Understanding Loop Impedance and Why it is Important

Measuring or calculating loop impedance is essential when determining the prospective short circuit current in a circuit so that the correct overload protection is used. A fundamental question must be answered WILL THE PROTECTION DEVICE FUNCTION DURING A FAULT CONDITION? Lets consider the difference between fault level current rating and prospective short circuit current. The fault level current rating can be seen on a circuit breaker for example as 6 kA. This means that the breaker is able to withstand up to 6000 Amps for a short period without being destroyed. Its tripping time depends on the type of breaker and this information is available from the manufacturer or in the Wiring Rules. To determine the fault current rating for an overload device the maximum current that can be delivered to that point must be considered. Loop impedance at that point and the previous protective device will determine the correct rating. For example lets look at a single=phase transformer with a rating of 1000 Amps. In a short circuit it may deliver 20 times that rating and the overload device must be able to withstand that current before tripping. In other words the protection device must not melt , the contacts must not weld together while the fault is present and the device must be capable of opening under fault conditions. So the fuses or breaker that protects the secondary circuit of the transformer must be rated higher than 20 kA. The capability of this protective device would determine the fault current rating of the next overload protection device until finally the rating for the final sub-circuit is determined. Prospective short circuit current measured in an installation is used to consider whether the circuit is capable of carrying sufficient current so as to trip the overload device in the specified time. Lets consider how current will flow in a circuit with a short.

Illustration of the system from the supply source to a building.

If the short occurs between active and neutral in the installation near the meter board in the above diagram current would flow from the transformer via the active (red) line through the short and return via the neutral to the meter board and then to the transformer through the neutral (black) conductor and the earth (green). The total impedance of this circuit is the loop impedance. With the loop impedance value the prospective short circuit can be calculated using Ohms Law. Let us now consider how a loop impedance meter would measure the above circuit.

What the meter would measure due to the MEN link is as in the above drawing. The active line Impedance would be calculated as ZL = (Zn1//Ze1) + Zl1 + Zl2 with ZL = Impedance of the active line. The meter cannot measure the separate impedances of neutral and earth beyond the MEN link.

The above drawing shows what the actual circuit is like and for the T2726 to measure impedances for active, neutral and earth the MEN link must be removed. With the MEN link removed a loop impedance meter can clearly indicate impedances and locate faults such as loose connections on an electrical network. Loop impedances can be calculated as per appendix B of the Wiring Rules or measured with a suitable test instrument. Using a test instrument may give you a more accurate reading of the circuit because it will include all factors in the line such as bad connections and back e.m.f.s generated by adjacent electrical lines and other loads being present on the system at the time of the test Note that impedance on the active and neutral lines are dynamic due to other sub circuits attached to that line and their changes. The earth impedance without the MEN connection would be constant. The Toptronic T2726 Electrical Network Analyser is an easy to use processor controlled test instrument, ideal for measuring loop impedance on 240 V supply. The instrument can be connected to the circuit at the distribution board or to a standard GPO. The test should be conducted at the furthest GPO in the installation to determine the worst case. The instrument records and shows the following information: The unit will first record the true rms Voltages between active and neutral and active and earth. These two voltages should be similar due to the MEN link. The instrument then injects a known current into circuit loops i.e. active/neutral and active/earth. The impedance of these loops is then stored and displayed.

Individual impedances of the active line plus the transformer coil, the neutral line and the earth path are displayed. The prospective short circuit currents of active/neutral and active/earth are calculated by the instrument from the voltage and impedance readings and finally shown on the LCD. The meter will scroll through the above readings at the touch of a single button Note that when conducting loop impedance measurements, any RCD must be bypassed to avoid tripping. The T2726 injects about 12 A into the circuit to obtain an accurate impedance reading. Alternatively instruments that do not trip the RCD, inject around 15 mA into the circuit. However accuracy will be affected due to the low current and accurate low impedances cannot be obtained. Accurate low impedance is essential to calculate the correct prospective short current of the loop. Cabac offers the Unitest Telaris installation tester T9073 with the option to test loop resistance without tripping the RCD.

T9073 Installation Tester

T22726 Electrical Network Analyser

High value of prospective short circuit current can vary dramatically due to small changes in impedance. Example: V=Zx I Therefore: I = 240/0.03 = 8000 Amps OR: I = 240/0.01 = 24 000 Amps Notice the vast change in current for a very minor difference in impedance. Obtaining accuracy at very low impedances is very difficult and a high current is required. Using the loop impedance values, the tripping time of circuit breakers or fuses in the circuit can be determined. Clause 1.7.4.3.4 of the wiring rules states the required maximum times for circuit disconnection. The times are either (a) 0.4 seconds and or (b) 0.5 seconds. Then consider the overload protection used. Say it is a Class C 16A circuit breaker. In order to trip in the specified time the loop impedance cannot be more than 1.93 Ohms. The prospective short circuit current the circuit must be able to carry must be at least 7.5 times 16 A, which is 120 Amps. So in other words if Zs is the loop impedance from the transformer via the active to the short and back to the transformer via earth conductor and finally the earth/neutral, then a Type C circuit breaker would trip in time if that circuit can carry more than 7.5 times the rated current of the breaker. The worst situation would be if the breaker could never trip because the circuit can only carry that breakers rated current or less in the event of a short. Many trade persons consider the loop impedance test to be of little consequence because if the cable sizes are all correct then the overload protection will work adequately. The other day I had a call from an electrician working in an industrial site supplied by two transformers on poles 30 meters away from the main board. The cables were 240 mm2 copper and on testing the loop impedance he determined that the prospective short circuit current was around 490 Amps instead of the required 900 Amps for the type C main circuit breaker with a trip rating of 120 Amps. This breaker would trip after a time lapse of more than 2 seconds and not the required 0.5 seconds. The reason for the high impedance was not determined at the time of writing, but could be a bad connection. At first thought the resistance of 30 meters of 240 mm2 conductor is 0.0022 Ohms, with the return neutral should be well within the required range and not the 0.5 Ohms measured. The solution would be to change the breaker to a type B, or contact the power authority to investigate the high impedance and make the necessary improvement.

Using a loop impedance meter is useful in determining if the breaker can carry the load during the time it takes to open the circuit and determine the time the overload device could take to open. Using a loop impedance meter or network analyser is optional according to the wiring rules. However its use is essential for testing installations and will improve confidence and safety in ensuring that overload protection will operate correctly. It is also very useful in fault finding such as locating loose connections.