Yes in my research that is one of things I learned that lighting and outlets are separate. There are several language differences such as the radial reference, but we are both talking about the same thing. We are converting a small cottage into a large kitchen for a Christian youth camp. So they can feed all the kids as they stay there for the week. There will be blue prints and inspections. They are running a larger feeder cable underground to the cottage as we speak.
The difference between UK & USA English is subtle and large at the same time.
For electrics here are a few that I can think of:
- panel = Distribution Board (DB) for commercial, or Consumer Unit (CU) for domestic work.
- breaker = Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) for small systems (to about 63A) or Moulded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB) for larger stuff to 630A or so.
- GFCI = Residual Current Device (RCD) general case, or Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB)
- AFCI = Arc Fault Detection Device (AFDD) here normally part of an RCBO (combined MCB & RCD)
- wire gauge = Cross Sectional Area (CSA) normally in mm^2 as actual area, not AWG (or SWG the old British style)
- ground = Earth, or Circuit Protective Conductor (CPC)
- hot = line / L ("live" strictly means current-carrying, so both L & N)
- cold = neutral / N
- wye = star
There are a range of other differences you will see. Obvious one is 50Hz instead of 60Hz, but
most stuff here is 230V single-phase.
You do see 110V (as two-phase 55V-0V-55V) with yellow connectors on building sites for added safety, and occasionally 230V-0V-230V on rural properties, but generally if you need above 100A / 230V you get 3-phase here (400V delta / 230V wye) except for very large sites with private transformers where you might see 690V/400V 3-phase or event MV systems at 3.3kV or more.
The UK also likes fuses. Not just in our 13A plugs, but most installations have HRC fuses at the incomer and even MV motors, etc, often have fuses for fault protection. Related to this we have less of a focus on arc-flash energy limits, etc. Yes, it is still an issue on big sites but you won't see labels on everything warning you of energy levels as is see in the USA. It still pays to have a visor, gloves, etc, if working on big stuff as even with the energy limiting of fuses it can make for a
VERY bad day.
As mentioned above, usually we treat light circuits as distinct from "power". Occasionally for something simple like a garage you might feed the lights off a 20A power socket circuit using a Fused Connection Unit (FCU) which is usually a switch and a fuse in the 3-13A region (3A typically for lights).
Normally we have the RCD/RCBO protecting the whole circuit (i.e. protective device is in the CU), not like the USA with GFCI/AFCI at the sockets themselves, but you do occasionally see RCD protected sockets here.
Due to our fused plugs and limited power demands it was common in old houses to maybe have just 3 circuits, cooker (30A), sockets (30A), and lights (5A) but today you would expect at least two light circuits and two socket circuits in most places, along with a few dedicated circuits like immersion heater, etc.
Also as
@DPG mentioned we have a strong emphasis on testing, both:
- "dead" before energising where the insulation resistance is checked for obvious faults/damage at 500V (or 250V in some cases), and DC loop resistance of the live (hot) and CPC (ground wire) to prove both polarity and the fault clearing times will be met.
- "live" after energising to check the final circuit prospective fault current (PFC) / prospective short circuit current (PSCC) is within sane limits (i.e. that the MCB, etc, can safely clear a fault), the AC loop impedance 'Zs' is low enough for fault disconnection times to be met, and that RCD trip times are within specification.