Types of Electrical Diagrams or Schematics
Electrical circuits can be represented in three ways: wiring diagrams, schematic diagrams, and pictorial diagrams. The most commonly used types are wiring diagrams and schematic diagrams. Below is a comparison of these two types of diagrams.
Comparison Between Wiring and Schematic Diagrams
| Wiring Diagrams | Schematic Diagrams |
|---|---|
| 1. Emphasize connections between elements of a circuit or system. | 1. Emphasize the "flow" of the system. |
| 2. Use horizontal and vertical lines to represent the wires. | 2. Use horizontal and vertical lines to show system flow. |
| 3. Use simplified pictorials that clearly resemble circuit/system components. | 3. Use symbols indicating the function of equipment, though they do not look like the actual equipment. |
| 4. Place equipment and wiring on the drawing to approximate the actual physical location in the real circuit. | 4. Drawing layout is designed to show the "flow" of the system as it functions, not the physical layout of the equipment. |
Pictorial diagrams are not commonly found in engineering applications due to several limitations. The example below illustrates how a schematic diagram compares to a pictorial equivalent. It is evident that the pictorial version is less useful than the schematic, particularly when attempting to gather enough information to repair a circuit or understand its operation.
