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Electrical & Electronics Engineering vocabulary · Standards and Documentation

Rating

Meaning in electrical & electronics engineering, with examples

/ˈreɪtɪŋ/nounCore term

In electrical & electronics engineering, rating means: The maximum voltage, current, power or temperature that a device is designed to handle safely in normal use, as stated by the manufacturer. Rated values appear on nameplates and in datasheets.

In Turkish: anma değeri, nominal değer, etiket değeri

How it is used

Used constantly with numbers: a 16 A rating, a 600 V rating, an IP65 rating. Engineers check that every part is 'rated for' the application and talk about rated voltage, rated current and power rating. Derating means using a part below its full rating for safety or longer life.

Example sentences

  1. The connector has a current rating of only 3 A, but the heater draws 5 A.

  2. Check the voltage rating of the capacitor before you use it on the 48 V rail.

Common collocations

  • current rating
  • voltage rating
  • power rating
  • rated current
  • IP rating
  • datasheetA document from the manufacturer that gives a component's specifications: ratings, electrical characteristics, pin descriptions, package drawings and typical application circuits.
  • fuseA safety device with a thin metal link that melts and breaks the circuit when the current is too high. Once it has blown, it has to be replaced.
  • overloadA condition in which a circuit, cable or machine carries more current or power than it is rated for over a period of time. Unlike a short circuit, it builds up heat gradually.
  • toleranceThe allowed difference between a component's real value and its nominal value, usually given as a percentage. A 1 kΩ resistor with 5% tolerance can measure anywhere from 950 Ω to 1050 Ω.
  • transformerA device that transfers AC power from one winding to another through a shared magnetic core, usually to step the voltage up or down. It does not work with DC.

More terms: Standards and Documentation

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