8/29/2017 10 Important Definitions Applied To Low Voltage Fuses | EEP

10 Important Definitions Applied To

Low Voltage Fuses

Low Voltage Fuses //

The simplest overcurrent protective devices

The simplest of all overcurrent protective devices are fuses. A fuse is an

overcurrent protective device with a circuit-opening fusible part that is heated
and severed by the passage of the overcurrent through it.

Low-voltage disconnect switch with fuses max. 800A, 690V (photo credit: DirectIndustry.com)

Lets talk about ten important definitions that are of interest for low
voltage fuses //
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1. Ampere rating
2. Current-limiting fuse
3. Dual-element fuse
4. I2t
5. Interrupting rating
6. Melting time
7. Peak let-through current (Ip)
8. Time delay
9. Total clearing time
10. Voltage rating

1. Ampere rating

The RMS current that the fuse can carry continuously without deterioration and
without exceeding temperature rise limits. In accordance with NEC article
210.20 a fuse (or any branch-circuit overcurrent device) should not be loaded
continuously to over 80% of its ampere rating unless the assembly, including
the fuse and enclosure, is listed for operation at 100% of its rating.

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NH low-voltage fuse 400A, 120kA, 400- 1000V (photo credit:

DirectIndustry.com)

Go back to LV Fuse Definitions

2. Current-limiting fuse

A current-limiting fuse interrupts all available currents its threshold current

and below its maximum interrupting rating.

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A current-limiting fuse limits the clearing time at rated voltage to an interval

equal to or less than the first major or symmetrical loop duration. It limits peak
let-through current to a value less than the peak current that would be
possible with the fuse replaced by a solid conductor of the same impedance.

Go back to LV Fuse Definitions

3. Dual-element fuse

A cartridge fuse having two or more current-responsive elements in series in a

single cartridge. The dual-element design is a construction technique frequently
used to obtain a desired time-delay response characteristic.

Fusetron Dual-Element Fuse 35A 250VAC

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4. I2t

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A measure of heat energy developed within a circuit during the fuses melting
or arcing. The sum of melting and arcing I2t is generally stated as total
clearing I2t.

Go back to LV Fuse Definitions

5. Interrupting rating

The rating based upon the highest RMS current that the fuse is tested to
interrupt under the conditions specified.

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6. Melting time

The time required to melt the current-responsive element on a specified

overcurrent.

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Go back to LV Fuse Definitions

7. Peak let-through current (Ip)

The maximum instantaneous current through a current-limiting fuse during

the total clearing time.

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8. Time delay

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For Class H, K, J, and R fuses, a minimum opening time of 10s to an

overload current five times the ampere rating of the fuse, except for Class H, K,
and R fuses rated 0-30 A, 250 V, in which case the opening time can be
reduced to 8s.

For Class G, Class CC, and plug fuses, a minimum time delay of 12s on
an overload of twice the fuses ampere rating.

Time delay low voltage fuses (photo credit: ife-p.org)

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9. Total Clearing time

The total time between the beginning of the specified overcurrent and the final
interruption of the circuit, at rated voltage.

Go back to LV Fuse Definitions

10. Voltage Rating

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The RMS voltage at which the fuse is designed to operate. All low voltage
fuses will operate at any lower voltage (note that this is characterized as AC or
DC, or both).

Go back to LV Fuse Definitions

Low voltage fuses are classified according to the standard to which

they are designed. The 1 table lists the various fuse classes and
pertinent data for each class.

Fuses, like most protective devices, exhibit inverse time-current

characteristics. A typical fuse time-current characteristic is shown in Figure 1.

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Figure 1 Typical class J fuse time-current characteristic

Logarithmic scales are used for both the time and current axes, in order to
cover a wide range.

The characteristic represents a band of operating times for which the lower
boundary is the minimum melting time curve, above which the low voltage fuses
can be damaged. The upper boundary is the total clearing time curve, above
which the fuse will open. For a given fault current, the actual fuse opening time
will be within this band.

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Table 1 Low Voltage fuse classes //

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Table 1 Low Voltage fuse classes

In some cases the fuse average melting time only is given. This can be
treated as the fuse opening time with a tolerance of 15%. The -15% boundary
is the minimum melting time and the +15% boundary is the total clearing time.
Note that the time-current characteristic does not extend below 0.01 seconds.
This is due to the fact that below 0.01 seconds the fuse is operating in its
current-limiting region and the fuse I2t is of increasing importance.

The time-current characteristic curves are used

to demonstrate the coordination between protective
devices in series. The basic principle of system
protection is that for a given fault current ideally
only the device nearest the fault opens, minimizing
the effect of the fault on the rest of the system.

This principle is known as selective coordination and can be analyzed with the
use of the device time-current characteristic curves.

As an example, consider a 480 V system with two sets of low voltage

fuses in series, with a system available fault current of 30,000 A. Bus
A is protected using 400 A class J fuses which supply, among others,
bus B. Bus B is protected using 100 A class J fuses. Coordination
between the 400 A and 100 A fuses can is shown via the time-

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current curves of figure 2, along with a one-line diagram of the part of

the system under consideration.

Because the time bands for the two fuses do not overlap, these are coordinated
for all operating times above 0.01 seconds.

It can also be stated that these two sets of fuses are coordinated through
approximately 4200 A, since at 4200 A Fuse A has the potential to begin
operating in its current-limiting region. Fuse B has the potential to begin
operating its current-limiting region at 1100 A. For currents above
approximately 4000 A, therefore, both sets of fuses have the potential to be
operating in the current-limiting region.

When both sets of fuses are operating the current-

limiting region the time-current curves cannot
be used to the determine coordination between
them.

Instead, for a given fault current the minimum melting I2t for Fuse A must be
greater than the maximum clearing I2t for Fuse B. In practice, instead of
publishing I2t data fuse manufacturers typically publish ratio tables showing the
minimum ratios of fuses of a given type that will coordinate with each other.

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Figure 2 Fuse coordination example

Low voltage fuse AC interrupting ratings are based upon a maximum

power factor of 0.2, corresponding to a maximum X/R ratio of 4.899. In order
to evaluate a low voltage fuses interrupting rating on a system with a higher
X/R ratio the system symmetrical fault current must be multiplied by a
multiplying factor:

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where:

The available symmetrical fault current multiplied by the multiplying factor

(MULT) per formula above can be compared to the fuse interrupting rating.

The use of low voltage fuses requires a holder and a switching device in
addition to the fuses themselves. Because they are single-phase devices,
a single blown fuse from a three-phase set will cause a single-phasing
condition, which can lead to motor damage.

Replacing fuses typically requires opening equipment doors and/or

removing cover panels.

Also, replacement low voltage fuses must be stocked to get a circuit with a
blown fuse back on-line quickly. For these reasons, the use of low voltage fuses
in modern power systems is generally discouraged. For circuit breakers that
have a short-time rating.

Reference // System Protection Bill Brown, P.E., Square D Engineering

Services

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