Grid 101

How the distribution grid is built, powered, and protected. The working fundamentals every buyer and new engineer needs.

1. 1 What the Distribution Grid Does The job of the distribution grid and where it sits between the substation and the meter. 6 min
2. 2 Voltage Levels and Why They Step Down Why power travels at high voltage and steps down in stages before it reaches a customer. Finish the lesson above to unlock this. Locked
3. 3 How the Grid Protects Itself Faults, the devices that clear them, and why a recloser tries again before it gives up. Locked
4. 4 Overhead vs Underground Distribution Why some lines hang on poles and others run in the ground, and what each choice costs. Locked
5. 5 Single-Phase and Three-Phase Why the grid uses three phases, and where single-phase taps off to serve homes. Locked
6. 6 The Service Drop and the Meter The last few feet: from the service transformer to the meter and into the building. Locked
7. 7 Conductors and What Limits Them Why a conductor has a current limit, and what ampacity depends on. Locked
8. 8 Measuring Reliability How utilities measure outages with SAIDI and SAIFI, and what each one tells you. Locked