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Electrical symbols
34 electrical schematic and circuit diagram symbols: passive components, semiconductors, switches and relays, protection, sources, loads and wiring, each drawn the ANSI way and the IEC 60617 way. Free to download as SVG, or as printable charts.
Standards and references
How to read an electrical schematic
A schematic shows how a circuit works. Start with the supply, then follow each path to its load:
- Sources and protection: the supply, transformer, fuses and circuit breakers.
- Control: switches, push buttons and relay contacts, all drawn in their normal state.
- Coils and loads: relay coils, motors and lamps, at the end of each path.
- Connections: a dot where wires join, no dot where they cross, and terminals where wires leave the panel.
The full walkthrough, with a start-stop example, is on how to read an electrical schematic.
Which standards electrical symbols follow
- IEEE 315 (ANSI Y32.2): the US standard, with zigzag resistors and ladder-diagram contacts.
- IEC 60617: the international standard, with a number for every symbol.
Compare them on IEC vs ANSI electrical symbols. For power one-lines see the single line diagram symbols, and for process drawings the P&ID symbols.
Using these symbols
Every symbol on this page was drawn by Deskely. You are free to use them in your own drawings, documents and training material.
Frequently asked questions
What are electrical symbols?
Standard graphic symbols for components on electrical schematics and circuit diagrams: resistors, capacitors, switches, relays, fuses, grounds, motors and so on, so a circuit can be read by anyone who knows the standard.
Which standards define electrical symbols?
IEC 60617 internationally and IEEE 315 (ANSI Y32.2) in the US. Each project or company also issues a legend, which takes precedence.
What is the symbol for a resistor?
A zigzag line in ANSI / IEEE 315 and a plain rectangle in IEC 60617.
What is the difference between NO and NC contacts?
A normally open (NO) contact is open until its relay or button operates it. A normally closed (NC) contact is closed until operated. Both are drawn in their normal state.
What does a dot mean where wires cross?
The wires are connected. Wires that cross without a dot are not connected.
Can I use these symbols in my own drawings?
Yes. The symbols on this page were drawn by Deskely and are free to use in your own drawings, documents and training material.
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