Ugly’s Electrical References – Chapter 1 Deep Dive

📘 Chapter 1: General Information

This isn’t the flashiest chapter—but it’s the one you’ll reference the most. It’s all about giving you fast answers when the clock is ticking, and there’s no time to open the NEC.

⚙️ What’s Inside Chapter 1?

📐 Conversion Tables

Quick conversions for:

• Feet ↔ Meters

• Inches ↔ Millimeters

• Pounds ↔ Kilograms

• Fahrenheit ↔ Celsius

Field Example 1:
Running pipe underground in metric specs?
→ Need to dig 60 meters?
→ 60 m ÷ 0.3048 = 196.85 feet
✳️ Now you know how many sticks of 10' PVC you’ll need.

🔣 Greek Letters & Prefixes

• μ = micro (millionth)

• k = kilo (thousand)

• M = mega (million)

• G = giga (billion)

Field Example 2:
A motor is rated for 1.5 kW.
→ How many watts is that?
→ 1.5 × 1,000 = 1,500 watts

✳️ Now you can match the proper breaker and wire size.

📊 Common Constants & Formulas

• π (pi) = 3.1416

• Circumference = 2πr

• Area of Circle = πr²

• Volume of Cylinder = πr²h

Field Example 3:
Need to figure out how much concrete to order for a round light pole base?
→ Diameter: 18", Depth: 3'
→ Radius = 9" = 0.75 ft
→ Volume = π × 0.75² × 3 = 5.3 cu ft

✳️ Order 0.2 yards of concrete per pole base (round up). Easy math, less waste.

⚡ Symbols You See Daily

• Ω = Ohms (resistance)

• V = Volts

• A = Amps

• W = Watts

• Hz = Hertz (frequency)
  ✳️ This helps decode meter readings, nameplates, and prints.

🧾 Standard Electrical Abbreviations

• THHN = Thermoplastic High Heat Nylon

• EMT = Electrical Metallic Tubing

• MC = Metal-Clad Cable

• GFCI = Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter
  ✳️ If you’re reading plans or BOMs and don’t know these, you’re flying blind.

🧯 Safety Color Codes

• Red = Fire equipment

• Yellow = Physical hazard

• Green = Safety & first aid

• Orange = Dangerous machine parts

• Blue = Mandatory action (like “Wear PPE”)
  ✳️ Good to know when you’re labeling panels or creating safety signage on site.

🛠️ Field Wisdom: Why This Chapter Matters

Too many guys skip the basics and jump into the work. Chapter 1 keeps your numbers tight and your materials right. It backs up your takeoffs, troubleshooting, and even inspections.

💬 “The guy who knows his conversions and formulas is always one step ahead.”

✅ Quick-Glance Summary:

📎 Next Week: We get into the Ohm’s Law triangle and how it helps size wire, troubleshoot circuits, and avoid burnouts.

🧠 Pro Tip: Laminate your favorite 3–4 tables from Chapter 1 and tape them inside your gang box lid. It’ll save you time every week.