Applying Protection parameters to Power System designs

Terms

Ampacity:

It is the maximum current, in amperes, that a conductor can carry continuously under
the conditions of use without exceeding its temperature rating. The Ampacity of a
conductor varies with the conditions of use as well as with the temperature rating of the
conductor insulation.

Overcurrent:

It is any current in excess of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a

conductor. It may result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. They can occur as a
result of normal conditions such as motor starting, or abnormal conditions such as a
fault.

Overload:

It is the Operation of equipment in excess of normal, full-load rating, or of a conductor in

excess of rated ampacity that, when it persists for a sufficient length of time, would
cause damage or dangerous overheating. A fault, such as a short circuit or ground fault,
is not an overload.
Examples for overloads:

One type of overload is when there are too many devices on a circuit. You might
notice that the lights dim when your air conditioner comes on, or that a cable or
equipment is hotter than normal.

An overload may also occur when a single high amperage device is added to a
circuit that is already marginally sized for the demand.

Short Circuits:

Short circuits usually occur when abnormally high currents flow due to the failure of the
insulation of the conductors. When the insulation between phases or between phases
and ground breaks down, short circuit currents can be expected to flow into the fault. A
short circuit is limited only by the capabilities of the distribution system.
Large currents are associated with short circuits which can cause heating, magnetic
stress and arcing. The amount of current that is available in a short circuit is determined
by the capacity of the system voltage sources and the impedances of the system,
including the fault.
There are several types of short circuits:
1.

Bolted fault,

2.

Arcing faults

3.

Ground faults

1- Bolted Fault:
A bolted fault is a short circuit of very high magnitude. The magnitude of a bolted fault is
greater than that of an arcing fault and is the value used for most fault calculations. The
principle effects of a high value short circuit are heating and magnetic stresses that vary
as the square of the current.
Excessive values of magnetic stress can result in damage to insulation, conductors and
components involved in the fault. It can also be extreme enough to burn through
raceways and equipment enclosures.
Insulation damage in electrical conductors is usually the result of overload conditions.
When an overload condition exists, the temperature builds up between the conductor
and the insulation, which can reduce the life of the conductor and result in a short circuit
as the insulation fails.
2- Arcing Fault:
An arcing fault results from a gap between two electrodes (such as a loose wire on a
terminal block).
3- Ground Fault:
Ground faults normally occur either by accidental contact of an energized conductor with
normally grounded metal, or as a result of an insulation failure of an energized
conductor. Normal phase overcurrent protective devices provide no protection against
low level ground faults.
Ground-Fault Protection of Equipment:
It is a system intended to provide protection of equipment from damaging line-to-ground
fault currents by operating to cause a disconnecting means to open all ungrounded
conductors of the faulted circuit. This protection is provided at current levels less than
those required to protect conductors from damage through the operation of a supply
circuit overcurrent device.
Short-Circuit Current Rating:(see below image)

it is the prospective symmetrical fault current at a nominal voltage to which an

apparatus or system is able to be connected without sustaining damage exceeding
defined acceptance criteria.
Interrupting Rating: (see below image)

It is The highest current at rated voltage that a device is identified to interrupt under
standard test conditions.
Equipment intended to interrupt current at other than fault levels may have its
interrupting rating implied in other ratings, such as horsepower or locked rotor current.
Current-Limiting Overcurrent Protective Device:
It is A device that, when interrupting currents in its current-limiting range, reduces the
current flowing in the faulted circuit to a magnitude substantially less than that

obtainable in the same circuit if the device were replaced with a solid conductor having
comparable impedance.
There are two levels of overcurrent protection within branch circuits:
1.

branch-circuit overcurrent protection

2.

supplementary overcurrent protection.

1- Overcurrent Protective Device, Branch-Circuit:

It is a device capable of providing protection for service, feeder, and branch circuits and
equipment over the full range of overcurrent between its rated current and its
interrupting rating.
Branch-circuit overcurrent protective devices are provided with interrupting ratings
appropriate for the intended use but no less than 5000 amperes.
The protection provided may be overload, short-circuit, or ground-fault or a combination,
depending on the application.

2- Overcurrent Protective Device, Supplementary:

It is a device intended to provide limited overcurrent protection for specific applications
and utilization equipment such as luminaires and appliances. This limited protection is in

addition to the protection provided in the required branch circuit by the branch-circuit
overcurrent protective device.
The definition of supplementary overcurrent protection device makes two important
distinctions between overcurrent protective devices:

First, the use of a supplementary device is specifically limited to a few

applications.

Second, where it is used, the supplementary device must be in addition to and be

protected by the more robust branch-circuit overcurrent protective device.
Coordination (Selectivity):
It is Localization of an overcurrent condition to restrict outages to the circuit or
equipment affected, accomplished by the choice of overcurrent protective devices and
their ratings or settings.

Overcurrent protective devices, such as fuses and circuit breakers, have

time/current characteristics (TCC) that determine the time it takes to clear the fault for a
given value of fault current. Selectivity occurs when the device closest to the fault opens
before the next device upstream operates.

For example, any fault on a branch circuit should open the branch-circuit breaker
rather than the feeder overcurrent protection. All faults on a feeder should open the
feeder overcurrent protection rather than the service overcurrent protection.

When selectivity occurs, the electrical system is considered to be coordinated.

With coordinated overcurrent protection, the faulted or overloaded circuit is isolated by
the selective operation of only the overcurrent protective device closest to the
overcurrent condition.

The main goal of selective coordination is to isolate the faulted portion of the
electrical circuit quickly while at the same time maintaining power to the remainder of
the electrical system.

The electrical system overcurrent protection must guard against short circuits and
ground faults to ensure that the resulting damage is minimized while other parts of the
system not directly involved with the fault are kept operational until other protective
devices clear the fault.
Rule#1: Sizing of overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs)
As per NEC section 210.20(A) and 21.5.3(A), Where a branch circuit or Feeders supplies
continuous loads or any combination of continuous and non-continuous loads, the rating
of the overcurrent device shall not be less than the non-continuous load plus 125 percent
of the continuous load.
Rating of the overcurrent device = non-continuous load + 125 % of the continuous load
Example:

A store has a lighting branch circuit which includes 4 lighting luminaires, each luminaire
draw 4 Amps and is working for more than 3 hours. What the Rating of the overcurrent
device required for this branch circuit?
Solution:
Once the lighting luminaires are working more than 3 hours, it will be continuous load.
By applying rule #1:
Rating of the overcurrent device = non-continuous load + 125 % of the continuous load
= 0 + 125 % x (4x4A) = 20 A
By applying rule#1: Rating of the overcurrent device = non-continuous load + 125 % of
the continuous load = 15 + 125 % x 10 = 27.5 A
27.5 A is not a standard overcurrent device size. The next larger size is 30 amps. The
Rating of the overcurrent device should be rated 30 amps.
Exception to Rule#1
Where the assembly, including the overcurrent devices protecting the branch circuit(s) or
Feeders, is listed for operation at 100 per cent of its rating, the ampere rating of the
overcurrent device shall be permitted to be not less than the sum of the continuous load
plus the non continuous load.
Rule#2: Relation between overcurrent device Rating and Circuit/Feeder Amapacity
As per NEC Section 210.19(A)(1), The rating of the overcurrent device cannot exceed the
final ampacity of the circuit/feeder conductors after all the derating or correction factors
have been applied, such as for temperature or number of conductors.
Rule#3: General Rule for overcurrent Protection of Conductors

Select an overcurrent protection device (OCPD) that protects conductors (other than
flexible cords, flexible cables, and fixture wires) based on their ampacities (after
application of ampacity correction and adjustment per NEC section 310.15).
- Small Conductors

Unless specifically permitted in 240.4(E) or (G), the OCPD rating for Small Conductors
shall not exceed the following:

Size of Conductor
18 AWG Copper

OCPD
Conditions
rating
7A
(1) Continuous loads do not exceed 5.6 amperes.
(2) Overcurrent protection is provided by one of the
following:

16 AWG Copper

10 A

14 AWG Copper
12 AWG Aluminum
and Copper-Clad
Aluminum
12 AWG Copper
10 AWG Aluminum
and Copper-Clad
Aluminum
10 AWG Copper

15 A
15 A
20 A
25 A
30 A

a. Branch-circuit-rated circuit breakers/ fuses listed

and marked for use with 18 AWG copper wire
b. Class CC, Class J, or Class T fuses
(1) Continuous loads do not exceed 8 amperes.
(2) Overcurrent protection is provided by one of the
following:
a. Branch-circuit-rated circuit breakers/fuses listed
and marked for use with 16 AWG copper wire
b. Class CC, Class J, or Class T fuses