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4/19/2017 Rulesfordimensioning,disconnectingandprotectingtheneutralconductor|EEP

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Rulesfordimensioning,disconnectingand
protectingtheneutralconductor

4-pole Compact NSX circuit breaker with phase/neutral conductors same cross-sectional area (photo credit:
Edvard Csanyi)

Contents
1. Dimensioning of neutral conductor
Smaller than the cross-sectional area of the phase conductors
Equal to the cross-sectional area of the phase conductors
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Greater than or equal


2. Neutral conductor disconnection
TN-C system
TT or TN-S system
IT system
Important recommendations
#1 The neutral must never be disconnected alone!
#2 Neutral conductor to be blue and letter N
3. Neutral conductor protection
TN-C system
TT or TN-S system
IT system
4. Equipment for disconnecting and protecting the neutral
Fuses
Circuit breakers
Residual current devices (RCDs)
Emergency breaking devices

1.Dimensioningofneutralconductor
In sinusoidal operation, the current in the neutral conductor is determined by the unbalance between the single-
phase loads connected between phases and neutral.

1. Balanced loads: The current in the neutral conductor is zero (see Fig. 1 ).
2. Unbalanced loads: The current in the neutral conductor is not zero, as illustrated in Figure 2.

In the event of unbalanced loads of the same type, the current in the neutral conductor is less than or equal to the
highest phase current (see Fig. 3). In the event of unbalanced loads of different types on each phase (resistive,
inductive, capacitive), the neutral current may be greater than the current in each of the phases. However, this
scenario is rare in practice.

Moreover, the presence of harmonics in the neutral conductor is also an important factor for determining the
cross-sectional area of the conductor.

The cross-sectional area of the neutral conductor, defined as a function of the current conducted, may be:

Smallerthanthecrosssectionalareaofthephaseconductors

Smaller than the cross-sectional area of the phase conductors if the following conditions are met simultaneously:

The cross-sectional area of the phase conductors must be greater than 16 mm2 (copper) or 25 mm2
(aluminum).

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The cross-sectional area of the neutral conductor must be at least equal to 16 mm2 (copper) or 25 mm2
(aluminum).
The loads supplied with power during normal operation are assumed to be balanced, with a third harmonic
ratio of less than 15%.
The neutral conductor must be protected against overcurrents.

Figure 1 Phase currents and neutral current with balanced linear loads

A common technique is to use a neutral conductor with a cross-sectional area half that of the cross-sectional
area of the phase conductors.

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Equaltothecrosssectionalareaofthephaseconductors

This is the general case, in particular in single-phase circuits with 2 conductors, or when the cross-sectional area of
the phase conductors is less than 16 mm2 (copper) or 25 mm2 (aluminum). It is equally true in the case of power
supplies for non-linear loads and if the third harmonic ratio is located in the range between 15 and 33%.

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Figure 2 Phase currents and neutral current with unbalanced linear loads

Greaterthanorequal

Greater than or equal to the cross-sectional area of the phase conductors in the event of power supplies for non-
linear loads and if the third harmonic ratio is greater than 33%. The current in the neutral conductor is
therefore a key factor in determining the cross-sectional area of the conductors.

An unbalanced current circulates on a three- phase line supply due to the impossibility of achieving a permanent
and perfect balance between the single-phase loads. This current is equal to:

IN = I1 + I2 + I3

It may be very variable, as shown in the example below.

Figure 3 Significance of unbalanced currents in


the neutral conductor

It may even be greater than the phase current if phase 2 is disconnected:

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2.Neutralconductordisconnection
The rules for the disconnection or maintaining of the neutral
conductor are designed to limit the risks of electrocution,
which accompany an increase in potential.

TNCsystem

The neutral conductor is also the protective earth (called PEN). It is therefore essential that its continuity is
maintained under all circumstances. For this reason, no breaking devices may be connected to it.

TTorTNSsystem

The neutral is earthed at the installation supply point. Under normal conditions, its potential is similar to the
earth potential. However, for a variety of reasons, the potential of the neutral conductor may deviate significantly
from the earth potential and reach dangerous voltages in relation to earth.

A possible scenario is illustrated in Figure 4. The current circulating in the neutral conductor causes the neutral
potential to increase on one load, even if this load is not connected to the phase following an operation or a trip.

Figure 4 Increase in neutral potential

Moreover, as cable inversion between phase and neutral on one load is always a possibility, the non-breaking of
one of the polarities actually risks the phase voltage applied to the load being maintained.

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The simultaneous
disconnection of phase and
neutral is therefore
recommended.

In addition, in the event of a


fault in one part of the
installation (accidental
disconnection of neutral
conductor upstream, increase
in impedances, MV/LV fault,
lightning strike on low-
voltage lines, etc.), the
potential of the neutral for
user loads may rise abruptly
to reach dangerous levels.

These risks are particularly inherent on the floors of multi-storey buildings, where it is more difficult to ensure the quality of
earthing systems due to the exceptionally long cables.

An extreme case in which the neutral potential in relation to earth was 80 V in normal operation has already
been measured on one installation. This presents a risk of electrocution. In order to avoid creating dangerous
situations, the stringent application of the neutral disconnection rule is strongly recommended.

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ITsystem

The potential of the neutral conductor may be at any level, even if it is generally close to the earth potential.
If a fault is pending (e.g. phase-to- earth), the potential of the neutral in relation to earth may increase until it
reaches the level of the phase voltage.

Even when carrying out maintenance work on a part of the installation, which is supposed to have been
disconnected from the power supply and is therefore not dangerous, personnel may still be at risk if the neutral
conductor has not been disconnected. This is why it is imperative to disconnect the neutral in all cases.

Only by disconnecting the neutral is it possible to ensure that the potentials between the frame and earth will be
equal following tripping.

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Importantrecommendations
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#1 The neutral must never be disconnected alone!

It must be disconnected after the phases and reconnected before the phases. Failure to observe this rule will
lead to overvoltages on single-phase devices in unbalanced three- phase operation, as the phase-to-phase voltage
can be applied to a circuit designed to be supplied with power via the phase voltage (phase-to-neutral). This risk is
illustrated in Figure 11.

Figure 5 Risk of overvoltage in the event of


the neutral conductor tripping

If the load connected between phase 3 and neutral is much larger than the loads on the other phases (1 and 2),
the artificial neutral point N will be set to a potential similar to that of phase 3 if the neutral conductor trips. The
loads connected between phases 1, 2 and N will therefore be subject to voltages V1N and V2N, close to V13
and V23.

The use of multi-pole devices is therefore strongly recommended to disconnect or isolate the neutral in
order to avoid the individual isolation of the neutral or breaking via single- pole devices (see IEC 60364).

In addition, due to the prevailing voltages, the breaking device for the neutral conductor will have to exhibit the
necessary characteristics for isolation, in particular a sufficient insulation voltage (e.g. resistance to a 12.3 kV surge
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at LV for industrial equipment, in accordance with standard IEC 60947).

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#2 Neutral conductor to be blue and letter N

For the purpose of disconnection, the neutral must be clearly identifiable, which is why installation standards
require the conductor to be light blue in color and terminals and diagrams to bear the letter N.

Note: In an electrical distribution system without neutral, the blue conductor can be used as a phase, although this is not
recommended.

Requirements regarding the position of the neutral pole in the equipment are rarely prescribed in relevant
standards, except for example in France in C 62-411 for LV incoming circuit breakers. However, it is common in
many European countries, including France, to use neutral connection terminals to the left of the phase connection
terminals (see Fig. 6).

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Figure 6 The neutral conductor pole is to


the left (Compact NSX 100N circuit breaker
by SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC) photo
credit: E. Csanyi

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3.Neutralconductorprotection

TNCsystem

As the protective earth (PE) cannot be disconnected under any circumstances, it is not possible to disconnect
the conductor (N) in a TN-C type installation in which the two conductors are combined in one
(PEN). Consequently, the cross-sectional area of the neutral will be selected accordingly since protection via
automatic disconnection is not applicable.

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TTorTNSsystem

In the event of an overload or phase-neutral short-circuit on a given feeder, the same fault current will flow
through the phase and neutral conductors. There are two possible scenarios:

1. Cross-sectional area of the neutral equal to the cross-sectional area of the phases
Protection of the neutral is not obligatory. The neutral conductor is protected by the protective device for
the phase conductor.
2. Cross-sectional area of the neutral smaller than the cross-sectional area of the phases
A protective device to guard against overloads dimensioned according to the cross-sectional area of the
neutral conductor is obligatory.

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ITsystem

Double faults (one on a phase and the other on the neutral), may affect feeders with different ratings (connected
by the faults).

Protecting the individual phases is not an entirely reliable solution and here is the explanation:

The protection for a phase with a higher rating on one feeder may not be suitable for the cross-sectional area of the neutral
on the other feeder. Provision for the protection and disconnection of the neutral is therefore obligatory, except in specific
cases (e.g. single-phase circuits, protection via RCDs, etc.).

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4.Equipmentfordisconnectingandprotectingtheneutral
If the above conditions have been fulfilled and if the neutral is clearly labeled, it is possible even
recommended for economical reasons not to protect it. In all other cases, the risks of phase/ neutral
inversion justify protecting the neutral conductor.

Fuses

Except in very specific cases (use of fuse cartridges with strikers connected to a breaking device), the blowing of a
fuse located in a live conductor will not cut off the current in the other live conductors: the break is single-pole.
In order to avoid only the neutral being disconnected, it must never be protected by a fuse.

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Equally, the neutral conductor will not be disconnected automatically if a fuse on one of the phases blows.

Circuitbreakers

2-pole (phase/phase or phase/neutral) or 4-pole circuit breakers can be used to disconnect the phases and
the neutral simultaneously in order to cut off the power supply to a circuit.

Phase/neutral devices on which only the phase is protected are less expensive and more compact, although the
neutral must be clearly labeled.

Figure 7 Compact NSX 400NA 4-pole 400A, Schneider


Electric

Residualcurrentdevices(RCDs)

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RCDs are considered a very reliable means of ensuring the operation of an electrical installation. They help to
protect against direct and indirect contact as well as providing protection against fire. Moreover, RCDs will
continue to operate in the event of a phase/neutral inversion.

Because RCDs combine all these functions in a single device, their use is recommended both in new installations and in
extensions to existing installations.

Emergencybreakingdevices

In order to ensure that the power supply to a circuit can be cut off quickly, multi-pole breaking (of all live
conductors including the neutral) is recommended via the breaking device or emergency stop.
Control and monitoring

For equipment (contactors, remote control switches, circuit breakers, load-shedding devices, regulators, etc.) not
designed for protection purposes but used for controlling or monitoring loads (machines, lighting), standards do
not require the disconnection of the neutral.

However, when auxiliary contacts on protective devices are used to set up logic or signaling functions, it is
sometimes difficult to predict the potential of each of the conductors in the event of a fault (in particular on a
three-phase system). In this case, disconnection of the neutral is recommended.

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Reference // The neutral: A live and unique conductor by J. Schonek (Schneider Electric)
Relatedelectricalguides&articles//

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AboutAuthor//
Edvard Csanyi

Edvard - Electrical engineer, programmer and founder of EEP. Highly specialized for
design of LV high power busbar trunking (<6300A) in power substations, buildings and
industry fascilities. Designing of LV/MV switchgears.Professional in AutoCAD
programming and web-design.Present on Google+

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