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SHOCK PROTECTION
16
become live under fault conditions.
The potential of the metal enclosure is
higher than that of the main earthing
terminal of the installation (and that
of Earth) because of a potential
difference created by the passage of
fault current through the impedance of
the circuit protective conductors and
the means of earthing.
Protective measures
A protective measure must consist of
provision of basic protection and
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(iii) automatic disconnection of supply
in the case of a fault.
Protective earthing
Protective earthing requires all exposed-
conductive-parts to be connected to a
protective conductor which in turn is
connected to the main earthing terminal
and hence, via the earthing conductor to
the means of earthing.
Figure 2:
Main protective equipotential bonding Single fault
In each installation main protective Figure 1: Contact with live parts conditions
Automatic disconnection in
case of a fault
When a fault occurs, the fault current
has to be of sufficient magnitude to
operate the circuit protective device to
automatically disconnect the supply to
the faulty circuit within a prescribed
time.
A protective device such as a fuse, Figure 3: Automatic Automatic Disconnection of Supply
circuit-breaker or RCD is to be
provided and the circuit designed such required to be connected by a causing the automatic operation of the
that the device operates and protective conductor to the main disconnecting device within the time
disconnects the supply. earthing terminal of the installation specified in Table 41.1 of BS 7671.
In the event of a fault of negligible which must be connected to the Uo is the nominal a.c. rms or d.c. line
impedance between a line conductor earthed point of the power supply voltage to Earth in volts (V) which is
and an exposed-conductive-part or a system, i.e. the supply transformer. 230 V.
protective conductor, the protective The characteristics of the protective
device must disconnect the supply device and the circuit impedances are TT system
within the appropriate time stated in required to fulfil the following In a TT system, every exposed-
Table 41.1 of BS 7671 (See Table 2, requirement (Regulation 411.4.5): conductive-part is required to be
page 22). Zs x Ia Uo connected, via the main earthing
Requirements of the protective where: terminal to a common earth electrode
measure of Automatic Disconnection Zs is the impedance in ohms () the (Regulation 411.5.1 refers). The preferred
of Supply include protective earthing, fault loop comprising: protective device for fault protection is
main protective equipotential bonding the source an RCD (Regulation 411.5.2) but where an
and automatic disconnection. the line conductor up to the point of RCD is used, as it will be in most cases,
the fault, and overcurrent protection must nonetheless
TN systems the protective conductor between be provided by a fuse or a circuit-
In a TN system each exposed- the point of the fault and the source. breaker, or, alternatively a combined
conductive-part of the installation is Ia is the current in amperes (A) RCD and overcurrent protective device
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Basic protection Fault protection
Protective measure Use Fault protection provided by
provided by provided by
Automatic disconnection of supply General Insulation or barriers and Protective earthing Used in 95% of all installations.
enclosures Protective bonding Section 411 in BS 7671: 2008.
Automatic disconnection Includes FELV (411.7) and RLV (411.8)
Double or reinforced insulation General Basic insulation Supplementary insulation Section 412
Reinforced insulation
Electrical separation for the supply to General Insulation or barriers and Simple separation of the circuit Section 413
one item of current-using equipment enclosures from other circuits and Earth
Extra-low voltage (SELV and PELV). General Voltage must not exceed 50 V a.c. With SELV the circuit is separated, with
Supply from a suitable source PELV it is earthed
Separation Section 414.
Obstacles Obstacles With or without Fault protection Refer to Regulations 417.1 and 417.2
Controlled or
supervised by skilled
Placing out of reach persons Placing out of reach Refer to Regulation 417.3
Non-conducting location Installation is Insulation or barriers and The conditions of supervision Refer to Regulation 418.1
controlled or under enclosures under which the fault protective
Earth-free local equipotential the supervision of provisions of Section 418 may Refer to Regulation 418.2
bonding skilled or instructed be applied as part of the
persons so that protective measure are given in
Electrical separation for the supply to Refer to Regulation 418.3
unauthorized changes Regulation 410.3.6.
more than one item of current-using
cannot be met
equipment
(1) Where, in a TT system, disconnection is achieved by an overcurrent protective device and main
required by Table 41.1, and
RA x In 50 V
bonding is connected to all the extraneous-conductive-parts within the installation in accordance with
Regulation 411.3.1.2, the maximum disconnection times applicable to a TN system may be used.
Where: A maximum disconnection time of 5 s applies to all circuits in a reduced low voltage system Regulation
RA is the sum of the resistances of the 411.8.3 refers). A maximum disconnection time of 5 s applies to all circuits supplying fixed equipment
used in highway power supplies (Regulation 559.10.3.3 refers).
earth electrode and the protective
conductor connecting it to the
Table 2: Extract from Table 41.1 (and others) of BS 7671: 2008 Maximum disconnection times for
exposed-conductive-parts (in ohms). a nominal a.c. rms. line voltage to Earth of 230 V
In is the rated residual operating
current of the RCD. of supply, 412 Double or reinforced special Locations (410.3.2)
insulation 413 Electrical separation and
Additional protection 414 Extra-low voltage provided by SELV The protective measure of Double or
BS 7671 recognizes this measure as or PELV; Regulation 415.1.2 refers. Reinforced Insulation
reducing the risk of electric shock in Additional protection by means of a Double or reinforced insulation is a
the event of failure of one or other of 30 mA RCD is specified as part of a protective measure in which:
the two basic protective measures protective measure for situations such as: basic protection is provided by basic
mentioned above (insulation and socket-outlets for use by ordinary insulation, and
barriers or enclosures) and/or failure persons for general use (411.3.3) fault protection is provided by
of the provision for fault protection or mobile equipment outdoors (411.3.3) supplementary insulation, or
carelessness by users. concealed cables in walls and both basic and fault protection are
The measure must not be used as the partitions where the installation is provided by reinforced insulation
sole means of protection and does not not intended to be under the between live parts and accessible
obviate the need to apply one of the supervision of a skilled or parts (Regulation 412.1.1).
protective measures specified in instructed person, (522.6.7) Double or reinforced insulation is
Sections 411 Automatic disconnection circuits in circuits in certain intended to prevent the appearance of
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a dangerous voltage on the accessible measure in which basic protection is 418.3 of BS 7671) this protective
parts of electrical equipment through provided by basic insulation of live measure is limited to the supply of one
a fault in the basic insulation. There is parts or by barriers or enclosures and item of current-using equipment
no provision for the connection of fault protection is provided by simple supplied from one unearthed source
exposed metalwork of the equipment separation of the separated circuit with simple separation.
to a protective conductor, and no from other circuits and from Earth The source of supply is an isolating
reliance upon the earthing (Regulation 413.1.1). transformer conforming to
arrangements in the fixed wiring of The two main principles underlying BS EN 61558 (which supersedes
the installation. protection by electrical separation is BS 3535), or one of the other sources
that neither the source of the supply specified in Regulation 414.3 having an
Wiring systems nor any live parts of the separated equivalent degree of separation from
Wiring systems must have a rated circuit is connected to any other any other system.
voltage of the cable(s) is not less than circuit or to Earth. Thus, in the event Protection by electrical separation
the nominal voltage of the system and at of a single fault to an exposed- requires the following conditions to be
least 300/500 V and adequate mechanical conductive-part of equipment in the met:
protection of the basic insulation must separated circuit, fault protection is The separated circuit must be
be provided by one or more of the afforded because there is no path for supplied through a source with at
following the non-metallic sheath of the fault current to return to the source. least simple separation
cable, or non-metallic trunking or For an installation in a dwelling, the The voltage of the separated circuit
ducting or non-metallic conduit. only likely application of the use of must not exceed 500 V
electrical separation is a shaver supply Live parts of the separated circuit
The protective measure of unit complying with BS EN 61558-2-5 must not be connected at any point to
Electrical Separation Except under particular another circuit or to Earth or to a
Electrical separation is a protective circumstances (Refer to Regulation protective conductor
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