NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder Protection http://ecmweb.com/nec/nec-guidelines-transformer-and-transformer-fe...

Forum Subscribe About Us Magazine Issues Newsletters Advertise Shop

REGISTER LOG IN

NEC Design Ops & Maintenance Contractor Safety Power Quality Training Basics

Products

HOME > NEC > NEC GUIDELINES FOR TRANSFORMER AND TRANSFORMER FEEDER PROTECTION

NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder

Protection
Hua Yan, P.E., RCDD, LC, CxA | Electrical Construction and Maintenance Sep 16, 2015

How to Justify that Motor Upgrade Request

SHARE Tweet Recommend 1 COMMENTS 0

If you're 40 or over, do you mentor to anyone

When overcurrent protection is not required younger?

Note: All Code references are based on the 2014 NEC. Tip of the Week: Can You Trust Your
Maintenance Data?

The NEC has separate sections for transformer feeder protection and transformer
Avoiding “Silly Stupid” Mistakes with Tables
protection. Article 240 lists requirements for transformer feeder protection, while Art.
450 provides requirements for transformer protection. The Fine Print Note of Sec. 450.3 You Can’t Be Too Paranoid
states the relationship between the two different Articles: “the overcurrent protection
required by Art. 450 may also satisfy the requirements in Art. 240 for conductor
Photo Galleries
protection, and vice versa, but it is also possible that they do not.” So although the two
December 2016
Articles are related, meeting one set of requirements does not necessarily mean it meets
Mobile Apps and New
the other when it comes to overcurrent protection. Products Roundup
EC&M's November 2016
With Exceptions listed in Sec. 240.4(A) through (G), overcurrent protection is required Mobile Apps and New
for conductors. Products Roundup
includes offerings from InstantCard, ConTech Lighting,
TAD LLC, and more

Join the Discussion on EC&M Talk

Hot Topics Comments New Topics

Marketing Your Residential Services 9

last reply by electrician kansas city in Business &

Marketing

EC&M White Papers

Executive Summary: Technology Enabled Data
Center Life Cycle Services
The Internet of Things (IoT) is connecting everyone and
everything. This massive technological shift is impacting
how businesses interact with their data centers. It is also
affecting how quickly businesses can respond when a
problem occurs. Download this White Paper to learn how
big data and analytics are impacting the data center and
More
h dd d d t t d

VIEW MORE WHITE PAPERS

Larry Lawhead/iStock/Thinkstock

“Conductors, other than flexible cords, flexible cables, and fixture wires, shall be
EC&M Webinars
protected against overcurrent ...” [240.4].

Furthermore, overcurrent protection is required for electrical conductors at the point NOV 9, 2016
where power is received. WEBINAR
Technology Enabled
“Overcurrent protection shall be provided in each ungrounded circuit conductor and shall Data Center Life Cycle
Services
be located at the point where the conductors receive their supply except as specified in

1 de 6 08/01/2017 19:59
NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder Protection http://ecmweb.com/nec/nec-guidelines-transformer-and-transformer-fe...

Sec. 240.21(A) through (H)” [240.21]. NOV 2, 2016

WEBINAR
However, there are a few Exceptions associated with these requirements. Let’s review There is More to a
those now. Data Center than
White Space; A
Protection at the primary side of the transformer Holistic Approach to
Facility Monitoring and Control
Transformer primary protection — Overcurrent protective devices (OCPDs) are required
VIEW MORE WEBINARS
as primary protection for transformers when the primary voltage is greater than 1,000V
[Tables 450.3(A)] and for transformers with primary voltage of 1,000V or less [Table
450.3(B)], with no Exceptions. However, a fire pump has a special requirement for its EC&M TV
transformer primary and secondary protection, which is considered a modification to Art.
IDEAL PowerBlade
450. If a transformer serves a fire pump (Art. 695), its primary OCPD shall be sized per Cable Cutters 1
the locked-rotor current of the fire pump, and transformer secondary protection shall not Big enough for any job...
be permitted [695.5(B)].

RELATED

» Art. 450: Transformers and Transformer Vaults More

» Small Dry-Type Transformers and Appropriate OCPD Sizing
BROWSE ALL VIDEOS
» Wiring Multiple Buildings from One Transformer

Transformer primary feeder protection — The NEC does not list any specific Exception
for transformer primary feeder protection. An OCPD is required for the transformer
primary conductor. The only Exception is found in Sec. 240.4(A). If overload protection
of the OCPD would create a power loss hazard, such as fire pump application and some EC&M Learning Center
processes at refinery facilities, the overload protection shall not be required. However,
short circuit protection is still required. As a reference, Sec. 695.4(B)(2)(a)(1) and (2)
Understanding the 2014 NEC,
requires the overcurrent device for a fire pump(s) to be sized per locked-rotor current of
Volume 1 (Articles 90 to 480)
the largest fire pump motor and shall not open within 2 minutes at six times the full-load This resource has proven itself in the
current of the fire pump motor(s). field and in the exam room. This latest
edition will provide you with a rock-solid
Protection at the secondary side of the transformer foundation...

Transformer secondary protection — Although OCPDs are required as primary Understanding NEC Requirements
protection for transformers with no Exception, there are a few scenarios where for Grounding vs Bonding
overcurrent protection is not required at the transformer secondary, as per Tables One of the most confusing areas of the

450.3(A) and 450.3(B). trade continues to be grounding and

bonding, which is why this book needs

Transformer secondary protection is not required for the following conditions: to be in the hands...

1. For transformers with primary voltage greater than 1,000V at supervised locations, with Changes to The NEC 2014
the following maximum primary protection [Table 450.3(A)]: Don't let the scale of the code changes

a. Circuit breaker size up to 300% of or fuse rating up to 250% of transformer-rated intimidate you, this book will get you up

current, for transformers with secondary voltage greater than 1,000V. to speed on the most essential...

b. Circuit breaker size or fuse rating up to 250% of transformer-rated current, for

transformers with secondary voltage 1,000V or less. BROWSE ALL TITLES

2. For transformers with primary voltage 1,000V or less and current of 9A or more, with
primary protection not more than 125% of transformer-rated current, the “next-size-up”
rule can be applied [Table 450.3(B)]. Please note that requirements for transformers with
current less than 9A are not listed here.
3. As per Note 5 in Table 450.3(A), “A transformer equipped with a coordinated thermal
overload protection device by a manufacturer shall be permitted to have separate
secondary protection omitted.”
As per Note 3 of Table 450.3(A), “A supervised location is a location where conditions of
maintenance and supervision ensure that only qualified persons monitor and service the
transformer installation.”

Transformer secondary feeder protection — Typically, transformer secondary feeder

protection is required except for a few conditions listed in Sec. 240.21(C)(1) through (6).
For those Exceptions, the next-size-up rule shall not be permitted. Section 240.4(B) notes
that the next higher standard overcurrent device rating (above the ampacity of the
conductors being protected) shall be permitted, provided the conditions listed on
240.4(B)(1) through (3) are met.

a. Primary side protection is allowed as secondary feeder protection when the following
requirement is met [240.21(C)(1)]. Per 240.21(C)(1), for a single-phase transformer
having a 2-wire (single-voltage) secondary or a 3-phase, delta-delta connected
transformer having a 3-wire (single-voltage) secondary, secondary feeder shall be
permitted to be protected by an OCPD on the primary side of the transformer, “provided

2 de 6 08/01/2017 19:59
NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder Protection http://ecmweb.com/nec/nec-guidelines-transformer-and-transformer-fe...

this protection is in accordance with Sec. 450.3 and does not exceed the value determined
by multiplying the secondary conductor ampacity by the secondary-to-primary
transformer voltage ratio.” A note in Sec. 450.3 mentions that it is not necessary to
Sign-up to receive our free newsletters
duplicate overcurrent protection at the transformer secondary side, as long as the OCPD
on the primary side protects the transformer (meeting 450.3 requirements) and protects eTrain - (Bi-Weekly) View Sample
the feeder (meeting 240.21 requirements). A possible reason to have Sec. 240.21(C)(1) is Product NewsWire - (Monthly) View
that the primary side OCPD sees the same per unit fault current at the transformer Sample

primary side as that at the secondary side. ElectricalZone - (Weekly) View Sample

MRO Insider - (Bi-Weekly) View Sample

For any other type of transformer, the secondary conductor is not required to be
PQ NewsBeat - (Bi-Weekly) View
protected by an OCPD at the transformer primary [240.4(F)]. For example, if an OCPD is
Sample
only applied to the high-voltage, delta side of a delta-wye grounded transformer, the
Illumination Insider - (Bi-Weekly) View
device can have a problem providing sensitive fault protection for the transformer. For a Sample
low-voltage (wye side) line-to-ground fault, the high-side line current is only 58% of the
CodeWatch - (Bi-Weekly) View Sample
low-voltage, per-unit fault current [Sec. 11.9.2.2.3.1 of IEEE standard 242-2001].
G-Biz - (Varies) View Sample

b. A secondary conductor OCPD is not required when the conductor is short and meets Electrical Testing - (Monthly) View
Sample
the following requirements — providing other requirements in the NEC are met, such as
minimum cable ampacity [240.21(C)(2),(3),(5) and (6)]. ECM NECA 2016 Show Coverage -
(Show Daily)
View Sample
1. Secondary conductor is not greater than 10 ft in length [240.21(C)(2)];
E-MAIL*
2. Industrial installation secondary conductor is not greater than 25 ft in length
[240.21(C)(3)]; COUNTRY*

3. Secondary conductor from a feeder tapped transformer, primary plus secondary, is not
greater than 25 ft in length [240.21 (C)(5)];
4. Secondary conductor is not greater than 25 ft in length [240.21(C)(6)].
Enter your email above to receive messages about
offerings by Penton, its brands, affiliates and/or
third-party partners, consistent with Penton’s Privacy
Policy.

c. Overcurrent protection is not required for outside secondary conductors when the
following requirements are met [240.21(C)(4)].
Connect With Us
It is common to use an exterior transformer to feed a single building or multiple buildings
through outside secondary conductors. As long as they meet ALL of the following
requirements listed in Sec. 240.21(C)(4), an OCPD is not required at the secondary side of
the transformer.

1. The conductors are protected from physical damage in an approved manner.

2. The conductors terminate at a single circuit breaker or a single set of fuses.
3. The overcurrent device for the conductor is an integral part of a disconnect means or shall
be located immediately adjacent thereto.
4. The disconnect means for the conductors is installed at a readily accessible location
complying with one of the following:
a. Outside of a building or structure.
b. Inside, nearest the point of entrance of the conductors.
c. Where installed in accordance with Sec. 230.6, nearest the point of entrance of the
conductors.

A possible reason to have Sec. 240.21(C)(4) is there is a very low incidence rate of faults
occurring on the exterior protected secondary conductor in the “approved manner.”
Therefore, the risk factor for fire hazard or property damage may be low. The NEC does
not specify what “approved manner” is for the conductor protection. It might require
AHJ’s interpretation and approval. Using an underground concrete-encased duct bank
with required concrete strength, encasement thickness and bury depth can be an
“approved manner” for this application.

Discussion for Section 240.21(C)(4)

Although the NEC allows you to omit transformer secondary feeder protection when the
design and construction arrangement meets the requirements set forth in Sec.
240.21(C)(4), there are a few concerns or considerations worth mentioning.

3 de 6 08/01/2017 19:59
NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder Protection http://ecmweb.com/nec/nec-guidelines-transformer-and-transformer-fe...

Fig. 1. In this example one-line diagram, an outdoor transformer feeds multiple buildings with multiple
secondary feeders.

Figure 1 (click here for a PDF version) shows an example in which an outdoor
transformer feeds multiple buildings with multiple secondary feeders. For this particular
design arrangement, assume the system meets the requirements in Table 430.3(A) and
Sec. 240.21(C)(4). Thus, no OCPD is required at the transformer secondary.

Concern No. 1 — Lack of an OCPD on the transformer secondary may make it difficult to
coordinate overcurrent protection for the power distribution system. In this example, any
single fault on a secondary feeder may trip the primary fuse. This would result in a power
outage for all buildings fed by this transformer.

Concern No. 2 —
While other
subsections of
240.21(C) include
requirements for
secondary
conductors,
subsection (4)
does not list a
minimum cable
size for outside
secondary
conductors. [Even
the primary
protection is not
considered to
protect the
secondary feeder
from Sec.
240.4(F) —
although it may
protect the feeder
anyway,
especially at high
fault current
(short circuit)
range, due to
omission of the
Fig. 2. As noted in this time-current characteristic curve, the cable damage curve for
secondary the 1/0 AWG cable (CBL-MDP-BLDG1) is on the left of the primary fuse tripping
protection.] curve.

However, if the
secondary feeder is sized relatively small, for example 1/0 AWG cable for Building No. 1 in
the example, the cable-rated allowable short circuit current from the Insulated Cable
Engineers Association (ICEA) might be less than the available fault current at the cable.
When looking at time-current characteristic curves (TCC) on a log-log graph, the cable
damage curve needs to be to the right of the OCPD tripping curve so it can be protected by
the OCPD. As shown in Fig. 2, the cable damage curve for the 1/0 AWG cable is on the
left of the primary fuse tripping curve. This means the cable is not protected by the fuse,

4 de 6 08/01/2017 19:59
NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder Protection http://ecmweb.com/nec/nec-guidelines-transformer-and-transformer-fe...

and its insulation may be damaged before the fuse clears the fault.

Concern No. 3 — Lack of overcurrent protection at the transformer secondary may delay
the process of clearing an arc fault, because the primary OCPD may not be sensitive
enough to see it right away. This means that an electrician working on the secondary side
of the transformer would be required to use a greater level of personal protective
equipment (PPE). Arc flash calculation results are noted in Fig. 1 at each bus. PPE level 0
is required at the primary side of the transformer. However, the PPE category is
“dangerous” at the secondary side of the transformer. Annex B in IEEE Standard 1584
states that “two seconds is a reasonable maximum time for (arc flash) calculations.” A
clearing time of more than two seconds is observed for the primary fuse in the example.

Concern No. 4 — We may be able to save some cost by omitting the OCPD at the
transformer secondary. However, due to the fact that the next-size-up rule can’t be used
with application of Sec. 240.21(C)(4), this might require you to increase the size of the
secondary conductor. Cost analysis is required to compare the savings from the omitted
OCPD with the extra cost from the larger feeder.

Concern No. 5 — Section 240.21(C)(4) does not list a maximum number of outside
secondary conductors that can be connected to the transformer secondary when
secondary conductor overcurrent protection is not required. Although Note No. 2 of
Tables 450.3(A) and 450.3(B) requires no more than six OCPDs (i.e., breakers or fuses)
grouped in one location as transformer secondary protection, Sec. 240.21(C)(4) doesn’t
have a specific requirement for the number of secondary conductors to connect to the
transformer secondary without protection. It can be unlimited.

Although the NEC permits a few Exceptions to omit overcurrent protection for a
transformer and for transformer feeders, we, as engineers, need to make engineering
judgments considering cost (savings from eliminating breakers versus the extra cost of
increasing the size of the feeders), safety (arc flash protection), and property protection
(overcurrent protection).

Yan is an associate electrical engineer in the Aviation & Facilities Group at Burns &
McDonnell in Brea, Calif. He can be reached at hyan@burnsmcd.com.

SHARE Tweet Recommend 1

Please Log In or Register to post comments.

Related Articles

Stumped by the Code? Code Rule for Sizing Short Circuit and Ground Fault Protection for a
Motor Feeder 3

NEMA Publishes Nonmetallic-Sheathed Cable and Underground Feeder and Branch Circuit
Cable Application and Installation Guidelines

Transformer Secondary Conductor Protection for Systems Operating at Greater Than 1,000V
2

Guidelines for transformer application designs. 1

Guidelines for installing transformers - Part 2.

Ecmweb.com
NEC Design Ops & Maintenance Contractor Safety Power Quality Training Basics Products

Site Features EC&M Corporate Search ecmweb.com

Author Guidelines Privacy Policy

RSS Terms of Service

Sitemap About Us
Subscribe to the print magazine
Site Archive Advertise

Subscribe Contact Us

View Mobile Site

Follow Us

5 de 6 08/01/2017 19:59
NEC Guidelines for Transformer and Transformer Feeder Protection http://ecmweb.com/nec/nec-guidelines-transformer-and-transformer-fe...

Related EC&M Sites

Electrical Wholesaling Electrical Marketing Transmission & Distribution World

Copyright © 2017 Penton

6 de 6 08/01/2017 19:59