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The utility company is responsible for delivering power from the power plant to each building’s Service Entrance. Past the service entrance, it is the responsibility of the building owner to supply an internal distribution system to get the electricity to the various loads inside the building. Distributing Electricity For many years, electricity was distributed with ordinary rubber-covered copper wires. For safety reasons, this practice was stopped. Insulated wiring was then run through conduit or cable assemblies.
Figure 2. Older Distribution Methods But conduit and cabling have a serious disadvantage: flexibility. Once these types of systems are installed, they are difficult and expensive to reroute or modify. What is Busway? Then came Busway. Busway is an economical, modern method of distributing electricity within a building. Busway is similar to the tracks that an electric model train runs upon , both in looks and in function. Train track sections can be snapped together to form a number of different paths for the train to follow. Likewise, sections of busway can be connected together in nearly any configuration to get power to wherever it is needed . Because of this flexibility, busway is often less expensive to install. This is particularly true in an application where load locations are likely to change.
Figure 3. Busway is Like Model Train Track However, one major difference exists between train track and busway: voltage. The train track has exposed conductors. Because the voltage is relatively low, there is no danger of electrical shock. Busway carries a much higher voltage, and must be protected. For this reason, the conductors are insulated with an epoxy coating, and covered by an enclosure to prevent accidental contact . Specifically, the enclosure is made of 14- or 16-gauge aluminum. It has a protective finish and is generally acrylic-enameled. How is Busway Used? Busway does the same job as conduit and wire , by connecting sections together. The connection process is different – though analogous – for the two distribution systems. After the connection is made, the junction point is covered to protect it.
Figure 4. Joining Sections of Busway Vs. Joining Sections of Conduit and Wire
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