Calculation Of Short-Circuit Currents — Example Of 3-Phase Short-Circuit Calculation

Point-To-Point Method. Fault #1

Adequate interrupting rating and protection of electrical components 300 KVA, 2%Z, 3
120/208V Secondary MAIN SERVICE
are two essential aspects required by the NEC® 110.3(B), 110.9, PANEL Fault #2
110.10, 240.1, 250.4, 250.90, 250.96, and Table 250.122 Note.
The first step to ensure that system protective devices have the prop-
er interrupting rating and provide component protection is to determine
the available short-circuit currents. The application of the Point-To- Infinite
Primary
Point method can be used to determine the available short-circuit cur- Available
rents with a reasonable degree of accuracy at various points for either
3or 1electrical distribution systems. The example shown here 20', (2) 4-500 kcmil CU
Steel conduit
assumes unlimited primary short-circuit current (infinite bus). 20', 4 - 2 AWG CU
Steel conduit
BRANCH CIRCUIT PANEL
Basic Short-Circuit Calculation Procedure.
Procedure Formula FAULT #1
Step 1 Determine transf. KVA x 1000 KVA x 1000 300 x 1000
3o transf. IFLA = Step 1 IFLA = = = 833A
full-load amperes EL-L x 1.732 EL-L x 1.732 208 x 1.732
from either: 100 100
a) Name plate KVA x 1000 Step 2 Multiplier = = = 55.55
1o transf. IFLA =
b) Tables 3A & 3B EL-L .9x Transf. % Z
†† 1.8
c) Formula
Step 2 Find transformer 100 Step 3 ** ISCA (L-L-L) = 833 X 55.55 = 46,273
multiplier Multiplier = 3-Phase Short-Circuit Current at Transformer Secondary
Transf. % Z
See Note 3.
Step 3 Determine transf. Step 4 f = 1.732 x L x lL-L-L= 1.732 x 20 x 46,273 = .174
C x n x EL-L 22,185 x 2 x 208
let-through short- †I = Transf. x multiplier
SCA FLA
circuit current 1
1
(Formula or Table 5) Step 5 M= = 1 + .174 = .852 (See Table 4)
1+ f
See Note 1 and Note 4.
Step 4 Calculate 3o faults f = 1.732 x L x lL-L-L †I
SCA (L-L-L) = 46,273 x .852 = 39,425A
“f” factor. C x n x EL-L Step 6
3-Phase Short Circuit Current at Fault #1
1o line-to-line
(L-L) faults f = 2 x L x lL-L FAULT #2 (Use ISCA (L-L-L) at Fault #1 to calculate)
See Note 5 C x n x EL-L

1o line-to-neutral Step 4 f = 1.732 x 20 x 39,425 = 1.11

5,907 x 1 x 208
(L-N) faults f = 2 x L x lL-N*
See Note 2 and 1
Note 5 C x n x EL-N Step 5 M= 1 = .474 (See Table 4)
=
1+ f 1 + 1.11
L = length (feet) of conduit to the fault.
†I = 39,425 x .474 = 18,687A
C = conductor constant. See Tables 1, 2. Step 6 SCA (L-L-L)

n = number of conductors per phase 3-Phase Short-Circuit Current at Fault #2

(Adjusts C value for parallel runs)
I = available short-circuit current in **The motor contribution and voltage variance should be accounted for at this
amperes at beginning of circuit. point. See Notes 1 and 4.
†† Transformer %Z is multiplied by .9 to establish a worst case condition.
Step 5 Calculate “M” See Note 3.
(multiplier) or take M= 11
+f
from Table 4. Note 3: The marked impedance values on transformers may vary ±10% from
Step 6 Compute the the actual values determined by ANSI / IEEE test. See U.L. Standard 1561.
†I = ISCA x M Therefore, multiply transformer % Z by .9. Transformers constructed to ANSI
available short- SCA

at at standards have a ± 7.5% impedance tolerance (two-winding construction).

circuit current beginning of circuit.
fault
(RMS symmetrical) Note 4. Utility voltages may vary ±10% for power, and ±5.8% for 120-volt light-
See Note 1, Note 2, and Note 5 ing services. Therefore, for worst case conditions, multiply values as calculated
in Step 3 by 1.1 and/or 1.058 respectively.
† Note 1. Motor short-circuit contribution, if significant, should be added at all fault
locations throughout the system. A practical estimate of motor short-circuit contri- Note 5: The calculated short-circuit currents above represent the bolted fault
bution is to multiply the total motor full-load current in amperes by 4. Values of 4 to values that approximate worst case conditions. Approximations of Bolted fault
6 are commonly accepted values as percentage of 3-Phase (L-L-L) bolted fault values are shown below.

*Note 2. For single-phase center-tapped transformers, the L-N fault current is higher Phase-Phase (L-L): 87%
than the L-L fault current at the secondary terminals. The short-circuit current available Phase-Ground (L-G) 25-125% (Use 100% near transformer, 50% otherwise)
(I) for this case in Step 4 should be adjusted at the transformer terminals as follows: Phase-Neutral (L-N) 25-125% (Use 100% near transformer, 50% otherwise)
At L-N center tapped transformer terminals
IL-N = 1.5 x IL-L at Transformer Terminals Note 6: Approximation of arcing fault values for sustained arcs as percentage
of 3-Phase (L-L-L) bolted fault values are shown below.
At some distance from the terminals, depending upon wire size, the L-N fault current is
lower than the L-L fault current. The 1.5 multiplier is an approximation and will theoret-
ically vary from 1.33 to 1.67. These figures are based on change in turns ratio between 3-Phase (L-L-L) Arching Fault 89% (maximum)
primary and secondary, infinite source available, zero feet from terminals of trans- Phase-Phase (L-L) Arcing Fault 74% (maximum)
former, and 1.2 x %X and 1.5 x %R for L-N vs. L-L resistance and reactance values.
Begin L-N calculations at transformer secondary terminals, then proceed point-to-point. Phase-Ground (L-G) Arcing Fault 38% (minimum)