LOW VOLTAGE SYSTEMS & PROTECTIVE FUSES IN COMMERCIAL &

INDUSTRIAL SYSTEMS Part 2 of 3

TO BS & IEC STANDARDS

(S.R. Javed Ahmed)
Fuse derating due to ambient Temperature:

Typically current derating of 0.5% per C above an ambient of 35C is recommended

The rated Continuous Temperature:

Cable circuits are having a typical conductor temperatures rating of 70C for PVC
insulation & 90C for XLPE based insulation.

Fuses, switches and other circuits are thus, generally, based on 70C as
allowable conductor temperature.

The rated Short Circuit Temperature of Cables:

Typically 250C is SC temperature ratings for LV cables.

Standard Interruption current withstand rating of Fuses:

 80kA for 415Vac systems

40kA for dc applications

50kA for 240V systems

Fuse to fuse Coordination ratio:

All fuses to BS88: Parts 2 & 6 will give a coordination ratio of 2:1. Meaning an
upstream fuse rated for 200A will coordinate with a downstrean 100A rated fuse.

For most practical situations some Manufacturers recommend a ratio of 1.6:1

Fuse Current & Energy Limitation:

The pre-arcing It values limits shall be as specified in BS88.

Common BS 88 HRC Fuses by various manufacturers

1. Protection Philosophy
Various philosophies are applicable based on the Protection requirement .

i. Prevention of Electric Shocks

Electricity regulations mentions of dealing with two types of Electric Shocks:
Direct Contact
Indirect Contact

Dealing with Electric shocks due to Direct Contact:

Preventing a current from passing through the human body or any
livestock
 Limiting the current which can pass through the human body or any
livestock to lower than the Shock current

Dealing with Electric shocks due to Indirect Contact:

In dealing with protection against indirect contact under single fault
conditions, Electricity regulatione permits the two methods given above
for Direct contact and additionally Automatic disconnection of supply in
a determined time on occurrence of a fault which is likely to cause a
current to flow through the body in contact with exposed conductive
parts (where the value of current is equal to or greater than the shock
current).

2. Load Diversity

A ratio of Maximum demand to the Connected load defines load diversity of the
system. This ratio is always less than 1.

It is fairly easy to calculate the connected load by adding all loads. A system
designed to meet the connected load meets all the safety requirements but is
sometimes fairly expensive. Maximum demand evaluation required engineering
knowledge and judgment on part of the designer.

Lighting loads:
Max demands of lighting system load can be calculated based on the luminaries
connected in terms of watts.

Below recommendation is based on the IEE Guidance:

 Below recommendation is based on the IEE Guidance

Heating loads:
Max demands of lighting system load can be calculated based on the connected
load in terms of watts (normally at unity power factor).
Cookers loads:

Water heating loads:

Motor loads:

Conventional circuit loads:

 Socket loads (other than conventional):

3. System earthing
Value of external earth loop impedance & the magnitude of prospective earth fault
current depends on type of earthing used.

In case of domestic & commercial applications, regulation puts the consumer to be

fully responsible for earthing at his location (not the supplier of Electricity).

Five basic earthing arrangements embodied in systems are identified as:

TN-C, TN-S, TN-C-S, TT & IT.
Figure 4.1: TN-C System
Figure 4.2: TN-S system
Figure 4.3: TN-C-S system
Figure 4.4: TT System
Figure 4.5: IT system
EARTHED EQUIPOTENTIAL BONDING AND AUTOMATIC DISCONNECTION OF
SUPPLY