive models, these devices usually do not produce perfect sine wave output. This sometimes can result in electromagnetic interference with other sensitive electronic devices.

 

 

 

Ion:

An Ion is a positively or negatively charged atom or molecule.

 

[J]

 

 

Joule:

A unit of work or energy equal to one watt for one second. One kilowatt hour equals 3,600,000 Joules. Named after James P. Joule, an English physicist 1889.

 

 

 

Joule’s Law:

Defines the relationship between current in a wire and the thermal energy produced. In 1841an English physicist James P. Joule experimentally showed that W = I² x R x t where I is the current in the wire in amperes, R is the resistance of the wire in Ohms, t is the length of time that the current flows in seconds, and W is the energy produced in Joules.

 

[K]

 

 

Kilovolt:

A Unit of electrical potential equal to 1,000 volts. Abbreviated kV or KV.

 

 

 

Kilowatt (kW):

Real power delivered to a load (W x 1,000 VA).

 

 

 

Kilowatt-hour:

A unit of energy or work equal to one kilowatt for one hour. Abbreviated as kwh or KWH. This is the normal quantity used for metering and billing electricity customers. The price for a kwh varies from approximately 4 cents to 15 cents. At a 100% conversion efficiency, one kwh is equivalent to about 4 fluid ounces of gasoline, 3/16 pound LP, 3 cubic feet natural gas, or 1/4 pound coal.