Types of consumer
There are two main classes of electrical consumers, namely:
i. Domestic consumers
ii. Industrial consumers.
The domestic consumers , e.g. private houses, like bungalows and multi storey buildings, which are not for commercial purposes, utilize less electric power than commercial and industrial or institutional premised where the demand for electricity is much higher due to more electricity consuming activities.
The total electric power in kilowatts (1000 watts) of appliances such as cookers, fan , refrigerator, blenders , grinder, water heater and lighting fittings, for both incandescent and discharge lamps in private homes, when added up, is quite small compared with the power consumed by industrial machines. These electricity consuming appliances are generally referred to as electrical loads. An electrical circuit is said to be loaded when one or more appliances are connected to the circuit to form a complete current flow path. A circuit is referred to as an unloaded circuit when it Is ' off loaded', ie. When the load is removed by switching off.
