Understanding Blueprints: Electrical Symbols Explained

When we are starting to learn to read blueprints (and even after we know how really!), learning what all the symbols stand for can be quite confusing. In today’s episode of Electrician U, Dustin walks us through the different electrical symbols and their meanings.

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There are so many symbols that architects and engineers have access to use that there is no way for one video to cover them all. Also, something to keep in mind is that one architect/engineer may use one type for a device while another architect/engineer will use another. Look at the symbol legend for each set of drawings you have access to and see what is being used for. After some time reading drawings, you will learn the general types of symbols and be able to recognize them.
For the most popular general power type symbols, a circle with 2 lines represents a duplex receptacle. A circle with 3 lines represents a 220v receptacle. This can also be shown with the numerals 220 next to the symbol. A circle with 2 vertical and 2 horizontal lines represents a quad (or double duplex) receptacle. Many times, you will have the standard receptacle symbol with letters/words next to it denoting what type of receptacle. APP generally means a dedicated appliance, CT usually means it goes ABOVE counter height, GFCI (or GFI for us older folks) stands for a ground fault circuit interrupter receptacle (WP GFCI means it’s a weatherproof version).
Switching is usually denoted by a $ symbol. This is a generic version of a switch, and the letters/numbers are actually telling us what type of switch to install. If the $ has a 3 next to it, it is a 3-way switch while a $ with a 4 next to it is denoting a 4-way switch. A $D symbol means it is a dimmer, while a $OS stands for occupancy sensor switch (automatically turns on and off based on movement/lack of movement in a room). A KP symbol denotes a keypad location. Any time you see multiple $ symbols right next to each other that tells us how many switches are in a single location. So $$$$ would be a 4-gang switch location. Also, you may see letters next to certain switches in a single location, $$D$ for example. That means that the center switch in a 3-gang location is a dimmer.
Lighting fixtures also have their share of symbols. A circle with bisecting vertical and horizontal lines usually denotes a hanging type of light. If that symbol has the nomenclature Chan next to it, that stands for a chandelier while a Pend word is indicative of a pendant type of fixture. The same symbol with a square around it is a standard 5-6” can while a smaller version of the symbol will usually mean a mini can of the 3-4” version. A symbol that looks like an I beam (or a very elongated H) near cabinetry is an undercabinet fixture and will usually say UC or UCL next to the symbol. A variant of this is an above cabinet fixture and the symbol will state ACL. Track lighting is another popular symbol that looks like a simple line but will have triangles on the sides. These triangles are the actual track lighting heads themselves and the quantity that is shown on the symbol itself is the quantity they are expecting and facing the direction shown.