An Introduction to IEEE Std 1458-2005 Recommended Practice for the
Selection, Field Testing, and Life Expectancy of Molded Case Circuit
Breakers for Industrial Applications Copyright Material IEEE Paper No. PCIC-2006-17 Gary Donner Clive Kimblin Fellow IEEE Fellow IEEE Shell Oil Products - Retired Eaton Electrical 27215 Eastvale Road 170, Industry Drive Palos Verdes Peninsula, CA, 90274 Pittsburgh, PA, 15205 gldonner@ieee.org CliveWKimblin@eaton.com ABSTRACT IEEE Std 1458-2005 is a new Recommended Practice that, for the first time, provides in one document the information that is necessary to select, apply, and maintain (determine the remaining life of) molded case circuit breakers. The document also provides information on the basics of circuit breaker design, and presents a detailed procedure to determine when molded case circuit breakers must be replaced. At the 1991 PCIC conference in Toronto, Ontario Canada, Arthur J. Smith, III presented a paper entitled Short Circuit Ratings, Labels and Fault Withstandability of Molded-Case and Insulated-Case Circuit Breakers and Combination Motor Starters (1). This paper started several very active discussions within the PCIC membership about molded case circuit breakers built to UL 489 (2) requirements. The discussions revealed that there was a very low level of understanding about these breakers within industry in general, and in the petroleum and chemical industry in particular. Further, there was a perceived lack of easily understandable information about molded case circuit breakers. NEMA AB-4 (3) was available but not widely used and IEEE Std. 1015 (4) was still in the formative stages. The PCIC Standards Committee therefore decided, at the 1995 PCIC Meeting in Denver, that a new IEEE Recommended Practice was needed that would be all inclusive. The purpose of the new Recommended Practice was to raise the general level of understanding for specifiers and users of UL 489 molded case circuit breakers which are the primary type of circuit breaker used domestically. It was also intended to present circuit breaker information in a single illustrated document that would be easily understood by the typical electrical engineer and by maintenance personnel. On November 16, 1995 an IEEE Project Authorization Request (PAR) was submitted to the IEEE. On March 21, 1996 the IEEE Standards Board approved the project. A working committee was formed to draft the new document which was approved on January 24, 2005 and published by the IEEE on June 24, 2005. The final working group membership was: Donald Colaberardino, Gary Donner, John Gardner, George D. Gregory, Dennis W. Heath, Clive W. Kimblin, Andrew R. Leoni, Daniel Neeser, Vincent Saporita and Arthur J. Smith, III. I. INTRODUCTION II. THE NEW RECOMMENDED PRACTICE The Recommended Practice is intended to be used by the typical electrical engineer or electrical maintenance supervisor working in a facility. The following description of the document corresponds, in numbering, to the actual document. The document first provides: 1. An overview 2. Normative references and the circuit breaker details subsequently appear in sections dealing with: 3. Molded Case Circuit Breaker Basics 4. Molded Case Circuit Breaker Safety Considerations 5. Selection of Molded Case Circuit Breakers 6. Estimated Available Fault Current at Transformer Secondary 7. Simplified Method to Calculate Available Fault Current at Transformer Secondary 8. Procedures for Field Testing and Determining the Remaining Life of Molded Case Circuit Breakers 1-4244-0559-9/06/$20.00 2006 IEEE
1) Overview
This deals with the scope of the standard and the purpose: to provide a single document for molded case circuit breakers, written in simple language, that covers breaker operation, how to correctly size and select the breakers, how to safely maintain the breakers, and how to determine when a breaker must be replaced.
2) Normative References
Reference is made to the use of complementary standards IEEE STD 242 (the Buff Book) and IEEE STD 1015 (The Blue Book).
3) Molded Case Circuit Breaker Basics
This section describes the basic components of a molded case circuit breaker and how the components work. This section of the Recommended Practice, as well as the entire document, relies heavily on the use of photographs, graphics and drawings to help convey its information. As an example of the many photographs used in the document, the photograph of Fig. 1 shows the types of molded case circuit breakers covered by the document where the focus is on industrial molded case circuit breakers (600V and below).
Fig. 1. Example of the circuit breakers covered by the Recommended Practice
Circuit breakers provide protection against overcurrents. These are defined in the NEC [5] as: Any current in excess of the rated current of equipment of the ampacity of a conductor. It may result in overload, short circuit or ground. Overloads are a subset of overcurrents and are defined in the NEC as: 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. As further clarification, an overload is defined [6] as: Operating conditions in an electrically undamaged circuit which causes an over-current. The section provides a detailed discussion of: 3.1. Molded Case Circuit Breaker Basics 3.2. Circuit breakers in general. 3.3. Circuit breaker standards 3.4. Contacts open and close 3.5. Means to open and close a circuit breakers contacts 3.6. Means to extinguish an arc in a circuit breaker 3.7. Means to respond to overcurrents 3.8. Method for enclosing circuit breaker components 3.10. Molded case circuit breaker components 3.11. Thermal conditions 3.12. Short circuit conditions 3.13. Ground fault conditions 3.14. Types of circuit breaker trip units 3.15. Circuit breaker selectivity
4) Molded Case Circuit Breaker Safety Considerations
This section is associated with safe work practices during circuit breaker maintenance. The section discusses the dangers of performing work on energized equipment and stresses that working on energized equipment should be avoided. The section also provides information on OSHA related documents that elaborate on the specific procedures for energized work.
5) Selection of Molded Case Circuit Breakers
This section includes a significant amount of basic application data that is not readily available to the average user. As an example, Fig. 2 is a graph that provides an indication of the affect of ambient temperature on the continuous current carrying ability of a molded case circuit breaker:
Fig. 2 Graph providing an indication of the affect of ambient temperature on the continuous current carrying ability of a molded case circuit breaker.
The section first distinguishes between:
5.1. Standard rated molded case circuit breakers and 5.2. 100-Percent rated molded case circuit breakers and then discusses breaker selection based on 5.3. Voltage rating selection 5.4. Current ratings 5.5. Current rating selection The relationship between circuit breaker rating and wiring ampacity is discussed in: 5.6. Selection of circuit breaker current rating followed by a brief discussion of 5.7. Circuit breaker interrupting rating
It is noted that the circuit breaker interrupting rating shall be equal to or greater than the amount of short- circuit currents at that point in the system where the circuit breaker is applied. The circuit breaker interrupting rating shall be larger than the value of the short circuit calculated in section 6 or 7 (also referenced below)
6) Estimated Available Fault Current at Transformer Secondary
As an aid in circuit breaker selection, this section presents a very simple method of calculating the estimated fault current in a circuit, based on the available fault current from the transformer, as well as providing several tables presenting the same information.
Table 1 is an abbreviated table from the document providing the estimated value of fault current available at a circuit breaker for three phase transformers, 480 VAC secondary
7) Simplified Method to Calculate Available Fault Current at Transformer Secondary
This section presents several methods of calculating fault current. The presented methods range from one that is very easy to use and gives a reasonable approximation of the available fault current to a more sophisticated calculation that takes into account the cable impedance. Worked examples in both SI units and US Customary units are presented. An example of the simple method is:
L L Transformer VA Rating 3 Available SC Current Through Trabsformer = Trans. Impedance V In Symmetrical RMS Amps
8) Procedures for Field Testing and Determining the Remaining Life of Molded Case Circuit Breakers
As with most electrical equipment, circuit breakers should be maintained. This section presents significant maintenance information including several photos; see Fig. 3 & 4, showing circuit breaker conditions that would require replacement.
If a circuit breaker with a cracked case or burn marks is found, take the circuit breaker out of service and replace it as soon as safely possible
Fig. 3 Front view of circuit breaker with cracked molded case.
If a circuit breaker with a cracked case or burn marks is found, take the circuit breaker out of service and replace it as soon as safely possible
Fig. 4 Side view of circuit breaker with cracked molded case.
The Recommended Practice also provides detailed instructions on how to perform tests that will determine if a breaker has reached the end of its life. In addition to physical examination the tests are:
8.1. Rated current hold in test 8.2. Exposed face temperature check, and lug temperature check for loose-connection corrective- action 8.3. Mechanical operation tests 8.4. Insulation resistance test 8.5. Individual pole resistance test (millivolt drop) 8.6. Inverse-time overcurrent trip test 8.7. Instantaneous overcurrent test 8.8. Accessory devices test
With respect to the millivolt drop test (8.5), the Recommended Practice state that the tests shall be performed with a 24-volt or less direct current power supply capable of supplying the rated current of the circuit breaker. For circuit breakers rated higher than 500 amperes, the power supply should be capable of delivering no less than 500 amperes. However, it is recognized that, because of the general lack of availability of equipment capable of performing this test, industry has adopted versions of this test that use equipment that can only generate a very small amount of current. This method should not, however, be used to reject circuit breakers. If the millivolt drop is high using a low test current, then the measurement should be repeated with high currents flowing through the contacts.
III. CONCLUSION:
This new Recommended Practice is a very easy to use and complete reference on the operation, selection and maintenance of molded case circuit breakers. It is a valuable addition to everyones library that uses, specifies or maintains molded case circuit breakers.
IV. REFERENCES
[1] Arthur J . Smith, III, Short Circuit Ratings, Labels and Fault Withstandability of Molded-Case and Insulated-Case Circuit Breakers and Combination Motor Starters, Paper presented at the IAS Society 38 th Annual PCIC Conference, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 1991 [2] UL Standard for Safety for Molded-Case Circuit Breakers, Molded-Case Switches, and Circuit- Breaker Enclosures, UL 489, 10 th ed., April 25, 2002. [3] NEMA Standards Publication AB-4 2003: Guidelines for Inspection and Preventive Maintenance of Molded Case Circuit Breakers Used in Commercial and Industrial Applications. Note: This document is now freely accessible on the NEMA website [4] IEEE Std. 1015 1997: Applying Low-Voltage Circuit Breakers Used in Industrial and Commercial Power Systems. [5] NFPA 70: National Electric Code 2005, Article 100. [6] UL Standard for Safety for Low-Voltage Switchgear and Controlgear--Part 1: General Rules, UL 60947-1, 1 st ed., March 31, 2003
VITA Gary Donner recently retired from Shell Oil Products after 35 years. He was the Supervising Engineer for Instrument and Electric Utilities, and provided consulting services for Shell Oil Products U.S. Southern California based operations.
Holder of 3 patents, author of several IEEE papers, an IEEE Fellow and a Registered Engineer in the State of California, he has been a member of the State of California High Voltage Advisory Committee. He is active in the IEEE and API where he is on several standard drafting committees, and he is the past Committee Chairman of the IEEE PCIC Manufacturing Sub- Committee, the past Chairman of the API 541 Induction Motor Committee, and the Chairman of the IEEE P 1458 Circuit Breaker Committee.
Clive Kimblin is a Consultant, Applications Codes and Standards for Eaton Electrical, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He received a B.Sc. (Physics) and PhD (Electrical Engineering) from Liverpool University, England, and an MSIE (Engineering Management) from the University of Pittsburgh. Prior to his current position, he worked at the Westinghouse Research and Development Center in Pittsburgh, at Holec/Begemann in The Netherlands, and as Manager, Codes and Standards for Eaton Electrical. He is active in NEMA and represents NEMA on Code Making Panel 10 of NFPA NEC 70.