Ect211 PDF

Collection Technique
..........................................................................
Cahier technique no.211

The protection of LV motors
G. Baurand
V. Moliton
Building a New Electric World
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no. 211
Gilles BAURAND
Graduate in Electromechanical Engineering, ENSICAEN (Ecole
Nationale Suprieure dIngnieurs de Caen) in 1977.
He joined Telemecanique in 1978 as a technical manager for the
development of control and electronic protection relays, holding this
post until 1985.
He managed the laboratory of the Motor Protection Contactor and
Relay Department from 1986 to 1991, and was then responsible for the
advance development of this department from 1992 to 2004.
He has been responsible for the advance development of the PPC
(Power Protection & Control) field at Schneider Electric since early in
2005.
Vivien MOLITON
He graduated from the Ecole Nationale Suprieure dIngnieurs
of Limoges (ENSIL) in 2002, specializing in Mechatronics.
Inthe same year, he set up the Mechatronics R&D Laboratory at
Schneider Electric. In the Measurement and Protection department,
he participated in the development of a new range of motor circuitbreakers and the TesysU starter-controller under the Telemecanique
brand.
ECT 211 first issue, January 2007
Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

All electric motors must be designed to meet the requirements of specified
operating conditions, and cannot operate outside these without the
risk of immediate or long-term damage to the motor itself and/or to its
environment.
In order to eliminate this risk, or at least reduce it considerably, machine
designers and installers provide protection devices selected from
manufacturers catalogs.
But which of all these existing devices should be provided, given that they
must interact (operate) with isolation and control equipment? How do we
choose? And, above all, how can we be sure that the chosen equipment
will be fully compatible?
This Cahier Technique is designed to answer these questions, by
describing all the factors to be taken into account and then detailing the
various solutions offered by manufacturers, including complete units known
as motor starters.
Contents
1 Introduction
p. 4
2 Brief guide to electric motors
2.1 The various types of motor
p. 5
2.2 The applications of low-voltage motors
p. 6
3 Causes of faults and their consequences 3.1 Internal faults in the motor:

Damage to the stator or rotor winding
p. 7
3.2 Faults external to the motor:

Phenomena related to the motor power supply
p. 8
3.3 Faults external to the motor:

Phenomena related to the use of the motor
p. 11
3.4 Summary
p. 12
4 Protection functions
4.1 Short-circuit protection
p. 13
4.2 Overload protection
p. 14
4.3 Selection table for protection relays
p. 19
4.4 Motor circuit-breakers (thermal-magnetic circuit-breakers)
p. 20
5 Motor starters
5.1 Background
p. 21
5.2 The basic functions of motor starters
p. 21
5.3 The special case of electronic starters and variable speed drives p. 23
5.4 A complementary function: communication
p. 23
5.5 Motor starters and coordination
p. 24
5.6 Control and protective switching devices (CPS)
p. 26
5.7 Discrimination
p. 27
5.8 Example
p. 27
6 Conclusion
p. 29
Appendix 1: Modular system of the Tesys U starter-controller
p. 30
Appendix 2: The main starting modes
p. 31
Appendix 3 : Bibliography
p. 35
1 Introduction
All electric motors have operating limits. Exceeding

these limits will result, sooner or later, in the
destruction of the motor and also of the machines
driven by it, causing immediate stoppages and
lost production.
This form of load, which converts electrical
energy to mechanical energy, can be the site of
mishaps due to electrical or mechanical factors.
b Electrical
v overvoltage, voltage drop, unbalance, or phase
loss, causing variations in the current drawn;
v short circuits where the current can reach
destructive levels for the load;
b Mechanical
Rotor stall, momentary or prolonged overload
leading to an increase in the current drawn by
the motor and consequently a dangerous heating
of its windings.
The cost of these mishaps can be high. Itincludes
lost production, the loss of raw materials, the
repair of the production equipment, the loss of
production quality, and delays in delivery. The
economic imperative of increasing competitiveness
for businesses implies the reduction of costs related
to the loss of service continuity and low quality.
These mishaps can also have dramatic
consequences for the safety of personnel coming
into direct or indirect contact with the motor.
To avoid these mishaps, or at least limit their

consequences and prevent them from causing
damage to equipment and disturbances in the
line supply, protective systems must be used.
They can isolate equipment to be protected from
the line, by tripping breaking devices in response
to the detection and measurement of variations
in electrical values (voltage, current, etc.).
Each motor starter must therefore incorporate:
b short circuit protection, to detect and cut off, as
quickly as possible, abnormal currents which are
generally more than 10 times the nominal current
(In)
b overvoltage protection, to detect current
increases up to approximately 10 In and cut off
the starter before the heating of the motor and
the conductors damages the insulation
This protection is provided by specific devices
such as fuses, circuit-breakers, overload relays
or combination devices offering several types of
protection.
Note: Protection against ground faults, which
includes protection of personnel and fire-proofing,
is not covered in this document, since it is
usually provided as part of the power distribution
system for a piece of equipment, a workshop or
a whole building.
2 Brief guide to electric motors
2.1 The various types of motor

There are three main categories of electric
motor:
b asynchronous motors
b synchronous motors
b DC motors
Each of these consists of a fixed part, the stator or
field coil, and a moving part, the rotor or armature.
Asynchronous motors
The stators of these motors have windings
supplied with alternating current and positioned
so as to create a rotating magnetic field
(rotating flux) at the synchronous speed W. For
a three-phase power supply, the most common
configuration has three windings (which may
include several coils) connected in a delta or
star arrangement. The rotors usually consist of
conductive bars short-circuited at their ends,
as in squirrel cage motors (for low power
applications), or, less commonly, windings, as in
asynchronous motors with wound rotors (for high
power applications). The rotating flux generated
by the stator induces a current in the rotor and
causes it to rotate (see Laplaces law). Its speed
W is less than the synchronous speed W of the
rotating flux; this difference is called the slip (s),
corresponding to the relative loss of speed:
'
,
s =
demonstrating the concept of asynchronism.

Asynchronous motors are suitable for low and
medium power applications, especially those in
which the starting torque has to increase with the
speed. These are the most widely used motors,
because of their low cost, robustness and ease
of installation and maintenance. Under local
control, they have the disadvantage of having
high starting currents, up to 8 times the nominal
current (see Fig. 1 ).
Synchronous motors
Like asynchronous motors, these have a stator
consisting of windings supplied with alternating
current. The characteristic feature of these motors
is the synchronization between the rotation speed
of the rotor and that of the rotating field created
by the stator. This feature is present because the
rotor of a synchronous motor consists of
permanent magnets or a winding supplied with
direct current, establishing a fixed magnetic field.
This characteristic makes their construction more
complex and is reflected in their higher cost.
Ip
Starting peak
(magnetizing peak)
Id
In
Motor starting
phase
Normal motor
operation
20 to 30 ms
1 to 10 s
Ip = 10 to 13 n: Magnetizing current
Id = 4 to 8 In: Starting current
In: Nominal rms current
Fig. 1 : Graph of I = f(t) for an asynchronous motor.
Synchronous motors are mainly used for very

high power applications (>5 MW), requiring a
constant speed regardless of the load, but they
can be difficult to start, and for this reason they
are often combined with variable speed drives.
DC motors
In these motors, the stator and the rotor both
consists of windings through which direct current
is passed. The current is taken to the armature
by means of a commutator with brushes. The
stator creates a fixed magnetic field which makes
the conductors in the rotor move, according to
Laplaces law.
Direct current motors are mainly used for
applications requiring precise, rapid speed
control, and can withstand high overloads. They
have the disadvantage of having commutators
whose brushes and rings require regular
maintenance. Precautions must also be taken
when starting and stopping these motors, and it
is especially important to avoid cutting off the
excitation if the armature is live: stopping in this
way will cause the rotor to race.
For further information on the different types of
motors and their operation, see Schneider
Electric Cahier Technique no. 207.
2.2 The applications of low-voltage motors

There are two types of low-voltage (LV) motors:
b single-phase
b three-phase
They are supplied at voltages ranging from
220to 690 V. Most low-voltage electric motors
have a power of less than 100 kW. As the power
increases, the current becomes greater
(P=UI.cosj), and the components involved
(motors, equipment, wiring and protection) must
be given suitable dimensions.
For economic reasons, medium-voltage (MV)
motors are used above the 1500 kW level
(seeFig. 2 ).
Voltage (kV)
13.8
MV
2.20
0.69
0.22
LV
100
1500
P (kW)
Fig. 2 : Applications of electric motors according to

their power and supply voltage.
3 Causes of faults and their consequences
In an installation including electric motors,

we can distinguish two types of fault: faults
originating internally in the motor, and faults
originating externally.
b Internal faults:
v short-circuit between phase and ground
v short-circuit between phases
v short-circuit between coils
v overheating of the windings
v breaking of a bar in squirrel cage motors
v problems relating to the bearings
v etc.
b External faults:
The origins of these faults lie outside the electric
motor, but their consequences can cause
damage to the motor.
These malfunctions can arise from:

v the power source:
- power cuts
- phase reversal or unbalance
- brownout
- overvoltage
- etc.
v the operating mode of the motor:
- overload operation
- the number of starts and the starting operations
- the load inertia
- etc.
v the installation of the motor:
- misalignment
- unbalance
- excessive stresses on the shaft
- etc.
3.1 Internal faults in the motor:

Damage to the stator or rotor winding
The stator winding of an electric motor consists
of copper conductors insulated with varnish.
Breaks in this insulation can cause a permanent
short circuit between a phase and ground,
between two or even three phases, or between
the coils of a single phase (see Fig. 3 ).
It can be caused by phenomena which maybe
electrical (surface discharge, overvoltage), thermal
(overheating) or even mechanical (vibration,
electrodynamic stresses on the conductors).

Insulation faults can also occur in the rotor
winding, with the same result: the motor
becomes unserviceable.
The most common cause of damage to the
windings of a motor is an excessive rise in their
temperature. This rise is often caused by an
overload which leads to an increase in the
current flowing in these windings.
Stator
windings
Fig. 3 : The windings of motors are the parts which are most vulnerable to electrical faults and operating
mishaps.
The graph in Figure 4, supplied by most electric

motor manufacturers, shows the change in
insulation resistance as a function of temperature:
as the temperature rises, the insulation
resistance decreases. The service life of the
windings, and therefore of the motor, is greatly
reduced as a result.
Insulation
resistance (M)
The graph in Figure 5 shows how a 5% increase

in the current, equivalent to a temperature rise of
approximately +10, cuts the service life of the
windings by half. Overload protection is therefore
essential to prevent overheating and reduce the
risks of internal damage to the motor due to the
breakdown of insulation in the windings.
Service life (%)

100
100
75
10
50
25
0
0.1
0
20
40
60
80
In
Fig. 4 : Change in the insulation resistance of motor

windings as a function of their temperature
1.05xIn
T+10
1.1xIn
T+20
1.15xIn Current
T+30 C
Fig. 5 : Service life of motors as a function of their

operating temperature or current consumption
3.2 Faults external to the motor: Phenomena related to the motor power supply
Overvoltage
Any voltage applied to equipment where the
peak value exceeds the limits of a range defined
by a standard or a specification is an overvoltage
(see Schneider Electric Cahiers Techniques
nos. 151 and 179).
Temporary or permanent overvoltages (see
Fig.6 ) can have different origins, namely:
b atmospheric (lightning strikes)
b electrostatic discharges
b operation of equipment connected to the same
network
b etc.
Their principal characteristics are shown in the
table in Figure 7 hereafter.
These disturbances, which are superimposed on
the line voltage, can act in two ways:
b in common mode, between the active
conductors and the ground
b in differential mode, between the different
active conductors
Fig. 6 : Example of overvoltage.
In most cases, the effect of an overvoltage is

a dielectric breakdown in the motor windings,
which destroys the motor.
Type of overvoltage
Duration
Atmospheric
Electrostatic discharge
Operational
At industrial frequency
Very short (1 to 10s)

Very short (ns)
Short (1ms)
Long (>1s)
Edge steepness frequency

Very high (1000 kV/s)
High (10 MHz)
Average (1 to 200 kHz)
Line supply frequency
Damping
High
Very high
Average
Zero
Fig. 7 : Characteristics of different types of overvoltage.
Phase unbalance
A three-phase system is unbalanced when the
three voltages are not equal in amplitude and/or
are not at angles of 120 to each other.
The unbalance (see Fig. 8 ) can be caused by
the disconnection of a phase (asymmetry fault),
by the presence of single-phase loads in the
immediate environment of the motor, or by the
power source itself.
V
Vmax
which generates high rotor currents, causing

avery considerable overheating of the rotor
and leading to the overheating of the motor
(seeFig.9 ).
Amount of
unbalance (%)
Staotr current (A)
3,5
In
Increased losses
(%)
Heating (%)
1.01 In
4
1.04 In
12.5
1.075 In
25
114
128
Fig. 9 : Effect of voltage unbalance on the operating

characteristics of a motor.
Vmin
Fig. 8 : Voltage readings from an unbalanced threephase system.
IEC standard 60034-26 provides a derating rule

based on the voltage unbalance (see Fig.10)
which is recommended for use when this
phenomenon is known or predictable in the
power line supplying the motor. This derating
factor can be used either to increase the motor
dimensions to allow for the unbalance, or to
decrease the operating current of a motor with
respect to its nominal current.
The following equation can be used to approach

the calculation of the unbalance:
V
max Vmean Vmean Vmin
U = 100 MAX
,
Vmean
Vmean
where:
U is the unbalance (%)
Vmax is the highest voltage
Vmin is the lowest voltage
Vmean =
100 105
(V1 + V2 + V3 )
3
The consequences of an unbalance of the
voltages applied to a motor are a decrease in
the useful torque and an increase in losses; the
unbalances give rise to an inverse component
Derating factor
1
0.9
0.8
0.7
0
Voltage
unbalance
(%)
Fig. 10 : Derating of a motor as a function of the

voltage unbalance in its power supply.
Brownouts and power cuts

A brownout (see Fig. 11 ) is an abrupt voltage
drop at one point of an electrical power network,
to a value which is conventionally taken to be
from 90% to 1% of the nominal voltage of the
LVnetwork (IEC 61000-2-1). Power cuts are a
special case of brownout where the drop
exceeds 99% (IEC). They are characterized by a
single parameter: their duration. Short power
cuts have a duration of less than 1 minute (IEC),
while long power cuts have a longer duration.
The term micro-cut is used for durations of
about one millisecond.
V
1
0.
0
-0.
-1
Fig. 11 : Example of a brownout and a brief power cut.
These voltage variations may be due either to a

random phenomenon outside the application
(afault in the mains network or an accidental
short circuit) or a phenomenon caused by the
installation itself (connection of high loads such
as motors, transformers, etc.). These variations
can have drastic effects on the motor.
b The consequences for an asynchronous motor
When a brownout occurs, the torque of an
asynchronous motor (proportional to the square
of voltage) decreases abruptly and causes
deceleration. This deceleration is a function of
the amplitude and duration of the brownout, the
inertia of the rotating frames and the torquespeed characteristic of the driven load. If the
torque developed by the motor becomes less
than the resistive torque, the motor stops (stalls).
After a power cut, the return of the power generates
a demand for reacceleration current which is
similar to the starting current and with a duration
dependent on the duration of the power cut.
When the installation has numerous motors, their
simultaneous reacceleration can cause a voltage
drop in the upstream impedances in the network.
The duration of the brownout is then prolonged
and can make reacceleration difficult (requiring
long restarts with overheading) or even
impossible (where the motor torque is less than
the resistive torque).
Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.10
If precautions are not taken, the fast

reconnection (~ 150 ms) of a decelerating
asynchronous motor runs the risk of reclosing in
phase opposition between the source and the
residual voltage maintained by the asynchronous
motor. In this case, the first current peak can be
as much as three times the starting current
(15to 20 In) (see Schneider Electric Cahier
Technique no. 161).
These overcurrents and the consequent voltage
drops have a number of effects on the motor:
v additional heating and electrodynamic forces in
the coils which may cause breaks in the
insulation
v shocks with abnormal mechanical stresses on
the couplings, leading to premature wear or even
breakage
They can also affect other equipment such as
contactors (causing wear on the contacts or even
welding them together), or cause the tripping of
the master protection devices of the installation
and thus stop a production line or a workshop.
b The consequences for a synchronous motor
The consequences are practically the same as
those for asynchronous motors. However,
synchronous motors can withstand larger
brownouts (about 50% greater) without stalling,
because their inertia is generally greater and the
voltage has less effect on the torque.
If stalling occurs, the motor stops, and the whole
starting procedure, which may be complex, has
to be recommenced.
b Effects on variable speed machines
The problems posed by brownouts affecting
variable speed drives are as follows:
v the impossibility of supplying sufficient voltage
to the motor (loss of torque, deceleration)
v malfunction of the control circuits supplied
directly from the line
v overcurrent when the voltage is restored
(recharging of the filter capacitors of the variable
speed drives)
v overcurrent and current unbalance in the line if
a brownout occurs in one phase only
Variable speed drives generally fail if a voltage
drop of more than 15% occurs.
Presence of harmonics
Any periodic function (of frequency f) can be
broken down into a sum of sine waves with a
frequency of h x f (where h is an integer)
y(t) = Y0 + Yhsin(h t + h )
h=1
where
Y0 is the continuous component
h is the order of the harmonic
w is the pulsation (2pf)
Yh is the amplitude of the harmonic of order h
Y1 is the fundamental component
The harmonic distortion rate (or THD, Total

Harmonic Distortion) provides a measure of the
deformation of the signal:
THD(%) = 100x
Y 2
Yh
h=2
The harmonic currents and voltages are created

by non-linear loads connected to the line supply.
Harmonic distortion (see Fig. 12 ) is a form of
pollution of the line supply which can give rise to
problems at a rate of more than 5%.
The electronic power devices (variable speed

drives, inverters, etc.) are the principal sources
which inject harmonics into the line. Sincethe
motor is not perfect, it can also create 3rdorder
harmonics; in a delta connection, flux rebalancing
can then occur, generating a current in its windings.
The presence of harmonics causes an increase in
eddy current losses, leading to additional heating.
They can also generate pulsating torques (causing
vibration and mechanical fatigue) and noise
nuisance, and limit the use of motors at full load
(see Schneider Electric Cahier Technique no. 199).
h1
h5
h total (h1+h5)
Fig. 12 : Sinusoidal voltage reading, including 5th order harmonics.
3.3 Faults external to the motor: Phenomena related to the use of the motor
Motor starting: excessively long and/or
frequent starting
The starting phase of a motor is the period
required for it to reach its nominal rotation speed.
The starting time (tS) depends on the resistive
torque (Tr) and the motor torque (Tm). An increase
in the resistive torque, due to the load to be driven,
together with a decrease in the motor torque, due
to a line voltage drop (20 to 30% of Un), causes
an increase in the motor starting time as follows:
N
tS (s) =
J
30 Tm Tr
where
J is the global moment of inertia of the moving
frames
N(r.p.s.) is the rotation speed of the rotor.
Because of its intrinsic characteristics, each
motor can only withstand a limited number of
starts, generally specified by its manufacturer (as
the number of starts per hour).
Similarly, each motor has a maximum starting
time which is a function of its starting current
(see Fig. 13 ).
IS
IN
20
15
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
t (s)
3
4
5
7
10
15
Fig. 13 : Permissible start times of motors as a function
of the ratio between starting current and nominal current.
Rotor locking
The locking of a motor due to mechanical factors
creates an overcurrent approximately equal to
the starting current. However, the heating which
it causes is much greater, since the losses in the
rotor are kept at their maximum level throughout
the locking and ventilation is prevented if it is
dependent on the rotation of the rotor. The rotor
temperatures can become very high (350C).
Overload (deceleration or overspeed)

The overload of a motor is caused by an
increase in the resistive torque or by a drop in
the supply line voltage (> 10% Un). The increase
in the current drawn by the motor causes heating
which reduces its service life and can be fatal in
the longer or shorter term.
This summary, shown in table form in Figure 14,

shows the possible causes, the probable effects
and the established consequences of each type
of fault.
In all cases, two forms of protection are always

required for motors:
b short-circuit protection
b overload (overheating) protection
3.4. Summary
Fault
Cause
Effects
Consequences
for the motor
Destruction of the
windings
Short circuit
b Contact between more than one phase,

between one phase and neutral, or
between several coils of a single phase
b Current peak
b Electrodynamic forces on
the conductors
Overvoltage
b Lightning
b Electrostatic discharge
b Operation
b Dielectric breakdown in
the windings
Voltage
unbalance
b Disconnection of a phase
b Decreased useful torque
b Single phase load upstream of the motor b Increased losses
Overheating(1)
Brownouts
b Instability of the line supply voltage

b Connection of large loads

b Increased losses
Overheating(1)
Harmonics
b Pollution of the line supply by variable

speed drives, inverters, etc.
Overheating(1)
Excessive
starting time
b Excessively high resistive torque

b Brownouts

b Increased losses
Increased starting time
Locking
b Mechanical problem
Overcurrent
Overheating(1)
Overload
b Increased resistive torque

b Brownouts
Increase in current drawn
Overheating(1)
Destruction of the
windings due to loss
of insulation
Overheating(1)
(1) Followed by short-circuiting and destruction of the windings after a period which depends on the importance and/or frequency of the fault.
Fig. 14 : Summary of the faults which can affect a motor, with their causes, effects and consequences.
4 Protection functions
4.1 Short-circuit protection

Background
A short circuit is a direct connection between two
points having different electrical potentials; the
types of short circuit are:
b alternating current: A connection between
phases, between a phase and neutral, between
a phase and a conductive frame, or between the
coils of a single phase
b direct current: A connection between the two
polarities or between a conductive frame and the
polarity insulated from it
There are various possible causes: Deterioration
of the insulating varnish on the conductors,
loosening, breakage or stripping of wires or
cables, presence of metallic foreign bodies,
conductive deposits (dust, moisture, etc.),
penetration of water or other conductive liquids,
deterioration of the load, and errors in wiring at
start-up or during servicing.
A short circuit is indicated by an abrupt increase
in the current, which may become several
hundred times greater than the operating current
in just a few milliseconds. A short circuit can
have devastating effects and cause major
damage to equipment. It is characterized by two
phenomena:
b A thermal phenomenon which corresponds to
the amount of energy released in the electrical
circuit through which the short-circuit current I
flows for a time t, according to the formula I2t,
expressed in A2s. This thermal effect can cause:
v melting of the contacts of the contactor
v destruction of the thermal elements of a
bimetallic relay, in the case of type I coordination
(see the Coordination section)
v generation of electric arcs
v burning of insulating materials
v fire in the equipment.
b An electrodynamic phenomenon between the
conductors gives rise to strong mechanical
forces, caused by the flow of current, with the
following effects:
v deformation of the conductors forming the
motor windings
v breakage of the insulating supports of the
conductors
v repulsion of the contacts (inside contactors)
which may lead to their melting and welding
Such effects are dangerous to both property and

personnel. It is therefore essential to use shortcircuit protection devices designed to detect faults,
and to break the circuit very quickly, if possible
before the current reaches its maximum level.
Two protection devices are commonly used for
this purpose:
v fuses (circuit breakers) which break the circuit
by blowing, and must be replaced subsequently
v magnetic trip circuit-breakers, often simply
called magnetic circuit-breakers which
automatically break the circuit when their poles
are opened, and which only require a resetting
operation to bring them back into service.
Short-circuit protection can also be incorporated
into multi-function devices such as motor circuitbreakers and contactor/circuit-breakers.
Definitions and characteristics
The main characteristics of short-circuit
protection devices are:
b the breaking capacity: i.e. the highest
presumed short-circuit current which a protection
device can interrupt at a given voltage
b the making capacity: i.e. the highest current
which the protective device can pass at its
nominal voltage in specified conditions. The
making capacity is equal to k times the breaking
capacity, according to the table in Figure 15.
Fuses
Fuses provide protection for one phase at a time
(single-phase protection), with a high breaking
capacity in a small volume. They limit the level of
I2t and the electrodynamic stresses (Ipeak).
Breaking capacity
(BC)
4.5 kA < BC < 6 kA
6 kA < BC < 10 kA
10 kA < BC < 20 kA
20 kA < BC < 50 kA
50 kA < BC
Cos j
0.7
0.5
0.3
0.25
0.2
Making
capacity (MC)
1.5 BC
1.7 BC
2 BC
2.1 BC
2.2 BC
Fig. 15 : Breaking and making capacity as specified by

IEC Standard 60947-2 for circuit-breakers.
They are fitted as follows:

b either to special supports called fuseholders
b or in isolators, where they replace sockets or
terminal strips (see Fig. 16 ).
b
L1 L2 L3
Fig. 16 : Fused 32 A and 125 A isolators

(Telemecanique LS1-D32 [a] and GS1-K4 [b]).
Note that fuse cartridges with strikers can be

combined with an all-pole breaking device (often
the motor control contactor) to prevent singlephase operation after they have blown.
Type aM fuses are used for motor protection.
They have the characteristic of allowing excess
magnetizing currents to pass when motors are
switched on. Therefore, they are unsuitable for
overload protection (unlike gG fuses). For this
reason, an overload relay has to be added to the
motor supply circuit.
As a general rule, their rating must be
immediately above the full load current of the
motor to be protected.
Magnetic circuit-breakers
Subject to their breaking capacity, these circuitbreakers can protect installations against short
circuits by means of their magnetic trip releases
(one per phase) (see Fig. 17 ).
Magnetic circuit-breakers are intrinsically allpole breaking devices: the tripping of a single
magnetic trip release causes the simultaneous
opening of all the poles. For low short-circuit
currents, circuit-breakers operate more quickly

than fuses.
This protection conforms to IEC Standard 60947-2.
Effective interruption of a short-circuit current
requires three essential functions:
b very fast detection of the fault current
b very fast separation of the contacts
b interruption of the short-circuit current
Most magnetic circuit-breakers for motor
protection are current limiters, and therefore
also contribute to the coordination (see Fig. 18).
Their particularly short breaking time enables
them to interrupt the short-circuit current before
it reaches its maximum amplitude. The thermal
and electrodynamic effects are therefore also
limited, thus providing better protection of cables
and equipment.
L1 L2 L3
I> I> I>

Fig. 17 : Telemecanique GV2-L magnetic circuitbreaker and its graphic symbol.
Non-limiting
Limiter
Id
Limiting zone
Fig. 18 : Tripping curves of magnetic circuit-breakers.
4.2 Overload protection

Background
Overloading is the most common motor fault. It
causes an increase in the current drawn by the
motor, as well as thermal effects. The insulation
class determines the normal heating of a motor
at an ambient temperature of 40C. If the
maximum operating temperature is exceeded,
this reduces the service life as a result of the
premature ageing of the insulation.
However, it should be noted that an overload
leading to heating above the normal level does
not have immediate negative consequences if
it is limited in time and infrequent. Thus it does
not necessarily mean that the motor must be
stopped, but normal operating conditions must

be resumed as soon as possible.
The importance of proper overload protection is
obvious, because:
b it protects the service life of motors by preventing
them from operating in abnormal heating conditions
b it ensures continuity of operation, by:
v avoiding untimely stoppage of motors
v enabling restarting to be carried out in the best
safety conditions for personnel and equipment,
after tripping.
The actual operating conditions (ambient
temperature, altitude of use and standard
service) must be known in order to determine the
operating levels of the motor (in terms of power and

current) and in order to choose effective overload
protection (see Fig. 19 ). These operating levels
are supplied by the motor manufacturer.
According to the desired level of protection,
overload protection can be provided in the form
of relays of the following types:
b overload, thermal (bimetallic) or electronic,
which will at least protect the motors in the
following two cases:
v overload, by controlling the current drawn in
each phase
v phase unbalance or failure, by means of their
differential devices
b PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient)
thermistor probe
b excess torque
b multi-function
Reminder: A protection relay does not have a
circuit-breaking function. It is designed to open a
circuit-breaking device, generally a contactor,
which must have the requisite breaking capacity
for the fault current to be interrupted.
Altitude
m
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
Ambient temperature
30 C
35 C
1.07
1.04
1.01
1.04
1.01
0.98
0.97
0.95
0.93
0.91
0.89
0.86
0.83
0.81
40 C
1.00
0.97
0.94
0.91
0.87
0.83
0.78
For this purpose, a protection relay has a fault

contact (NC) which is to be connected in series
with the power supply to the contactor coil.
Overload relays (thermal or electronic)
b Background
These relays protect motors against overloads,
but they must allow the temporary overload
caused by starting, and must not trip unless the
starting time is abnormally long.
Depending on the application, the motor starting
time can vary from a few seconds (for no-load
starting, low resistive torque, etc.) to several tens
of seconds (for a high resistive torque, high inertia
of the driven load, etc.). It is therefore necessary
to fit relays appropriate to the starting time.
Tomeet this requirement, IEC Standard
60947-4-1 defines several classes of overload
relays, each characterized by their trip time
(see Fig. 20 ).
The relay rating is to be chosen according to the
nominal motor current and the calculated starting
time.
45 C
0.96
0.93
0.90
0.87
0.84
0.80
0.75
50 C
0.92
0.89
0.86
0.84
0.80
0.76
0.72
55 C
0.87
0.84
0.82
0.79
0.76
0.72
0.68
60 C
0.82
0.79
0.77
0.75
0.71
0.68
0.64
The values in the table above are provided for guidance only. In reality, the derating of a motor
depends on it size, its insulation class, its type of construction (self-cooled or forced-cooled, IP 23 or
IP44 degree of protection, etc.), and varies according to the manufacturer
Note: The nominal power which is generally shown on a motor plate is specified by the manufacturer
for a continuous service S1 (operation at constant speed and for a long enough time to reach
thermal equilibrium).
There are other standard services, such as temporary service S2, or periodic intermittent services
S3, S4 and S5 for which the motor manufacturer specifies an operating power, different from the
nominal power, for each case.
Fig. 19 : Derating factors of motors according to their operating conditions.
Trip time from the following states:
Cold
Hot
Hot
at 1.05 x Ir at 1.2 x Ir at 1.5 x Ir
Cold
at 7.2 x Ir
Narrower tolerances (band E)
Class
10 A
> 2 hrs
< 2 hrs
< 2 mins
2 s < tp < 10 s
10
> 2 hrs
< 2 hrs
< 4 mins
4 s < tp < 10 s
5 s < tp < 10 s
20
> 2 hrs
< 2 hrs
< 8 mins
6 s < tp < 20 s
10 s < tp < 20 s
30(1)
> 2 hrs
< 2 hrs
< 12 mins 9 s < tp < 30 s
20 s < tp < 30 s
(1) class used infrequently in Europe, but used widely in the United States
Cold state: Initial state without previous load
Hot state: Thermal equilibrium reached at Ir
Ir: Setting current of the overload relay
Fig. 20 : Main tripping classes of overload relays according to IEC 60947-4-1.
The limits of use are also characterized by graphs

(see Fig. 21 ) showing time as a function of the
adjustment current (expressed as multiples of Ir).
These relays have a thermal memory (except for
some electronic overload relays, as indicated by
their manufacturers) and can be connected as
follows:
v in series with the load
v or, for high power, to current transformers in
series with the load
b Bimetallic thermal relays (see Fig. 22 )
These are combined with contactors to protect
motors, lines and equipment from small prolonged
overloads. They are therefore designed to allow
the normal starting of motors without tripping.
However, they must be protected from large
overloads by a circuit-breaker, or by fuses (see
Short-circuit protection).
The operating principle of a thermal overload
relay is based on the deformation of its bimetallic
strips when heated by the current flowing
through them (see Fig. 23 ).
The bimetallic strips are deformed when the
current flows, and, depending on their
adjustment, can cause the sudden opening of
the relay contacts.
Resetting is only possible when the bimetallic
strips have cooled down sufficiently.
Thermal overload relays can be used for both
alternating and direct current, and are generally:
v three-pole
v compensated, i.e. non-sensitive to variations in
ambient temperature (identical trip curve from
0to 40C over a standard range (see Fig. 24
hereafter)
Class 30
30
Class 20
20
Class 10
10
1.05
1.50
1.20
Fig. 22 : Telemecanique LRD bimetallic overload relay

and its graphic symbol.
Support forming
fixed point
Bimetallic strip after heating
Trip release
system
Bimetallic strip with

resistor
Current output
Fig. 23 : View of the inside of a thermal overload relay and detail of one of its bimetallic strips.
I/Ir
Fig. 21 : Tripping curves of overload relays.
Current input
Trip capacity
setting
7.2
Current conductor
Blade with high

coefficient of expansion
Blade with zero
coefficient of
expansion
t (s)
Lower limit
Upper limit
Tripping zone
1.4 Ir
1.3 Ir
1.2 Ir
1.1 Ir
1 Ir
0.9 Ir
0.8 Ir
-10
C
0
10
20
30
40
Ambiant air temperature
50
Fig. 24 : Tripping zone for compensated thermal

overload relays according to ambient air temperature
(source: IEC 60947-4-2 and 6-2).
v manually or automatically reset

v graduated in motor amperes: the current
shown on the motor name plate is displayed
directly on the relay
They can also be sensitive to a phase failure: this
is the differential concept. This function
prevents the single-phase operation of the motor,
and meets the conditions of IEC 60947-4-1 and
60947-6-2 (see Fig. 25).
Trip time
Multiple of the setting

current
> 2 hrs
2 poles : 1.0 Ir
< 2 hrs
2 poles : 1.15 Ir
1 pole : 0
1 pole : 0.9 Ir
Fig. 25 : Operating limit of a differential thermal

overload relay (sensitive to a phase failure).
Widely used, this relay offers excellent reliability,

and is inexpensive. It is particularly recommended
if there is a risk of the rotor locking.
However, it has the disadvantage of not taking into
account in a very precise way the thermal state of
the motor to be protected, and of being sensitive
to the thermal environment of the location where
it is installed (cabinet ventilation, etc.).
b Electronic overload relays (see Fig. 26 )
These relays benefit from the advantages of
electronics which enables a more detailed
thermal image of the motor to be created. On the
Fig. 26 : Electronic overload relay (Telemecanique LR9F)
basis of a model which reconstitutes the thermal

time constants of the motor, the electronic system
calculates the motor temperature constantly as a
function of the current flowing through it and the
operating time. The protection thus gives a better
approximation of the actual conditions and can
prevent incorrect tripping. Electronic overload
relays are less sensitive to the thermal environment
of the location where they are installed.
In addition to the conventional functions of overload
relays (protection of motors from overloads and
phase unbalance and failure), electronic overload
relays can be supplemented with options such as:
v PTC probe temperature monitoring
v protection against locking and excess torque
v protection against phase inversions
v protection against insulation faults
v protection against no-load operation
v etc.
PTC thermistor probe relays
These protection relays monitor the actual
temperature of the motor to be protected. They
offer extremely precise temperature measurement:
the small volume of the probes gives them a very
low thermal inertia and therefore a very short
response time.
Allowing direct monitoring of the stator winding
temperature, they can be used to protect motors
against overload, rises in ambient temperature,
ventilation circuit faults, excessive starting
frequency, jerky running, etc.
They comprise:
b One or more Positive Temperature Coefficient
(PTC) thermistor probes placed within the
windings of the motors or in any area subject to
heating (bearings, etc.).
They are static components whose resistance
increases sharply when the temperature reaches
a threshold called the Nominal Operating
Temperature (NOT), as shown in Figure 27 next
page.
b An electronic device, supplied with alternating
or direct current, which constantly measures the
resistance of the probes combined with it. When
the NOT is reached, the threshold circuit detects
the sharp resistance increase of the probe and
then causes the output contacts to change state.
Depending on the probes chosen, this protection
method can be used as follows:
v either to provide an alarm without stopping
the machine (where the NOT is lower than
the maximum temperature specified for the
component to be protected)
b or to stop the machine (where the NOT is
equal to the maximum specified temperature).
(see Fig. 28 next page)
The use of this protection method must be
specified in advance, because the probes
have to be incorporated in the windings during
the manufacture of the motor, or during any
rewinding operation after an mishap.
Unlike most overload relays, these relays do not

have a thermal memory. They have a operating
characteristic for a specified time (with adjustable
threshold current and delay).
The excess torque relay can be used as overload
protection for motors where starting is lengthy or
very frequent (e.g. those used for hoists).
R ()
(Logarithmic scale)
4000
1330
550
250
20
T (C)
-20
NOT -20
NOT -5
TNF
High markers
NOT+5
NOT+15
Low markers
Fig. 27 : Markers or operating points of PTC

thermistor probes.
Fig. 28 : Electronic device (Telemecanique LT3) to be

combined with three thermistor probes to stop a motor
when the maximum temperature is exceeded.
The choice of the PTC probes to be incorporated

depends on the insulation class and structure of
the motor. This choice is normally made by motor
manufacturers or rewinders who are the only
ones who have the necessary skill.
Because of these two constraints, the choice of
PTC probe protection is generally reserved for
top-range equipment with expensive motors.
Excess torque relays: a supplementary form
of protection (see Fig. 29 )
As a supplement to thermal protection by relay or
PTC probe, these protect the drive chain in case
of rotor locking, seizing or mechanical shock.
Multi-function relays (see Fig. 30 )

These relays can protect motors from the main
causes of heating.
Moreover, the electronic technology provides
these relays with capacity for communication
with PLCs and supervisors via fieldbuses.
This link with a PLC facilitates the set-up and
maintenance.
It makes it possible to set parameters and
activate the necessary protection, to configure
and operate the motor driver, and to monitor
the states of starting, alarms and tripping. It can
be used for exchanging data, measurement
information (currents, heating, etc.) with the
higher PLC level (controlling PLC), and for
monitoring the thermal state of the motor. This
facilitates diagnostics and the implementation of
preventive measures.
These relays are used for the isolated protection
of sensitive motors, i.e. those for which an
incorrect stop would have serious effects on
personal protection, safety, production losses, etc.
The diagram below shows the possibilities of a
multi-function relay connected to a supervising
PLC (see Fig. 31 opposite page).
Fig. 29 : The excess torque relay (Telemecanique

LR97D) is a supplementary form of protection in case
of rotor locking, seizing or mechanical shock.
Fig. 30 : Multi-function relay (Telemecanique LT6).
PLC
Computer
I> I> I>
Modbus network
M
3a
Multi-function
protection relay
PTC probes
M
3a
M
3a
Fig. 31 : Example of a communications network based on a multi-function relay (source: Telemecanique).
4.3. Selection table for protection relays
Type of relay
Causes of heating:
Overload
Rotor locking
Phase failure
Ventilation fault
Shaft bearing seizing
Excessive starting time
Demanding service
Torque shocks
Some
Telemecanique
references
Tesys U :
(*) CU: Control Unit
Overload relay
(thermal or
electronic)
PTC probe relay Overload relay
Multi-function
relay
With PTC probe

With PTC probe
Class 20 or 30
LR2K, LRD,
LR9D, LR9F
Standard or
expandable CU*
Entirely suitable
LT3
LR97D & LT47
With PTC probe

With PTC probe
LT6
Multi-function CU*
Possible solution
Unsuitable (no protection)
4.4 Motor circuit-breakers (thermal-magnetic circuit-breakers)

Background
A motor circuit-breaker is a thermal-magnetic
circuit-breaker which provides protection against
both short circuits and overloads, by rapidly
opening the faulty circuit. It is a combination of a
magnetic circuit-breaker (see Short-circuit
protection) and an overload relay (see Overload
protection). It conforms to IEC 60947-2 and
60947-4-1 (see Fig. 32 ).
L1 L2 L3
I> I> I>
Fig. 32 : Motor circuit-breaker (Telemecanique GV7)

and its graphic symbol.
In these circuit-breakers, the magnetic devices

(short-circuit protection) have a non-adjustable
trip threshold, generally about 10 times the
maximum setting current of thermal trips.
Their thermal elements (overload protection) are
compensated against variations in ambient
temperature. The thermal protection threshold
can be adjusted on the front panel of the circuitbreaker. Its value must match the nominal
current of the motor to be protected.
In all these circuit-breakers, coordination (type II)
between the thermal elements and the shortcircuit protection is provided by the design.
Additionally, in the open position, most of these
devices have a sufficient clearance distance
(between their contacts) to provide an isolation
function. They also incorporate a padlocking
device required for logging.
Tripping curves
A motor circuit-breaker is characterized by its
tripping curve, which represents the trip time of
the circuit-breaker as a function of the current
(multiple of Ir).
This curve has four zones (see Fig. 33 ):
b the normal operation zone 1 . Since I < Ir,

there is no tripping.
b the thermal overload zone 2 . The thermal
element trips; the trip time decreases as the
overload increases. This tripping mode is
therefore called inverse time in standards.
b The high current zone 3 , monitored by the
instantaneous magnetic element or short-circuit
element whose operation is instantaneous (less
than 5 ms).
b And, in some circuit-breakers (electronic circuitbreakers), an intermediate zone 4 monitored by
a time-delayed magnetic element whose operation
is delayed (by 0 to 300 ms). This tripping mode is
called independent delay mode in standards. It
can be used to avoid incorrect tripping when
peak magnetizing current of motors is present at
switch-on.
Their limits are:
Ir: setting current of the overload protection; this
must match the nominal current (In) of the motor
to be protected.
Im: trip current of the time-delayed magnetic
protection.
Iinst: trip current of the instantaneous magnetic
protection. This can vary from 3 to 17 times Ir,
but is generally close to 10 Ir.
Ics: rated breaking capacity in short circuit
Icu: ultimate (maximum) breaking capacity in
short circuit
t(s)
Overload
zone
Short-circuit
zone
2
4
3
Ir
1.0 Ir
Im Iinst
I(A)
Ics Icu
1.20 Ir
Fig. 33 : Operating zones of a thermal-magnetic circuitbreaker.
5 Motor starters
5.1 Background
A motor starter has four basic functions:
b Isolation
b Short-circuit protection
b Overload protection
b Control (on - off).
Each motor starter can be enhanced with
additional functionality according to the
application requirements. These relate to:
b Power: speed adjustment, progressive starting,

phase inversion, etc.
b Control: auxiliary contacts, time delay,
communication, etc.
In the design of a motor starter, the functions
are distributed in different ways, as shown
schematically in Figure 34.
Isolator-fuse:
b short-circuit
protection,
b isolation for
maintenance.
Thermal-magnetic
circuit-breaker:
b short-circuit protection,
b overload protection
b isolation for maintenance.
Contactor:
b on-off
Contactor :
b on-off
Magnetic circuit-breaker:
b short-circuit protection,
b isolation for maintenance.
Contactor :
b on-off
b disconnection in case
of fault.
Overload relay:
b overload
protection
Motor
Variable speed drive:

b progressive starting,
b variable speed control,
b motor protection,
b overload protection.
Motor
Motor
Fig. 34 : The various functions and their combinations forming a motor starter.
5.2 The basic functions of motor starters

Isolation
The isolation function is essential, and must
form the basis of any circuit (see installation
standards NF C15-100, IEC 60364-5-53); it is
not stipulated but is recommended for all motor
starters. It serves to isolate the circuits from their
power source (power supply line) in a secure
way in order to protect property and personnel
during maintenance, repair or modification work
carried out on the downstream electrical circuits.
This isolation must be designed according to the
specifications, which require:
b simultaneous all-pole breaking
b conformity with specified clearances according
to the supply voltage
b interlocking
b visible, or fully apparent, circuit-breaking:
v visible breaking signifies that the opening of

the poles can be viewed directly by an operator
v apparent breaking is identified either by the
position of the actuator, or by a position indicator
which, according to the standard, must not
indicate the off position unless the contacts
are actually separated by a sufficient distance
specified in the standards. Manufacturers offer
numerous devices to perform this function. The
isolation and short-circuit protection functions
are often combined in a single device (e.g. fused
isolator). For this purpose, some basic devices
have to be supplemented with an additional
device, such as a plug-in support.
Reminder: An isolator is intended to isolate
acircuit; it has no breaking or making capacity.
It is therefore always operated in no-load
conditions.
Short-circuit protection
This function requires the detection of overcurrents
following short circuits (generally more than
10times the nominal current) and the opening
ofthe faulty circuit. It is provided by fuses or
magnetic circuit-breakers.
Overload protection
This function requires the detection of excess
currents following overloads (Ir < Ioverloads <Im)
and the opening of the faulty circuit. It is provided
by electromechanical or electronic devices
(overload relays) combined with a breaking device
(circuit-breaker or contactor) or incorporated in
electronic starters or variable speed drives. It also
protects the motor line against thermal overloads.
Control
Control signifies the closing (making) and
opening (breaking) of an electrical circuit under
load. The control function is provided by switches
or possibly by motor circuit-breakers, starters or
variable speed drives. However, the contactor
is the product most commonly used for this
function, since it allows remote control. For
motors, this control device must permit a large
number of operations (electrical durability) and
must conform to IEC 60947-4-1. According to
these standards, manufacturers must specify the
following characteristics for this equipment:
b Control circuit
v the nature of the control current, and its
frequency in the case of alternating current
v the rated voltage of the control circuits (Uc) or
the control supply voltage (Us)
b Power circuit
v the rated operating voltage (Uo): this is
generally expressed as the voltage between
phases. It determines the operation of the
Type of current Operating categories

Alternating
AC-1
current
AC-2
AC-3
AC-4
Direct current
DC-1
DC-3
DC-5
circuits to which the making and breaking

capacity relates, the type of application and the
starting characteristics
v the rated operating current (Io) or rated
operating power : this characteristic is defined
by the manufacturer according to the specified
conditions of use and takes into account, in
particular, the rated operating voltage and the
conventional thermal current (Ith corresponds to
the maximum value of the test current: Ith u Ie).
In the case of equipment for the direct control of
a single motor, the indication of a rated operating
current can be replaced or supplemented by that
of the rated maximum available power.
In some cases, this information is supplemented
with:
v the duty rating, with details of the intermittent
duty class, if applicable. The classes define
different operating cycles
v the rated making and/or breaking capacity.
These are maximum currents, specified by the
manufacturer, which a piece of equipment can
establish (making) or interrupt (breaking) in a
satisfactory way in specified conditions. The
rated making and breaking capacities are not
necessarily specified by the manufacturer, but
the standard requires minimum values for each
category of operation.
b The standards of the IEC 60947 series
define operating categories according to the
applications for which the control devices
are intended (see Fig. 35 ). Each category
is characterized by one or more operating
conditions such as:
v currents
v voltages
v the power factor or time constant
v and other operating conditions if necessary.
Typical applications
Non-inductive or low-inductance loads, resistance furnaces. Power
distribution (lighting, generator sets, etc.)
Slip-ring motors: starting, disconnection. Equipment for intensive use
(lifting, handling, grinding machines, rolling mill trains, etc.)
Squirrel cage motors: starting, disconnection of started motors(1). Motor
control (pumps, compressors, fans, machine tools, conveyors, presses, etc.)
Squirrel cage motors: starting, reversing, inching. Equipment for
intensive use (lifting, handling, grinding machines, rolling mill trains, etc.)
Non-inductive or low-inductance loads, resistance furnaces.
Shunt motors: starting, reversing, inching. Dynamic disconnection of
motors for direct current.
Series motors: starting, reversing, inching. Dynamic disconnection of
motors for direct current.
(1) The AC-3 category can be used for inching or reversing for occasional operations of limited duration, such as the assembly of a
machine; the number of these operations during these limited periods does not normally exceed five operations per minute or ten
in a period of 10 minutes.
Fig. 35 : The different operating categories of contactors according to their intended applications,
as shown in IEC 60947-1.
Thus the following characteristics are taken into

account, for example:
v the making and breaking conditions
v the nature of the controlled load (squirrel cage
motor, slip-ring motor, resistor)
v conditions in which making and breaking takes
place (motor running, motor stalled, during
starting, counter-current braking, etc.).
b Choosing a contactor:
The operating categories defined in the standard
can be used for an initial selection of equipment
capable of meeting the requirements of the
motors intended application. However, other
constraints must be taken into account, and not
all of these are defined by the standard. Thus

there are factors external to the application,
such as the climatic conditions (temperature,
humidity), the geographical location (altitude,
coast).
In some situations, the reliability of the
equipment can also be a critical factor,
particularly when maintenance is difficult. The
electrical life (durability of the contacts) of the
equipment (the contactor) is also an important
characteristic.
It is therefore essential to consult
comprehensive, detailed catalogues, in order
to ensure that the chosen equipment meets all
these requirements.
5.3 The special case of electronic starters and variable speed drives
Starting asynchronous motors by direct connection
to the line supply is the solution which is most
common, most economical and most suitable for a
wide range of machines. However, this may entail
constraints (such as the inrush current on starting,
mechanical shocks on starting, the impossibility
of controlling acceleration and deceleration and
the impossibility of varying the speed) which may
be troublesome for some applications, or even
incompatible with the desired operation of the
machine. Electronic starters and variable speed
drives (see Fig. 36 ) can overcome these problems,
but the conventional protection described above
is ineffective with equipment which modulates
the electrical energy supplied to the motor.
Fig. 36 : Variable speed drive (Telemecanique ATV58H).
Electronic variable speed drives and starters

therefore have integrated protection. Modern
variable speed drives generally provide overload
protection for motors and self-protection. On the
basis of the current measurement and data on
the speed, a microprocessor calculates the
motor temperature increase and sends an alarm
or trip signal if the heating is excessive. Variable
speed drives, and in particular frequency
inverters, are also often fitted with protection
against:
b short-circuits between phases and between
phase and ground
b overvoltages and voltage drops
b phase unbalance
b single-phase operation
Additionally, data produced by the thermal
protection incorporated in the variable speed
drive can be exchanged with a PLC or a
supervisor via the communications link provided
in the more advanced variable speed drives and
starters.
For further information about electronic starters
and variable speed drives, see SchneiderElectric Cahier Technique no. 208.
5.4 A complementary function: communication

Communication is a function that has become
almost indispensable in industrial production
processes and systems. It provides a remote
method of monitoring the machines of a
production system, interrogating different
devices, and controlling the machines.
Industrial network communication can be
broken down into five levels, represented by
a triangle, according to the CIM (Computer
Integrated Manufacturing) concept (see Fig. 37
next page).
For this form of communication, which can also

be global, between all elements of a production
system, communicating components or modules
(see Fig. 38 next page) are integrated into many
devices, including protection devices such as
multi-function relays or motor starters.
With communication modules such as ASi,
Modbus, Profibus, etc., it is possible, for
example, to control a motor (remote on-off
control of the motor starter), and also to remotely
monitor the motor load (current measurement)
Entreprise level
Production management
Factory level
Scheduling
Workshop level
Supervision
Cell level
Automated systems
Machine level
Sensors - Actuators
Fig. 37 : The five levels of industrial communication.
and/or existing faults (overcurrent overload, etc.)

or earlier faults (log).
Communication systems are not only useful
for integrating protection into automatic
industrial processes, but also enable any
breakdown to be anticipated (pre-alarm
conditions, etc.), thus reducing downtime and
ensuring continuity of operation. It therefore
helps to improve equipment management, with
positive effects on the economic outcome.
Fig. 38 : A starter-controller with the Modbus

communication module (Telemecanique Tesys U).
5.5. Motor starters and coordination

Motor starter solutions
As explained at the start of this chapter, the main
functions required from a motor starter (isolation,
control and protection against short circuits and
overloads) can be provided by different devices.
There are three possible combinations of devices
(see Fig. 39 ) which enable a motor starter to
provide all these functions correctly, but they
require compatibility between the characteristics
of each of the combined devices.
b The all in one solution:
The three functions are combined in a single
device; its overall performance is guaranteed by
the manufacturer. For the user, this is the simplest
solution, from the design phase through to
installation: it is easy to install (less wiring) and
can be chosen immediately (no special research
needed).
b The two device solution
Thermal-magnetic circuit-breaker + contactor
Compatibility between the characteristics of the
two devices must be checked by the user.
b The three device solution
Magnetic circuit-breaker + contactor + overload
relay
This can cover a wide power range. This
combination requires a compatibility study for the
selection of the devices and an installation study
for their mounting on a chassis or in an enclosure.
Solution "1 product"
LU
motor starter
Solution "2 products"
GV2 M
LC1 K
Thermal-magnetic + contactor
circuit-breaker
Solution "3 products"
GVE LE
Magnetic
+
circuit-breaker
LC1 K
contactor
LRK
overload
relay
Fig. 39 : The three possible combinations of devices for

a motor starter.
This nature of this operation (compatibility,

choice and installation) is not always obvious
to users, since it is necessary to combine the
characteristics of the different devices and
have the skill to compare them. For this reason,
manufacturers investigate the combinations of
devices and then offer them in their catalogues.
As part of this operation, they attempt to find
optimal combinations of protection devices: this
is the coordination concept.
Coordination between protection and control
This coordination is the optimal combination of
different protection devices (for short circuits and
overloads) and the control device (contactor)
which make up a motor starter.
Designed for a given power rating, it provides the
best protection for the equipment controlled by
the motor starter (see Fig. 40 ).
It has the double advantage of reducing
equipment and maintenance costs, since the
different protection devices are matched with
each other as precisely as possible, without
unnecessary redundancy.
b There are different types of coordination.
Two types of coordination (type 1 and type 2) are
defined by IEC 60947-4-1.
v Type 1 coordination: this is the standard
solution and is most commonly used. It requires
that, in short-circuit conditions, the contactor
or starter must not create any risk to personnel
or installations. It allows the necessary repair
or replacement of components before the
restoration of service.
t(s)
Thermal withstand limits:

- contactor
- circuit-breaker
- overload relay
In
I(A)
0.7Ic Ic 1.2Ic
Overload
zone
Impedanceearthed
short-circuit
Tripping curves:
1 overload relay
2 magnetic trip release
3 fuse
Short-circuit
zone
v Type 2 coordination: this is the highperformance version; it requires that the

contactor or starter must not create any risk
for personnel or installations, and must be
capable of operating afterwards. The risk of
contact welding is accepted; if this occurs, the
manufacturer must state the action to be taken
for the maintenance of the equipment.
v There is a very high performance version,
provided in CPS (control and protective switching
devices) and offered by some manufacturers,
called Total Coordination.
This type of coordination requires that, in shortcircuit conditions, the contactor or starter must
not create any risk for personnel or installations,
and must be capable of operating afterwards.
The risk of contact welding is not acceptable; the
motor starter must be capable of being restarted
immediately.
b What type of coordination should be chosen?
The choice of the type of coordination depends
on the operating parameters.
It must meet the users requirements at an
optimal installation cost.
v Type 1
Acceptable when continuity of service is not
required and service can be restored after the
replacement of the faulty elements.
In this case, the maintenance service must be
effective (available and competent).
The advantage is a lower equipment cost.
v Type 2
To be chosen when continuity of service is required.
It requires less maintenance.
To enable a motor starter to operate

correctly, the coordination between all
the devices must meet all the following
requirements:
b the overload relay must protect the
magnetic circuit-breaker in the overload
zone : its curve 1 must pass below that of
the thermal withstand of the circuit-breaker;
b and, conversely, in the short-circuit
zones, in order to protect the thermal relay,
the short-circuit trip curve must pass below
that of the thermal withstand of the relay;
b finally, in order to protect the contactor,
its thermal withstand limit must be above
the curves of the two trip releases (thermal,
1, and magnetic, 3) (or the fuse, 2).
Note that the standard specifies the limit
test currents:
b up to 0.75 Ic only the thermal protection
must operate;
b above 1.25 Ic only the short-circuit
protection must operate.
Fig. 40 : The principles of coordination.
v When immediate restarting of the motor

isessential, Total Coordination must be
chosen.
No maintenance is required.
The types of coordination offered in

manufacturers catalogues simplify the users
choices and provide assurance that the motor
starter conforms to the standard.
Possible functions
1/L3
1/L2
Power base unit

Control
units
6/T3
4/T2
Control unit
2/T1
CPS or starter-controllers are designed

to perform the functions of control and
protection (against overload and short circuit)
simultaneously; they are also designed to enable
control to be provided in short-circuit conditions.
They can also provide complementary functions
such as isolation, enabling them to perform all the
functions of a motor starter. They conform to IEC
60947-6-2, which in particular defines the rated
values and the operating categories of CPS, and
to the principles of IEC 60947-1 and 60947-4-1.
The various functions of a CPS are combined
and coordinated to provide continuity of service
for all currents up to the rated breaking capacity
for short-circuit operation, Ics, of the device. The
system may or may not incorporate a single
device, but its characteristics are always rated as
if for a single device. Additionally, the guarantee
of total coordination between all the functions
gives the user a simple choice of an optimal
protection device which is easy to use.
Even if it takes the form of a single device, a
CPS can provide a degree of modularity equal
to, or even greater than, that of a three product
motor starter. This is true of the Telemecanique
Tesys U starter-controller (see Fig. 41 ). This
allows a control unit integrating the protection
and control functions for motors from 0.15 A to
32 A to be added, or changed at any time, on a
1/L1
5.6 Control and protective switching devices (CPS)
Fig. 41 : Example of a modular CPS (Telemecanique

Tesys U starter-controller).
general-purpose power base unit or sub-base

rated at 32 A (see Fig. 42 ).
Additional functionality can also be installed, for
the following aspects:
b power: inverter unit, limiter
b control:
v function modules: alarms, motor load,
automatic reset, etc.
v communication modules: AS-i, Modbus,
Profibus, CAN-Open, etc.
v auxiliary contact modules, additional contacts.
Control units:
Standard
Expandable
Multi-function
Starter states (ready, operating, faulty)

Alarms (overcurrent, etc.)
Thermal alarm
Remote reset via the bus
Indication of the motor load
Fault differentiation
Parameter setting and protection functions look-up
Log function
Supervision function
Start and stop commands

Information carried on the bus (Modbus) and functions provided
Fig. 42 : Example of optional functions available with a modular system (Telemecanique Tesys U starter-controller).
5.7 Discrimination
In an electrical installation, the loads are
connected to the generators via a sequence of
isolation, protection and control devices.
Unless there is a carefully implemented
discrimination plan, an electric fault may affect
several protection devices. Thus a single fault
can result in a larger or smaller part of the
installation being switched off. This causes an
additional loss of availability of electrical energy
in correctly operating feeders.
To prevent this loss, in a radial feeder layout
(see Fig. 43 ) the aim of discrimination is to
disconnect only the faulty feeder or motor
from the line supply, while keeping the largest
possible part of the installation live. Thus
discrimination makes it possible to combine
safety and continuity of service. It also facilitates
fault location.
To provide maximum continuity of service,
protection devices which are coordinated with
each other must be used. For this purpose,
different methods are used to achieve either
D1
D3
D2
Fig. 43 : Discrimination between two circuit-breakers

D1 and D2 connected in series, where the same fault
current is flowing through both, requires that only the
circuit-breaker D2 downstream of D1 should open
total discrimination, which covers all fault

current levels up to the maximum available in the
installation, or partial discrimination which does
not cover the whole range.
Discrimination methods
There are several types of discrimination:
b current-based, using a difference between the
trip thresholds of the circuit-breakers connected
in series
b time-based, where the tripping of the upstream
circuit-breaker is delayed by a few tens or
hundreds of milliseconds, or use is made of the
ordinary operating characteristics related to the
ratings of the devices. Thus discrimination can
be provided between two overload relays by
meeting the condition Ir1 > 1.6 Ir2 (where r1 is
upstream of r2).
b SELLIM or energy-based, in the electricity
supply field: here a limiting circuit-breaker is
connected upstream, and opens for the time
required for the operation of the downstream
circuit-breaker, and then recloses.
b logic, in which one circuit-breaker informs the
other that the threshold has been exceeded,
leaving the more downstream circuit-breaker the
choice of whether to open.
For further information on discrimination, see
Schneider Electric Cahiers Techniques no. 167.
Discrimination in processes
For process control equipment (production lines,
chemical production units, etc.), the
discrimination methods most commonly used
between motor starters and the electrical line
supply to these processes are generally currentbased and time-based. In most cases,
discrimination is provided by the limiting or ultralimiting capacity of the motor starters.
5.8 Example
The aim is to select a motor starter for protecting
and controlling a lifting pump where continuity of
service is essential.
b Short-circuit current of the installation calculated

in relation to the equipment: Isc = 35kA
b Control voltage: 230 V.
Technical characteristics of the motor to be

protected
Essential limit characteristics

The operating conditions lead to the following
choice:
b for short-circuit protection, and in order to
provide the requisite continuity of service, a
magnetic circuit-breaker must be provided, with a
breaking capacity in excess of Isc, calculated as
35 kA in this case.
b Three-phase asynchronous motor

b Power: 4 kW at 400 V, 50 Hz, and nominal
current In 8.1 A
b Operating category AC-3
b Normal start (no specific starting time)
To allow the continuous passage of the nominal

current, the operating current of the magnetic
circuit-breaker must be more than In = 8.1 A.
b for overload protection, given normal starting,
the relay must be of class 10 or 10A, with a
setting current Is of 8.1 A or slightly more.
b a contactor having an operating current of
more than 8.1 A. Its control coil must be supplied
at 230 V a.c.
Since continuity of service is essential, type
II coordination or total coordination of the
protection devices is required.
The hardware solutions

The selection of equipment having all these
characteristics can be difficult, especially if
devices made by different manufacturers have
to be combined. However, most manufacturers
catalogues show ranges of motor starters
together with tables of tested combinations,
facilitating the selection process. (see Fig. 44 ).
D.O.L. starters with circuit-breaker and thermal overload relay 3-product solution, type 2 coordination
GV2 L
LC1 D
LR D
Standard power ratings of 50/60 Hz three-phase

motors in Category AC-3
400/415 V
440 V
500 V
Iq P Ie Iq P Ie Iq
P Ie
kW A
kA
kW A
kA
kW A
kA
0.08 0.22 130 0.06 0.19 130 0.09
0.12
0.18
0.36
0.42
0.6
130
130
130
0.09
0.12
0.18
0.28
0.37
0.55
130
130
130
6.5
130
8.4
130
4
4
6.5
6.5
10
50
Circuit-breaker
Contactor Thermal overload

relay
Rating FLAm Ref.(2)
Ref.
Setting
(1)
range
A
A
A
0.4
LC1 D09 LRD 02 0.160.25
5
Ref.
GV2 L03
or LE03
GV2 L03
or LE03
GV2 L04
or LE04
0.4
LC1 D09
LRD 03
0.250.40
0.63
LC1 D09
LRD 04
0.40.63
10
10
LC1 D09
LRD 12
5.58
10
138
10
138
LC1 D12
LC1 D12
LC1 D09
LRD 12
LRD 12
LRD 14
5.58
5.58
710
GV2 L14
or LE14
GV2 LE14
GV2 L14
GV2 L14
or LE14
Solution: GV2 L14 + LC1 D09 + LRD 14

TeSys U starter-controllers 1 product solution, total coordination
- Power base
Rated short-circuit breaking capacity (Isc)
Volts
230
440
500
kA
50
50
10
Note: For higher values, use limiters. At 690 V, use phase barrier LU9 SP0.
Connection
Power
Screw clamp
Control
Screw clamp
Rating
y 440 V
A
12
32
690
4
Ref.
500 V
A
12
23
690 V
A
9
21
LUB 12
LUB 32
- Control units
LUB 12
Maximum standard power ratings of

Setting
Clip on power
Ref. to be
50/60Hz single-/three-phase motors
range
baserating
completed with
400/415 V
500 V
690 V
code indicating
kW
kW
kW
A
A
voltage
Advanced control Pressing the Test button on the front panel simulates tripping on thermal overload.
Class 10 for three-phase motors
0.09
0.25
1.5
2.2
3
5.5
5.5
9
7.5
9
15
18.5
15
15
0.150.6
0.351.4
1.255
312
4.518
832
12 and 32
12 and 32
12 and 32
12 and 32
32
32
LUCB X6pp
LUCB 1Xpp
LUCB 05pp
LUCB 12pp
LUCB 18pp
LUCB 32pp
Existing control circuit voltages

Volts
c
a
c or a
24
BL
B
-
4872
110240
ES
FU
Solution: LUB12 + LUCB 12 FU

Fig. 44 : Two solutions in which good coordination between the different functions of a motor starter is guaranteed
(source: Telemecanique).
6 Conclusion
In any installation including electric motors,

different kinds of faults can occur. But, whether
they originate in the motors (short circuits
between phases, etc.) or are related to the
operation of the motor (rotor locking, prolonged
starting, etc.) or to the power supply (overvoltage,
unbalance, etc.), their effects on the motors can
include short circuits and/or overheating of the
windings, which may destroy them.
Accordingly, in order to avoid these mishaps or
limit their effects, every motor should be
protected from:
b short circuits: by fuses, magnetic circuitbreakers, etc.
b and overloads: by thermal or electronic
overload relays, multi-function relays, etc.
In a motor starter, these protection elements are
combined with an isolation device and a control
device. To ensure that they perform their
functions correctly, their coordination must be
ensured. This is an operation which is often
difficult for the designer of the installation or
machine, since he has to take into account not
only the type of motor, but also its mode of
operation and the characteristics of the
installation.
To facilitate the selection process, all major
manufacturers of motor starters publish
combination tables for their equipment in their
catalogues. Only a few manufacturers, such as
Schneider Electric, have produced devices which
incorporate all the necessary elements to
guarantee the correct operation of a whole
installation. Thus the requisite motor protection
devices can be rapidly specified and installed
without the risk of random occurrences.
Appendix 1: Modular system of the Tesys U starter-controller
The Tesys U CPS, or starter-controller (made by

Telemecanique) is a direct motor starter for
protecting and controlling single-phase or threephase motors. Its functions are integrated simply
by plugging control units and modules into a
power base unit (see Fig. 45 ).
With this technology, the CPS can be adapted up
to the last minute, and other plug-in elements are
available to simplify or even eliminate the wiring
in it.
Power base unit [1]

b Independent of the control voltage and the
motor power
b Integrates the circuit-breaker function with a
breaking power of 50 kA at 400 V, total coordination
(continuity of service), and the switch function
Control units [2]
b Standard control unit
v Protection against overloads and short circuits
v Protection against phase failure and unbalance
v Protection against isolation faults (equipment
protection only)
v Manual reset
b Expandable control unit
v Includes the functionality of the standard
control unit (see above)
v When combined with a function or
communication module:
- fault differentiation with manual reset
- fault differentiation with remote or automatic
reset
- thermal pre-alarm
- indication of the motor load.
b Multi-function control unit
v Includes the functionality of the standard
control unit (see above)
v Reset parameters can be modified in manual
or automatic mode
v Protection system alarm
v Display on front panel or on remote terminal,
using Modbus RS 485 port
v Log function
v Monitoring function, displaying the main
motor parameters on the front panel of the
control unit or on a remote terminal
v Fault differentiation (short circuit, overload, etc.)
v Protection against excess torque and no-load
operation
1
3
Fig. 45 : Tesys U modular starter-controller.
Modules [3-4]
b Auxiliary contacts
b Function
v Fault differentiation (with manual reset or
remote or automatic reset)
v Thermal pre-alarm
v Indication of the motor load
b Communication
v Parallel bus
v Serial bus: AS-Interface, Modbus, Profibus, etc.
Inverter unit [5]
Limiter-isolator unit [6]
Appendix 2: the main starting modes
DOL starting (see Fig. 46 )

This is the simplest and most economical starting
mode, but, owing to its electromechanical
characteristics, it cannot be used unless:

b the load allows a large starting torque
b and the line supply allows a starting current
which may be up to 10 times the nominal current.
Id / In
Cmax
Cn
Cd
Acceleration
torque
Cr
Resistive torque
If (Cr)
In
N
N1 Nn
In the power network
Starting current
Brownout
Harmonic disturbance
Power factor
In the motor
Number of successive starts
Available torque
Temperature stress
In the mechanism
Stress on couplings
Suitable load types
N1 Nn
Large overcurrent (5 to 10 In)
Considerable
Considerable during starting
Low during starting
Limited (thermal withstand)
Low during starting (see graph)
Very considerable (rotor)
Very considerable
Low-inertia load
Fig. 46 : Graphs and summary of the induced effects of the DOL starting mode.
Star-triangle starting
The principle of this mode is that the motor is
started by coupling the windings in star
configuration under the line voltage (see Fig. 47),
which is equivalent to dividing the nominal
voltage of the motor in star configuration by 3.
The peak starting current is then divided by 3,
i.e. Is = 1.5 to 3 In.
This is a simple and economical starting mode
which reduces the current peak on starting (see
Fig. 48 next page).
It can only be used if:
b the starting load is zero, or has a low torque
not exceeding 1/3 of the nominal torque
b and the line can withstand the excess current
during the coupling changeover.
Rheostatic stator starting
The principle is to start the motor at a reduced
voltage by connecting resistors in series with the
windings (see Fig. 49 next page). When the speed
is stabilized, the resistors are short-circuited and
the motor is coupled directly to the line supply.
This operation is generally controlled by a timer.
L1 L2 L3
1
Q1
2
KM2
KM3
2
(U) (V) (W)

U1 V1 W1
M
3
KM1
F2
U2 V2 W2
(X) (Y) (Z)
Fig. 47 : Electrical diagram of a star-triangle starter.
Id / In
C / Cn
C in
Cmax
I
I in
2
Cr
I in Y
C in Y
Resistive torque
If (Cr)
In
N
N1 Nn
In the power network
Starting current
Brownout
Harmonic disturbance
Power factor
In the motor
Number of successive starts
Available torque
Temperature stress
In the mechanism
Stress on couplings
Suitable load types
N1 Nn
Low overcurrent (1.5 to 3 In)
Considerable on change of coupling
Considerable during starting
Degraded during starting
2 to 3 times greater than in direct connection
Reduced during starting (1/3 Cn)
Lower than in direct connection
Lower than in direct connection
Low-inertia
Fig. 48 : Graphs and summary of the effects of the star-triangle starting mode.
Autotransformer starting
The motor is supplied at reduced voltage by
means of an autotransformer which is switched
out of the circuit after starting.
L1 L2 L3
1
Q1
KM1
KM1
2
R1 R3 R5
Ic Id
6
I (direct)
I (stage 1)
4
with resistances
I (stage 2)
R2 R4 R6
without
resistance
3
2
5
1
F2
2
U
4
V
6
W
50
1.5
This starting mode avoids power cuts during the

starting phase; it can greatly reduce the
magnetizing current peaks (transients).
However, the starting current remains high, at about
4.5 In. This starting mode causes a considerable
loss of torque and power (see Fig. 50 ).
Torque
M
3
Fig. 49 : Electrical diagram and sequence of a
rheostatic stator starter.
100
Cm (stage 2)
C (direct)
1
0.5
Cm (stage 1)
Cresistive
50
100
Fig. 50 : Current and torque graphs for a rheostatic

stator starter.
Starting takes place in three stages (see Fig. 51).

This starting mode is used mostly in
LVapplications for power ratings of more than
150kW and for mechanisms having low inertia
where the torque characteristics can withstand

the decrease in motor torque in a ratio varying
from 0.4 to 0.85 with respect to the starting
torque of the motor (see Fig. 52 ).
L1 L2 L3
Stage 1
L1 L2 L3
I> I> I>
U
K3
K2
V
3
U1 V1 W1
Stage 2
L1 L2 L3
Stage 3
L1 L2 L3
U
U3
V3
W3
U
V
M
3
U2 V2 W2
V
3
K1
Fig. 51 : Electrical diagram and sequence of autotransformer starting.
Ic
6
Electronic starting (soft starter)
Id
I (direct)
5
4
I (3e temps)
3
I (1er temps)
2
1
Couple
1,5
50
100
When the motor is switched on, it is supplied

with a progressively increasing voltage. This
is produced by means of a power controller
whose output voltage can be controlled by an
acceleration ramp which is determined by the
value of the limit current, or the torque, or is
related to these two parameters (see Fig. 53 ).
This is a high-performance starting mode which
allows soft starting and stopping.
In current limiting control, a maximum current
(3 to 4 In) is fixed during the starting phase,
although this decreases the torque performance.
This form of starting is particularly suitable for
turbine machines such as centrifugal pumps
and fans.
C (direct)
Cm (2e tps)
Cm (3e tps)
1
0,5
Cm (1er tps)
Crsistant
50
N
100
Fig. 52 : Current and torque graphs for an

autotransformer starter.
Fig. 53 : Progressive starting and deceleration unit

(Telemecanique Altistart 01).
In torque regulation control, the torque

performance is optimized on starting, but with
negative effects on the current drawn from the
line supply.
Frequency converter starting
This operates on a principle similar to that of
PWM (Pulse Width Modulation) according to a
PWM sinus law. This method provides regular
and shock-free rotation of the machines, even at
low speed, because the output current waveform
is very close to a sine wave.
This is a high-performance starting mode, used
when the speed must be controlled.
Suitable for all types of machine, it can be used
for the following purposes, among others:
b starting high-inertia loads
b starting large loads in a network with a low
short-circuit capacity
b optimizing electricity consumption in
accordance with the speed of turbine machines.
Appendix 3: Bibliography
Standards
Miscellaneous
b IEC 60034-26: Rotating electrical machines.

b Part 26: Effects of unbalanced voltages on the
performance of three-phase induction motors.
b IEC 60364, NF C 15-100: Low-voltage
electrical installations.
b IEC 60947-1: Low-voltage switchgear and
controlgear - Part 1 : General rules.
controlgear - Part 2 : Circuit-breakers.
b IEC 60947-4-1: Low-voltage switchgear and
controlgear - Part 4-1: Contactors and motorstarters - Electromechanical contactors and
motor-starters.
b IEC 60947-6-2: Low-voltage switchgear and
controlgear - Part 6-2: Multiple function
equipment - Control and protective switching
devices (or equipment) (CPS).
controlgear - Part 8 : Control units for built-in
thermal protection (PTC) for rotating electrical
machines.
b IEC 61000-2-1: Electromagnetic compatibility
(EMC) - Part 2: Environment - Section 1:
Description of the environment - Electromagnetic
environment for low-frequency conducted
disturbances and signalling in public power
supply systems.
b Schmathque Technologies du contrle

industriel, Edition CITEF - Collection Technique
Telemecanique 1994
b Utilisation industrielle des moteurs courant
alternatif, TEC & DOC, Schneider-Electric 2001 Jean Bonal
b Protections lectriques des alternateurs et
moteurs, Techniques de lIngnieur no. D 3775 Bernard Guigues
b Protections lectriques des alternateurs et
moteurs, Techniques de lIngnieur no. D 4820 Jacques Verschoore
b Guide dinstallation et de maintenance des
Moteurs asynchrones triphass ferms cage
ou bagues, Leroy Somer Document
Schneider Electric Cahiers Techniques

b Overvoltages and insulation coordination in MV
and HV
Cahier Technique no. 151- Didier Fulchiron
b Energy-based discrimination for LV protective
devices
Cahier Technique no. 167 - Marc Serpinet and
Robert Morel
b LV surges and surge arresters - LV insulation
coordination
Cahier Technique no. 179 - Christophe Sraudie
b Discrimination with LV power circuit-breakers
Cahier Technique no. 201 - Jean-Pierre Nereau
b LV protection devices and variable speed
drives (frequency converters)
Cahier Technique no. 204 - Jacques Schonek
and Yves Nebon
b Electric motors ... and how to improve their
control and protection
Cahier Technique no. 207 - Etienne Gaucheron
b Electronic starters and variable speed drives
Cahier Technique no. 208 - Daniel Clenet
Schneider Electric Industries SAS

Head Office
89, bd Franklin Roosevelt
92506 Rueil-Malmaison Cedex
FRANCE
2007 SchneiderElectric
SchneiderElectric
DTP: AXESS Valence.

Transl.: Lloyd International - Tarpoley - Cheshire - GB
Editor: SchneiderElectric
01-07

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Collection Technique

Cahier technique no.211

Building a New Electric World

"Cahiers Techniques" is a collection of documents intended for engineers

ECT 211 first issue, January 2007

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

The protection of LV motors

2 Brief guide to electric motors

2.1 The various types of motor

2.2 The applications of low-voltage motors

3.2 Faults external to the motor:

3.3 Faults external to the motor:

4.1 Short-circuit protection

4.2 Overload protection

4.3 Selection table for protection relays

4.4 Motor circuit-breakers (thermal-magnetic circuit-breakers)

5.2 The basic functions of motor starters

5.4 A complementary function: communication

5.5 Motor starters and coordination

5.6 Control and protective switching devices (CPS)

Appendix 1: Modular system of the Tesys U starter-controller

Appendix 2: The main starting modes

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

All electric motors have operating limits. Exceeding

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

To avoid these mishaps, or at least limit their

2 Brief guide to electric motors

2.1 The various types of motor

demonstrating the concept of asynchronism.

Synchronous motors are mainly used for very

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

2.2 The applications of low-voltage motors

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

Fig. 2 : Applications of electric motors according to

3 Causes of faults and their consequences

In an installation including electric motors,

These malfunctions can arise from:

3.1 Internal faults in the motor:

electrodynamic stresses on the conductors).

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

The graph in Figure 4, supplied by most electric

The graph in Figure 5 shows how a 5% increase

Service life (%)

Fig. 4 : Change in the insulation resistance of motor

Fig. 5 : Service life of motors as a function of their

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

Fig. 6 : Example of overvoltage.

In most cases, the effect of an overvoltage is

Very short (1 to 10s)

Edge steepness frequency

Fig. 7 : Characteristics of different types of overvoltage.

which generates high rotor currents, causing

Fig. 9 : Effect of voltage unbalance on the operating

Fig. 8 : Voltage readings from an unbalanced threephase system.

IEC standard 60034-26 provides a derating rule

The following equation can be used to approach

max Vmean Vmean Vmin

Fig. 10 : Derating of a motor as a function of the

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

Brownouts and power cuts

These voltage variations may be due either to a

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.10

If precautions are not taken, the fast

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.

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Cahier Technique SchneiderElectric no. 211 / p.