The document provides guidance on wiring basics for technicians, including conduit and junction box materials, wire and cable types, color and numbering conventions, termination methods, organization and protection techniques, wiring diagrams for pumps, motors, valves, and instructions for wiring on/off sensors, analog sensors, and data communication cables. Key points covered include common conduit types like PVC and EMT, using stranded copper THHN wire, adhering to color standards like green for ground and numbering wires at each end, and separating data cables from power/signal cables.
2. o Conduit – Materials & Junction Boxes
o Wire & Cable – Material & Types
o Color Conventions
o Number Conventions
o Termination – Methods
o Organization & Protection – Reasoning & Methods
o Pumps, Motors & Valves – Instructions
o Sensors & Data Communication – Standards & Instructions
Wiring Basics
3. Wiring Basics – Conduit
o Common Conduit Types:
PVC - Plastic for underground use
EMT - Metal tube conduit for standard commercial use
RGS - Rigid Conduit for industrial, exterior, & hazardous area use
FMC - Flexible metal conduit typically with plastic waterproof jacket (seal
tight), usually maximum of 3-5 feet runs
o Conduit accessories and junction boxes may be plastic, light duty metal, or cast
aluminum
May be standard/waterproof or UL listed for hazardous area
o Jobsite project standards determine conduit/box type
4. Wiring Basics – Wire & Cable
o Power & Signal wires are standard THHN stranded copper wire rated at
600VAC
THHN is oil and gasoline resistant and the stranded is important for
terminating in panel terminal blocks
o Cable should also consist of stranded copper conductors within an oil and gas
resistant jacket (Kynar)
o Ethernet cables for data communication should be CAT 5/6 with a PVC jacket
suitable for industrial use
5. Wiring Basics – Color Conventions
o Color standards for wiring:
Green Ground
White Neutral
Black/Red 120 VAC Power and Signal
Blue 24 VDC Power and Signal
Brown/Yellow/Orange 480 VAC Power
Other Colors Signal Wires
6. o Wires within a conduit should be numbered consecutively at each end –
Temporary wire markers are commonly used for this purpose
o Wires should be permanently labeled with adhesive labels at each end –
The numbering convention is the number of the terminal block in the panel
Wiring Basics – Number Conventions
7. Wiring Basics – Terminations
o Wires should be stripped and secured in the panel terminal blocks with no
exposed copper conductors
Ground conductors may be exposed at lug connection
o Wire termination fittings are not typically needed for panel terminations
Crimp style spade and ring terminals are often needed for wire
terminations at sensors and devices
o Standard wire nuts are used at motors and other devices as needed
Waterproof connectors or gel packs should be considered where wires
could be exposed to water
8. o Wire installation should be inspected to assure protection at conduit entries
with plastic bushings
o Wires within panels and junction boxes should be secured in logical bundles
with tie wraps, while removing all electrical tape
o Install wiring within plastic wiring ducts where provided
o Cable troughs are used at a series of control panels
These are used for separate instrumentation and communication wiring
from power wiring
Wiring Basics – Organization & Protection
9. o Pump motors wiring schematic
Attached to the body of the motor and indicate the termination of the power
wires (ground wires attached to a bolt secured to the motor body)
o Motors for positive displacement and centrifugal pumps are usually supplied as dual
voltage
1 Phase motors can be wired as: 120VAC (low voltage) or 208-230 VAC (high
voltage)
3 Phase motors can be wired as: 240VAC (low voltage) or 480 VAC (high voltage)
o Motor / Pump Rotation
Our std. motors allow for rotation in either direction to suit the pump req.
For 1 Phase interchange wires 5 & 8, for 3 Phase interchange any 2 power
leads
Wiring Basics – Pump Motors
10. Wiring Basics – Actuated Valves
o Wiring includes: 6 Wires plus ground & #14 AWG wire
o Wiring schematic inside the housing of the actuator
Important to check this schematic because it may differ from generic
valve data sheets
o Limit Switch Feedback Wiring
1 Neutral
2 120 or other power to close
3 120 or other power to open
4 COM wire for limit switches unless internal line power used
5 Close limit switch signal
6 Open limit switch signal
GGround
11. Wiring Basics – Solenoid Valves
o Basics – Normally Open or Close, require 2 wires and sometimes a
ground (for 120VAC the wires are 120VAC power and neutral)
o Mechanics – Panel operates a relay to send power to the panel to
energize the valve and change state
When De-energized the valve return to its normal position
Continuous operation is advised against due to the
vibration and heat generated during usage
o Relays isolate the solenoid from the PLC
Power to solenoid is typically fused, so shorts will not effect
the PLC
12. Wiring Basics – On/Off Sensors
o Example of On/Off Sensors:
Level Switches, Leak Sensors, Flow Switches, Pressure Switches,
Current Sensors, & Low-High Outputs from other panels
o Mechanics – The control panel sends out voltage to the sensor, the sensor
changes states, which changes the status of the PLC input (used in logic)
o Many On/Off sensors (level-leak-flow) are reed switches
Thin metal elements which are drawn into contact with a magnet to
complete a circuit
Reed switches are sensitive to over-current damage
Ground fault because of wire damage/bad connections/water
13. o Analog Sensors: transmitters for level, pressure, temperature & flow
0-10VDC or 4-20mA output, input is typically 24VDC
o Loop Power
2 wires (+ and -) power the device and provide a signal
Other sensors require 3 wires for power( +,-,signal)
o Wired with stranded THHN or more commonly jacketed cable
Twisted wires and shielding increase signal integrity
Wiring Basics – Analog Sensors
14. o RS-232 & RS-485
Circuit require twisted and shielded cables, 18-22 AWG conductors
o Ethernet
CAT5 or CAT6 with industrial outer jacket
Ethernet cables require special RJ-45 connectors on each end
1 Orange/White
2 Orange
3 Green/White
4 Blue
5 Blue/White
6 Green
7 Brown/White
8 Brown
o Data Cables should be in a separate conduit than power/signal
Wiring Basics – Data Communications