This document discusses overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs) such as fuses and circuit breakers. It defines an overcurrent as current exceeding the rating of conductors or equipment, which can result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. There are three types of current flow: normal intended current, abnormal overcurrent up to 10 times normal known as overload, and abnormal overcurrent over 10 times normal known as a short circuit. OCPDs protect equipment by opening the circuit when they detect an overcurrent condition. The document provides information on sizing and locating OCPDs, and describes the components and functions of fuses and circuit breakers.
This document discusses overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs) such as fuses and circuit breakers. It defines an overcurrent as current exceeding the rating of conductors or equipment, which can result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. There are three types of current flow: normal intended current, abnormal overcurrent up to 10 times normal known as overload, and abnormal overcurrent over 10 times normal known as a short circuit. OCPDs protect equipment by opening the circuit when they detect an overcurrent condition. The document provides information on sizing and locating OCPDs, and describes the components and functions of fuses and circuit breakers.
This document discusses overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs) such as fuses and circuit breakers. It defines an overcurrent as current exceeding the rating of conductors or equipment, which can result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. There are three types of current flow: normal intended current, abnormal overcurrent up to 10 times normal known as overload, and abnormal overcurrent over 10 times normal known as a short circuit. OCPDs protect equipment by opening the circuit when they detect an overcurrent condition. The document provides information on sizing and locating OCPDs, and describes the components and functions of fuses and circuit breakers.
This document discusses overcurrent protection devices (OCPDs) such as fuses and circuit breakers. It defines an overcurrent as current exceeding the rating of conductors or equipment, which can result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. There are three types of current flow: normal intended current, abnormal overcurrent up to 10 times normal known as overload, and abnormal overcurrent over 10 times normal known as a short circuit. OCPDs protect equipment by opening the circuit when they detect an overcurrent condition. The document provides information on sizing and locating OCPDs, and describes the components and functions of fuses and circuit breakers.
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Over current Protective Devices
Shiela Pomida
What is an Over Current?
An overcurrent exists when current exceeds the rating of conductors or equipment.
It can result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault. There are three basic types of current flow in an electrical circuit:
1. Normal intended current flow to operate electrical equipment.
2. Abnormal overcurrent flow with a value of up to 10 times normal current
flow. This is known as an overload.
3. Abnormal overcurrent flow with a value more than 10 times the normal current flow is known as short-circuit or fault current flow
An overload is a condition in which equipment or conductors carry current
exceeding their rated ampacity.
A short circuit is the unintentional electrical connection between any two
normally current-carrying conductors of a circuit (line-to-line or line-toneutral).
An OCPD protects equipment by opening when it detects an overload, short
circuit, or ground fault.
OCPDs
Every piece of electrical equipment must have a short-circuit current rating
that permits the OCPD to clear short circuits or ground faults for that equipment without extensive damage to the circuit's electrical components.
OCPDs protect conductors and equipment by opening the circuit.
OCPDs protect against excess heat generated by overcurrent sources like
overload, short circuit, or ground fault.
Size OCPDs to keep conductors from exceeding their ampacities.
Fuses
In electronics and electrical engineering, a fuse (from the French fuse,
Italian fuso, "spindle") is a type of low resistance resistor that acts as a sacrificial device to provide overcurrent protection, of either the load or source circuit. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts when too much current flows through it, interrupting the circuit that it
connects. Short circuits, overloading, mismatched loads, or device failure are
the prime reasons for excessive current. Fuses are an alternative to circuit breakers.
A fuse interrupts excessive current ("blows") so that further damage by
overheating or fire is prevented. Wiring regulations often define a maximum fuse current rating for particular circuits. Over current protection devices are essential in electrical systems to limit threats to human life and property damage.
Circuit Breakers
Circuit Breakers contain a resettable latch which acts like an ON-OFF switch for the normal current flow. When abnormal current flows through the circuit breaker, the latch trips, and the indicator on the outside of the circuit breaker moves into the OFF position. Once the overcurrent problem has been corrected, the indicator lever can be reset into the ON position, which simultaneously resets the latch inside the circuit breaker.
Parts of a Circuit Breaker
Panel Boards
distribution board (also known as panelboard or breaker panel) is a
component of an electricity supply system which divides an electrical power feed into subsidiary circuits, while providing a protective fuse or circuit breaker for each circuit in a common enclosure. Normally, a main switch, and in recent boards, one or more residual-current devices (RCD) or residual current breakers with overcurrent protection (RCBO), are also incorporated.
OCPD location
Locate OCPDs so you prevent exposure to physical damage. But also make the OCPDs readily accessible, Readily accessible means located so a person can reach the OCPD quickly without having to climb over or remove obstacles. Supplementary OCPDs, which are often used for luminaires, appliances, or for internal circuits and components of equipment, don't need to be readily accessible. OCPDs located next to the equipment they supply can be accessible by portable means.
Each occupant must have ready access to all OCPDs that protect the conductors that supply that occupancy, with a few exceptions.
Service and feeder OCPDs need not be accessible to occupants of multipleoccupancy buildings or guest rooms of hotels and motels if electric maintenance is provided under continuous building management, and branch-circuit OCPDs need not be accessible to occupants of guest rooms of
hotels and motels if electric maintenance is provided in a facility under
continuous building management.
However, there are two location restrictions. Don't locate OCPDs near easily ignitable material. For example, keep them out of clothes closets. Don't locate them in the bathrooms of dwelling units or guest rooms of hotels or motels. Note that prohibits locating the service disconnect in any bathroom.
