NATE Air Conditioning and Heat Pumps Practice Exam

Which of the following statements about understanding wiring diagrams is not true?

1. Electricity always follows the path of least resistance

2. Every circuit must have a load that consumes power in exchange for work

3. Every circuit must have a power source

4. Schematics are always shown with the circuits energized

The correct answer is: Schematics are always shown with the circuits energized

Understanding wiring diagrams is crucial in the field of air conditioning and heat pumps, as these diagrams provide a visual representation of electrical circuits. The statement regarding schematics not always showing circuits energized is not true; schematics can represent both energized and de-energized states of a circuit. In many instances, wiring diagrams will depict the connections and relationships between components regardless of whether the circuit is currently powered. This is especially important for troubleshooting and design purposes, as technicians need to understand how the components interact and what the system should look like in each state. The other statements are facts about electrical circuit principles. Electricity indeed follows the path of least resistance, which is a core concept in understanding how current moves through a system. Additionally, every circuit must contain a load to perform work, and must also have a power source to initiate that work. Thus, while the energized state can be represented in schematics, not all diagrams are exclusively focused on circuits being powered.