A Case Study in Solving SCCR Issues

White Paper 10601 Effective September 2016
A case study in solving SCCR issues

By: Joe Graveline, Sr. application engineer, Eaton, Bussmann Division, and
Erik Barnes, marketing manager, Eaton, Bussmann Division
ABSTRACT
Not only does the National Electrical Code Properly applying short-circuit protection is
(NEC®) require proper equipment and extremely important. Consider a fuse or circuit
machinery short-circuit protection, it is breaker. These are overcurrent protective
also critical for safety of personnel and fire devices and have what is known as an
prevention. Proper planning in the design phase “interrupting rating”. This value defines the
can avoid challenging jobsite corrections, and maximum amount of short-circuit current the
can often result in minimal-to-no impact on device can safely “interrupt”. Applying a fuse or
design, layout and material costs. Viking Masek, circuit breaker to a condition where the short-
based in Oostburg, WI, manufactures custom circuit current exceeds its interrupting rating
automated packaging equipment. They recently is a serious misapplication. The inability to
had a project that needed a 65,000 amp Short- safely interrupt a short-circuit event can result
Viking Masek MS400 Circuit Current Rating (SCCR). Working with the in disastrous consequences, including hazards
circuit protection experts at Eaton’s Bussmann such as fire, shock and arc blast. It’s critical that
division, an SCCR analysis of their design was the fuse or circuit breaker be properly applied to
performed. It identified several “weak link” avoid these dangers.
components that limited the panel’s SCCR But what about devices that are not designed
to just 5,000 amps. These weak links were to interrupt a short-circuit event, such as motor
resolved when Viking Masek made several starters, power distribution blocks, disconnects,
component substitutions that included using and others? What happens to these devices
a UL 98 Listed Bussmann™ series Compact during a short-circuit event? These devices will
Circuit Protector disconnect switch with Class also experience the effects of the extremely
CC fuses that permitted applying a 200,000 rapid increase in current during a short-circuit
amp SCCR to several Rockwell Automation event. However, they are not designed to
Kinetix 5500 servo drives. This and other operate or function under such high current
component changes improved the overall panel conditions. Since these devices cannot interrupt
SCCR to 65,000 amps without impacting the or withstand short-circuit current on their own,
panel layout or material costs. it is critical that they be applied with the proper
This case study will break down the SCCR overcurrent protective device, such as a fuse
analysis made for this project, highlight how the or circuit breaker. These overcurrent protective
solutions were determined and demonstrate devices act to open the circuit in a safe manner,
how proper planning can help achieve SCCR but they do not operate instantaneously. Some
compliance with the NEC. level of the rapidly increasing short-circuit
current will pass through before the overcurrent
BACKGROUND protective device can open the circuit and end
Machinery and equipment manufacturers are the rapid current rise. The current that passes
likely to be familiar with the term SCCR (Short- through before the overcurrent protective
Circuit Current Rating). SCCR is the amount of device can open the circuit is often referred to
short-circuit current an industrial control panel as the “let-through” current. The amount of
can safely withstand in the event of a short let-through current depends on the overcurrent
circuit. The National Electrical Code has driven device used and the level of available short-
awareness of this important rating since it circuit current. Some overcurrent protective
became a requirement in 2005. devices respond more quickly than others.
White Paper 10600 Solving SCCR issues
Effective September 2016
This means that the ability of a motor starter, distribution block,

or other device to safely endure a short-circuit event highly
depends on being paired with the proper overcurrent protective
device. The specific type of overcurrent protection necessary
for a device to safely endure a short-circuit event can only
be determined by testing that device in combination with a
specified overcurrent protective device at defined voltage and
short-circuit current levels. The result of a successful test is
known as the component’s short-circuit current rating. A device
that is applied in a condition where the available short-circuit
current exceeds its ability to endure the high currents of a short-
circuit event may also result in disastrous consequences similar
to that of a misapplied fuse or breaker: arc blast, flying debris,
shock and fire hazard. These devices must also be properly
applied with the specified overcurrent protective device. To see a
video of what can happen when panels are applied where their
SCCR is inadequate, go to
www.eaton.com/bussmannseries/sccr.
The overcurrent protective devices’ interrupting rating and the
components’ SCCR are then considered in determining the
overall short-circuit current rating of the industrial control panel
of the equipment. However, many equipment manufacturers
struggle with this determination process. Conceptually,
equipment SCCR evaluation seems simple, as it uses a
“weakest link” approach that defines the equipment’s overall
SCCR value to be equal to the lowest rated component value.
However, many engineers struggle when and where to apply
the current-limiting rules that raise SCCR values, and a single
mistake can result in an incorrect panel rating. Engineers also
struggle with locating component SCCR information, which
makes it difficult to find suitable substitutions to address
low SCCR without requiring significant changes to the panel
layout and/or overall material costs. The last major challenge
to achieving SCCR compliance is the limited information about All requierments as specified in the marking must be met to
the available short-circuit current (also known as the available acheive higher component SCCR.
fault current) at the location in the electrical system where
the equipment is being installed. The NEC requires that the THE PROBLEM
equipment not be installed where the available short-circuit
current exceeds its short-circuit current rating (NEC 409.22). Many OEMs are faced with the seemingly daunting challenge
of designing and manufacturing equipment with SCCR sufficient
These challenges not only increase the effort to design the to comply with NEC articles 110.10 and 409.22. The equipment
compliant electrical controls for equipment and machinery, but SCCR must be equal to or greater than the available short-
they can also result in larger panels and increased material costs circuit current at the location where that equipment is installed.
if a suitable solution cannot be found. Availability of the requisite Additionally, NEC article 110.9 requires that all overcurrent
component rating information, experience in solving SCCR, protective devices have a sufficient interrupting rating for the
and access to knowledgeable resources are key to achieving a available short-circuit current including those inside the control
compliant SCCR solution in a timely manner while maintaining a panel’s power circuit.
competitive design.
It is important to also note that 2017 NEC code changes will
impact how engineers address SCCR. The new code will require
the available short-circuit current be marked on the panel or
documented at the time of installation. For more information
about the specific code changes and their impact on equipment
design and approach, see publication number 10508 at
www.eaton.com/bussmannseries.
2 Eaton.com/bussmannseries
Solving SCCR issues White Paper 10600
A significant challenge for any OEM is to understand, interpret rely upon information from the manufacturer. Even today, with
and correctly apply the guidelines in the UL 508A standard for all that the internet offers, issues with finding SCCR information
industrial control panels. UL 508A Supplement SB contains persist. Nearly eight out of ten OEMs surveyed expressed
an approved method for determining equipment SCCR along difficulty in finding this information.
with an accepted and recognized evaluation process. However, Manufacturer Viking Masek approached Eaton’s Bussmann
this is often misunderstood or misinterpreted, and results in Division for assistance with determining the SCCR of their
determining an incorrect equipment SCCR. In a recent survey, MS400 vertical form fill seal machine, and suggestions
over 50 percent of OEMs acknowledged that they struggle with on how it could be raised to 65 kA. The Eaton Bussmann
properly applying UL 508A. Application Engineering team provides free SCCR analysis, and
Another challenge facing OEMs is finding components with the was requested to help achieve SCCR compliance. The team
right SCCR to fix the “weak links” limiting equipment SCCR. performed an SCCR analysis using the Eaton Bussmann series
Finding the right component solution is the most significant OSCAR™ 2.1 SCCR analysis software, and determined the
factor regarding the impact on the design, layout and material panel’s design possessed just a 5 kA SCCR.
cost adjustments. Most often, the OEM does not have the part
in their hands to check its component SCCR marking and has to
30A J Fuse
Disconnect –
Miniature Circuit Breaker Miniature

Breaker Breaker
10kVA Type F
Transformer Combination
Motor
Controllers
Miniature
Servo Drives
Breakers
Thermostat
Controller
Power circuit configuration
30A J Fuse
Disconnect –
200kA
Miniature Circuit Breaker – Miniature

Breaker – 10kA 65kA Breaker –
10kA
10kVA Type F
Transformer Combinaon
Motor
Controllers –
65kA
Miniature
Servo Drives – 5kA
Breakers –
10kA
Thermostat
Controller –
5kA
Initial analysis from the OSCAR 2.1 SCCR analysis software reveals weak links that must be addressed to achieve the desired 65 kA.
Eaton.com/bussmannseries 3
OSCAR 2.1 applied the component SCCRs based on the circuit THE SOLUTION
protective devices used, as well as the impact of the current
The Eaton Bussmann Application Engineering team researched
limiting devices in the circuit. The analysis revealed the following,
design solutions to address the weak links limiting the panel’s
identifying which components must be addressed to achieve the
SCCR below 65 kA, starting with the miniature circuit breakers/
desired 65 kA equipment SCCR value:
supplementary protectors. Considering the size, functionality
1) The miniature circuit breakers/supplementary protectors, and costs of these existing components, the Bussmann series
rated at 10 kA must be replaced with overcurrent protective Compact Circuit Protector (CCP) solution, with KTK-R Class CC
devices having an interrupting rating not less than 65 kA and fuses, provided the best solution when compared with a molded
with comparable dimensions. case circuit breaker or a fuse and fuse block solution. This
2) The Kinetix 5500 servos had a 5 kA rating as applied. The component substitution not only raised the interrupting rating to
presence of the current-limiting 30 amp Class J fuse in the 200 kA, it did so without any significant impact on costs or the
feeder circuit is not able to improve the 5 kA rating. This panel layout.
required further investigation to resolve.
3) Although the power circuit components downstream of the
power transformer had SCCRs less than 65 kA, the 10 kVA
power transformer raised their ratings to a level sufficient to
achieve the desired 65 kA equipment SCCR.
ORIGINAL OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3
Miniature Class CC Fuse Compact Circuit Protector Molded Case Circuit

Breaker – 10kA Holder – 200kA with CC fuses – 200kA Breaker – 65kA
• Inadequate IR • Sufficient IR • Sufficient IR • Sufficient IR
• Small Size • Small Size • Small Size • Larger Size
• Disconnect • No Disconnect • Disconnect • Disconnect
3.00” (typical)
3.70”
5.12” (typical)
4.37”
3.00
1.60”
1 60”
(typical)
1.40”
1.38”
3.00”
(typical)
The Bussmann series Compact Circuit Protector with Class CC fuses can easily substitute for miniature breakers when a higher
interrupting rating solution is needed.
Next, a solution was sought for the 5 kA SCCR rating
determined for the Rockwell Automation Kinetix servo drives.
The design consisted of the Kinetix model 2198-H040-ERS,
2198-H025-ERS, 2198-H015-ERS and 2198-H008-ERS servo
drives, which have a 200 kA SCCR value when applied with a
specified overcurrent protective device. As applied in the existing
design, the servos being fed by a single circuit breaker resulted
in a 5 kA SCCR value. Upon reviewing instruction manual
2198-UM001G-EN-P, it was determined that a 200 kA SCCR
value could be applied using specified fuses as the overcurrent
protection to the servos grouped by model number.
As per the servo instruction manual, the circuit was
reconfigured, and protected by the specified fuse. All except
the 40 A servo drives were fed by UL 98 Listed Compact Circuit
Protector disconnect switches using several ampacities of
Bussmann series KTK-R Class CC fuses. The 40 A servo drives
were fed with Bussmann series Low-Peak LPJ-35SP Class J
fuses. Rockwell Automation Kinetix 5500 Servo Drives.
Excerpt from Rockwell Automation Publication 2198-UM001G-EN-P (March 2016) detailing circuit protection requirements for the
Kinetix 5500 servo drives.
The design also contained a 480 V:240/120 V power transformer. interrupting rating or component SCCR not less than the fault
According to the OSCAR 2.1 analysis, the components current on the transformer’s secondary as defined in table SB4.3
downstream of this transformer resulted in a suitable SCCR (for single phase). Based on the transformer’s voltage and size,
value. This determination was made by applying the UL 508A it was determined that the amount of available fault current
SB4.3.1 current limitation rules, which in simple terms state on the transformer secondary was less than the downstream
that the devices (overcurrent protective devices and others) will component SCCR, allowing the lineside overcurrent protective
result in an SCCR value equal to the interrupting rating of the device interrupting rating (in this case, 200 kA) to be applied to
overcurrent protection on the primary of the transformer if all these downstream components.
the devices downstream of the transformer have a respective
Excerpt from UL 508A that defines the secondary available short-circuit current on the secondary of the 10kVA transformer to be
2,980 amps.
Eaton.com/bussmannseries 5
CCP with CC CCP with CC

fuse– 200kA fuse– 200kA
10kVA 10kVA Transformer

Transformer (2.98kA short-circuit
current)
Miniature Miniature
Breakers – Breakers –
10kA 10kA 200kA
Thermostat Thermostat
Controller – Controller –
5kA 10kA 200kA
The use of the power transformer improves the rating of the downstream devices to 200 kA .
With all the device issues addressed, the revised panel design 2) The SCCR of the servo drives improved to 200 kA after
was then analyzed in the OSCAR 2.1 software, and resulted in a reconfiguring the circuit and applying the specified fuses as
new, higher SCCR of 65 kA. Based on this analysis, the following per the instruction manual.
improvements were realized:
1) The 10 kA rated miniature circuit breakers/supplementary
protectors that prevented a 65 kA panel rating were replaced
with the Compact Circuit Protector using Class CC fuses,
which improved the respective devices interrupting rating to
200 kA.
OSCAR 2.1 SCCR analysis software calculates the SCCR, applying the component SCCRs and the transformer/current limiting rules.
Customer Examples - Requests and Examples
Name Designation Voltage Ampere Final SCCR

480 / 277
VIKING MASEK MS400 65kA SCCR V 800 A 65 kA
Report
Adjusted
ID Location Part Number Device Description Volts Amps IR SCCR SCCR
Supply - Main Supply Fusible Disconnect
1 194R-H30-1753 Disconnect 480 / 277 15 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA

Supply - Main Supply Fuse
1 LPJ-30SP CLASS - J 600 30 300 kA 0.0 kA 300 kA
Feeder - Wire Jumper - Feeder off Main
Supply Bus Bar
2 Wire Jumper Not considered in SCCR calculation 600 0 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA
Branch - Branch Connected to Feeder
off Main Supply Type E/F CMC
3 140M-C2E-B25 + 100-C09 1.6-2.5A Type F CMC 480 / 277 2.1 0.0 kA 65 kA 65 kA

off Main Supply Type E/F CMC
4 140M-C2E-B25 + 100-C09 1.6-2.5A Type F CMC 480 / 277 2.1 0.0 kA 65 kA 65 kA

off Main Supply Fusible Disconnect
Compact Circuit Protector (CCP), 3 -
5 CCP-3-30CC Pole, 30A Class CC 600 30 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA
off Main Supply Fuse
5 KTK-R-6 CLASS - CC 600 6 200 kA 0.0 kA 200 kA
Sub Feeder - Sub-Feeder off Feeder Fusible Disconnect
Sub Feeder - Sub-Feeder off Feeder Transformer
7 - 10 KVA or Less Transformer 240 0 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA

Sub Feeder - Sub-Feeder off Feeder Fuse
Branch - Branch Connected to Sub-
Feeder Circuit Breaker
8 1492-SPM1C100 Supplementary Protector 240 15 10 kA 0.0 kA 200 kA
Comments Transformer adjusts SCCR from 10kA to 200kA
Feeder Non-Fused Disconnect (UL508)
9 Not Specified Thermostat Switch 240 15 0.0 kA 5 kA 200 kA
13 LPJ-35SP CLASS - J 600 35 300 kA 0.0 kA 300 kA
off Main Supply Fuse Holder
13 JM60060-3CR Class J fuse block 600V 60A 3P Box Lug 600 60 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA
Tap - Taps Connected to Banch off
Feeder Soft Starter/Drive
14 2198-H040-ERSx Kinetix 5500 Drive 480 12.7 0.0 kA 5 kA 200 kA
Comments Combination adjusts to 200kA with LPJ-35SP
Comments Combination adjusts to 200kA with LPJ-35SP
Comments Combination adjusts to 200kA with KTK-R-20
OSCAR 2.1 SCCR analysis software documents the SCCR analysis, indicating
Compact Circuit the resulting
Protector (CCP), 3 - SCCR contribution for each component,
CCP-3-30CC Pole, 30A Class CC 600 30 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA
including 21the specific overcurrent protective
Branch - Branch Connected to Feeder device that raises the component SCCR.
22 2198-H008-ERSx Kinetix 5500 drive 480 2.4 0.0 kA 5 kA 200 kA
Comments Combination adjusts to 200kA with KTK-R-15 Eaton.com/bussmannseries 7
23 2198-H008-ERSx Kinetix 5500 drive 480 2.4 0.0 kA 5 kA 200 kA
OSCAR 2.1 SCCR Compliance Application contains over 60,000 For Viking Masek, their panel’s SCCR was improved from 5
parts and over 25,000 combinations of SCCRs, including kA to 65 kA with just a few component changes and minimal
nearly 10,000 Rockwell Automation products and nearly 3,000 adjustment to the servo drives’ circuit position. Viking Masek can
associated combinations of SCCRs. Using its vast database, now send their MS400 equipment to the customer’s jobsite and
OSCAR found the component SCCRs of the servos and the be confident it is suitably designed for fault current levels up to
interrupting ratings for the overcurrent protective devices. Based 65 kA.
on the configuration, OSCAR then applied the transformer and Using the OSCAR 2.1 report feature, the SCCR analysis validated
current-limiting rules to adjust component ratings accordingly. the panel’s enhanced SCCR, component by component, to aid
The overall panel SCCR was then determined, and summarized in the equipment’s installation and verification phase during the
in a report. inspection and approval process.
BENEFITS With the right resources and tools, SCCR compliance can be
Safety is key for all those involved with electrical equipment, more easily achieved with minimal to no impact to design layout
whether it be the industrial engineer or consultant specifying and costs. Supporting software tools such as the Bussmann
the equipment requirement, the engineer designing the series OSCAR 2.1 SCCR analysis software, and no-cost
equipment, the electrician installing the equipment, the inspector resources, such as the Application Engineering team at Eaton’s
approving the equipment, the operator using the equipment, Bussmann Division, make solving SCCR challenges easier. For
the maintenance personnel maintaining the equipment, or the more information or free assistance, contact the Application
owner providing a safe working environment. Although SCCR Engineering team at (855) BUSSMANN or email
compliance may be challenging at times, proper short-circuit [email protected], or visit
protection is a critical element of machine/equipment safety. www.eaton.com/bussmannseries/sccr.
AUTHORS’ BIOS
Joe Graveline is senior applications engineer with the Bussmann Erik Barnes is the Marketing Manager for the Bussmann Division
Division of Eaton. Joe has over 25 years of experience in the of Eaton. He has worked for Eaton for 14 years in several roles
field of electrical design, automation, and application sales with an electrical application focus. Erik has written numerous
support. He provides application support and product information application papers and led initiatives to create innovative
on a wide variety of products made by Bussmann to industry application tools such as SCCR Protection Suite, Selective
professionals including sales channel partners, consulting Coordination Designer 1.0 and others.
engineers, OEMs, designers, specifiers and consumers. He also
coordinates training for Bussmann series product distributors,
OEMs and consulting engineers. Joe has previously held
positions with ABB and Mitsubishi Electric and is a member of
NFPA and IAEI.
Eaton
1000 Eaton Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44122
For Eaton’s Bussmann series
Eaton.com product information,
Bussmann Division call 1-855-287-7626 or visit:
114 Old State Road
Ellisville, MO 63021 Eaton.com/bussmannseries
United States
Eaton.com/bussmannseries
© 2016 Eaton Follow us on social media to get the

All Rights Reserved Eaton and Bussmann are valuable trademarks latest product and support information.
Printed in USA of Eaton in the U.S. and other countries. You
Publication No. 10601 are not permitted to use the Eaton trademarks
September 2016 without prior written consent of Eaton.

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White Paper 10601 Effective September 2016

A case study in solving SCCR issues

This means that the ability of a motor starter, distribution block,

Miniature Circuit Breaker Miniature

Power circuit configuration

Miniature Circuit Breaker – Miniature

ORIGINAL OPTION 1 OPTION 2 OPTION 3

Miniature Class CC Fuse Compact Circuit Protector Molded Case Circuit

CCP with CC CCP with CC

10kVA 10kVA Transformer

Customer Examples - Requests and Examples

Name Designation Voltage Ampere Final SCCR

1 194R-H30-1753 Disconnect 480 / 277 15 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA

3 140M-C2E-B25 + 100-C09 1.6-2.5A Type F CMC 480 / 277 2.1 0.0 kA 65 kA 65 kA

4 140M-C2E-B25 + 100-C09 1.6-2.5A Type F CMC 480 / 277 2.1 0.0 kA 65 kA 65 kA

7 - 10 KVA or Less Transformer 240 0 0.0 kA 200 kA 200 kA

© 2016 Eaton Follow us on social media to get the

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