Basic Electrical Abbreviations

Electrical abbreviations play a vital role in the everyday work of engineers and technicians in various fields. They serve as a reliable and efficient method of communication, ensuring consistency and facilitating clear technical information exchange. These abbreviations act as a universal language, enabling professionals to convey electrical system and component details swiftly and accurately. By streamlining communication, they effectively minimize the risk of misunderstandings and errors. Professionals in industries such as HVAC, telecommunications, manufacturing, and many others rely on electrical abbreviations on a daily basis.

Belimo has written a cool post where they have collected the most common electrical abbreviations that engineers and field technicians use for easy reference. Check it out below!

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Current
DC = Direct Current
AC = Alternating Current
VDC = Direct Current Voltage
VAC = Alternating Current Voltage
A = Ampere
mA = Milliampere = (1000 mA = 1 A)
µA = microampere (1,000,000 µA = 1 A)
kA = kiloampere (1 kA = 1000 A)
VA= Volt Amp
I = Common symbol for current in mathematical formulas

Voltage

V = Volt*
mV - millivolts (1000 mV = 1 V)
kV - kilovolts (1 kV = 1000 V)
E = Common symbol for voltage in mathematical formulas
(*I.S.O. standard indicates “U” to be used for voltage)

Resistance

O = Ohm
kO = Kilo-ohm (1 kO = 1000 O)
MO = Megaohm (1 MO = 1,000,000 O)
R = Common symbol for resistance in mathematical formulas
Ohm's Law
E = Voltage I = Current R = Resistance
E = I x R (Example: I = 20mA, R = 500O Therefore, E = .020 x 500 = 10V)
R = E/I (Example: E = 1.35V, I = 10mA Therefore, R = 1.35/.010 = 135O)
I = E/R (Example: E = 120V, R = 50O Therefore, 120/50 = 2.4A)

Power

W = Watt
mW = milliwatt (1000 mW = 1 W)
kW = kilowatt (1 kW = 1000 W)
MW = megawatt (1 MW = 1,000,000 W)
(*I.S.O. standard indicates “P” for power)
Power Calculations
W = E x I
Example: E = 24V, I = 260mA Therefore, 24 x .260 = 6.24W

W = R x I2
Example 1: R = 100 , I = 3A
100 x 32 = 100 x 9 = 900W
Example 2: R = 500 , I = 20mA = .020A
500 x .0202 = 500 x .0004 = .2W or 200mW

W = E2/R
Example: E = 24V, R = 100, Therefore, 242/100 = 576/100 = 5.76W

Capacitance

F = Farads
µF = microfarads (1,000,000 µF = 1 F)
nF = nanofarads (1,000,000,000 nF = 1 F)
pF = picofarads (1,000,000,000,000 pF = 1 F)

Inductance

H = Henry
mH = millihenry (1000 mH = 1 H)
µH = microhenry (1,000,000 µH = 1 H)

Frequency

Hz = Hertz
kHz = kilohertz (1 kHz = 1000 Hz)
MHz = megahertz (1 MHz = 1,000,000 Hz)
GHz = gigahertz (1 GHz = 1,000,000,000 Hz)

Impedance
Z - Impedance (measured in O)

Conductance
S - Siemen
mS - Millisiemen (1000 mS = 1 S)