Working Principle of ELCB and RCB October 1, 2011 7 Comments Working Principle of ELCB and RCB An Eart!

Leakage Circ"it Breaker #ELCB$ is a de%ice "sed to directl& detect c"rrents leaking to eart! from an installation and c"t t!e po'er and mainl& "sed in (( eart!ing s&stems) (!ere are t'o t&pes of ELCBs, 1) *oltage Eart! Leakage Circ"it Breaker #%oltage+ELCB$ 2) C"rrent Eart! Leakage C"rrent Eart! Leakage Circ"it Breaker #C"rrent+ELCB$) *oltage+ELCBs 'ere first introd"ced abo"t si,t& &ears ago and C"rrent+ELCB 'as first introd"ced abo"t fort& &ears ago) -or man& &ears, t!e %oltage operated ELCB and t!e differential c"rrent operated ELCB 'ere bot! referred to as ELCBs beca"se it 'as a simpler name to remember) B"t t!e "se of a common name for t'o different de%ices ga%e rise to considerable conf"sion in t!e electrical ind"str&) .f t!e 'rong t&pe 'as "sed on an installation, t!e le%el of protection gi%en co"ld be s"bstantiall& less t!an t!at intended) (o ignore t!is conf"sion, .EC decided to appl& t!e term Resid"al C"rrent /e%ice #RC/$ to differential c"rrent operated ELCBs) Resid"al c"rrent refers to an& c"rrent o%er and abo%e t!e load c"rrent *oltage Base ELCB) *oltage+ELCB is a %oltage operated circ"it breaker) (!e de%ice 'ill f"nction '!en t!e C"rrent passes t!ro"g! t!e ELCB) *oltage+ELCB contains rela& Coil '!ic! it being connected to t!e metallic load bod& at one end and it is connected to gro"nd 'ire at t!e ot!er end) .f t!e %oltage of t!e E0"ipment bod& is rise #b& to"c!ing P!ase to metal Part or -ail"re of .ns"lation of E0"ipment$ '!ic! co"ld ca"se t!e difference bet'een eart! and load bod& %oltage, t!e danger of electric s!ock 'ill occ"r) (!is %oltage difference 'ill prod"ce an electric c"rrent from t!e load metallic bod& passes t!e rela& loop and to eart!) W!en %oltage on t!e e0"ipment metallic bod& rose to t!e danger le%el '!ic! e,ceed to 10*olt, t!e flo'ing c"rrent t!ro"g! rela& loop co"ld mo%e t!e rela& contact b& disconnecting t!e s"ppl& c"rrent to a%oid from an& danger electric s!ock) (!e ELCB detects fa"lt c"rrents from li%e to t!e eart! #gro"nd$ 'ire 'it!in t!e installation it protects) .f s"fficient %oltage appears across t!e ELCB2s sense coil, it 'ill s'itc! off t!e po'er, and remain off "ntil man"all& reset) 3 %oltage+sensing ELCB does not sense fa"lt c"rrents from li%e to an& ot!er eart!ed bod&)

(!ese ELCBs monitored t!e %oltage on t!e eart! 'ire, and disconnected t!e s"ppl& if t!e eart! 'ire %oltage 'as o%er 10 %olts) (!ese de%ices are no longer "sed d"e to its dra'backs like if t!e fa"lt is bet'een li%e and a circ"it eart!, t!e& 'ill disconnect t!e s"ppl&) 4o'e%er, if t!e fa"lt is bet'een li%e and some ot!er eart! #s"c! as a person or a metal 'ater pipe$, t!e& 'ill 5O( disconnect, as t!e %oltage on t!e circ"it eart! 'ill not c!ange) E%en if t!e fa"lt is bet'een li%e and a circ"it eart!, parallel eart! pat!s created %ia gas or 'ater pipes can res"lt in t!e ELCB being b&passed) 6ost of t!e fa"lt c"rrent 'ill flo' %ia t!e gas or 'ater pipes, since a single eart! stake 'ill ine%itabl& !a%e a m"c! !ig!er impedance t!an !"ndreds of meters of metal ser%ice pipes b"ried in t!e gro"nd)

The way to identify an ELCB is by looking for green or green and yellow earth wires entering the device. (!e& rel& on %oltage ret"rning to t!e trip %ia t!e eart! 'ire d"ring a fa"lt and afford onl& limited protection to t!e installation and no personal protection at all) 7o" s!o"ld "se pl"g in 80m3 RC/2s for an& appliances and e,tension leads t!at ma& be "sed o"tside as a minim"m)

Advantages

ELCBs !a%e one ad%antage o%er RC/s t!e& are less sensiti%e to fa"lt conditions, and t!erefore !a%e fe'er n"isance trips) W!ile %oltage and c"rrent on t!e eart! line is "s"all& fa"lt c"rrent from a li%e 'ire, t!is is not al'a&s t!e case, t!"s t!ere are sit"ations in '!ic! an ELCB can n"isance trip) W!en an installation !as t'o connections to eart!, a nearb& !ig! c"rrent lig!tning strike 'ill ca"se a %oltage gradient in t!e soil, presenting t!e ELCB sense coil 'it! eno"g! %oltage to ca"se it to trip) .f t!e installation2s eart! rod is placed close to t!e eart! rod of a neig!boring b"ilding, a !ig! eart! leakage c"rrent in t!e ot!er b"ilding can raise t!e local gro"nd potential and ca"se a %oltage difference across t!e t'o eart!s, again tripping t!e ELCB) .f t!ere is an acc"m"lated or b"rden of c"rrents ca"sed b& items 'it! lo'ered ins"lation resistance d"e to older e0"ipment, or 'it! !eating elements, or rain conditions can ca"se t!e ins"lation resistance to lo'er d"e to moist"re tracking) .f t!ere is a some m3 '!ic! is e0"al to ELCB rating t!an ELCB ma& gi%e n"isance (ripping) .f eit!er of t!e eart! 'ires become disconnected from t!e ELCB, it 'ill no longer trip or t!e installation 'ill often no longer be properl& eart!ed) 9ome ELCBs do not respond to rectified fa"lt c"rrent) (!is iss"e is common for ELCBs and RC/s, b"t ELCBs are on a%erage m"c! older t!an RCB so an old ELCB is more likel& to !a%e some "ncommon fa"lt c"rrent 'a%eform t!at it 'ill not respond to) *oltage+operated ELCB are t!e re0"irement for a second connection, and t!e possibilit& t!at an& additional connection to eart! on t!e protected s&stem can disable t!e detector) 5"isance tripping especiall& d"ring t!"nderstorms)

isadvantages! (!e& do not detect fa"lts t!at don2t pass c"rrent t!ro"g! t!e CPC to t!e eart! rod) (!e& do not allo' a single b"ilding s&stem to be easil& split into m"ltiple sections 'it! independent fa"lt protection, beca"se eart!ing s&stems are "s"all& "se common eart! Rod) (!e& ma& be tripped b& e,ternal %oltages from somet!ing connected to t!e eart!ing s&stem s"c! as metal pipes, a (5+9 eart! or a (5+C+9 combined ne"tral and eart!) 3s electricall& leak& appliances s"c! as some 'ater !eaters, 'as!ing mac!ines and cookers ma& ca"se t!e ELCB to trip) ELCBs introd"ce additional resistance and an additional point of fail"re into t!e eart!ing s&stem)

Can 'e ass"me '!et!er O"r Electrical 9&stem is protected against Eart! Protection or not b& onl& Pressing ELCB (est 9'itc!: C!ecking t!e !ealt! of t!e ELCB is simple and &o" can do it easil& b& pressing (E9( P"s! B"tton 9'itc! of ELCB) (!e test p"s!+b"tton 'ill test '!et!er t!e ELCB "nit is 'orking properl& or not) Can 'e ass"me t!at .f ELCB is (rip after Pressing (E9( 9'itc! of ELCB t!an &o"r s&stem is protected against eart! protection: (!en &o" are 'rong)

(!e test facilit& pro%ided on t!e !ome ELCB 'ill onl& confirm t!e !ealt! of t!e ELCB "nit, b"t t!at test does not confirm t!at t!e ELCB 'ill trip '!en an electric s!ock !a;ard does occ"r) .t is a reall& sad fact t!at all t!e '!ile t!is mis"nderstanding !as left man& !omes totall& "nprotected from t!e risk of electric s!ocks) (!is brings "s or alarming "s to t!ink o%er second basic re0"irement for eart! protection) (!e second re0"irement for t!e proper operation of a !ome s!ock protection s&stem is electrical gro"nding) We can ass"me t!at t!e ELCB is t!e brain for the shock protection, and t!e gro"nding as t!e backbone) (!erefore, 'it!o"t a f"nctional gro"nding #Proper Eart!ing of Electrical 9&stem$ t!ere is totall& no protection against electrical s!ocks in &o"r !o"se e%en if 7o" !a%e installed ELCB and its (E9( s'itc! s!o' proper res"lt) Looking after t!e ELCB alone is not eno"g!) (!e electrical Eart!ing s&stem m"st also be in good 'orking order for t!e s!ock protection s&stem to 'ork) .n addition to ro"tine inspections t!at s!o"ld be done b& t!e 0"alified electrician, t!is gro"nding s!o"ld preferabl& be inspected reg"larl& at s!orter inter%als b& t!e !omeo'ner and need to po"r Water in Eart!ing Pit at Reg"lar inter%al of (ime to minimi;e Eart! Resistance)

C"rrent#operated ELCB $RCB%! C"rrent+operated ELCBs are generall& kno'n as Resid"al+c"rrent de%ices #RC/$) (!ese also protect against eart! leakage) Bot! circ"it cond"ctors #s"ppl& and ret"rn$ are r"n t!ro"g! a sensing coil< an& imbalance of t!e c"rrents means t!e magnetic field does not perfectl& cancel) (!e de%ice detects t!e imbalance and trips t!e contact) W!en t!e term ELCB is "sed it "s"all& means a %oltage+operated de%ice) 9imilar de%ices t!at are c"rrent operated are called resid"al+c"rrent de%ices) 4o'e%er, some companies "se t!e term ELCB to disting"is! !ig! sensiti%it& c"rrent operated 8 p!ase de%ices t!at trip in t!e milliamp range from traditional 8 p!ase gro"nd fa"lt de%ices t!at operate at m"c! !ig!er c"rrents)

Typical RCB circ"it

(!e s"ppl& coil, t!e ne"tral coil and t!e searc! coil all 'o"nd on a common transformer core) On a !ealt!& circ"it t!e same c"rrent passes t!ro"g! t!e p!ase coil, t!e load and ret"rn back t!ro"g! t!e ne"tral coil) Bot! t!e p!ase and t!e ne"tral coils are 'o"nd in s"c! a 'a& t!at t!e& 'ill prod"ce an opposing magnetic fl",) Wit! t!e same c"rrent passing t!ro"g! bot! coils, t!eir magnetic effect 'ill cancel o"t "nder a !ealt!& circ"it condition) .n a sit"ation '!en t!ere is fa"lt or a leakage to eart! in t!e load circ"it, or an&'!ere bet'een t!e load circ"it and t!e o"tp"t connection of t!e RCB circ"it, t!e c"rrent ret"rning t!ro"g! t!e ne"tral coil !as been red"ced) (!en t!e magnetic fl", inside t!e transformer core is not balanced an&more) (!e total s"m of t!e opposing magnetic fl", is no longer ;ero) (!is net remaining fl", is '!at 'e call a resid"al fl",) (!e periodicall& c!anging resid"al fl", inside t!e transformer core crosses pat! 'it! t!e 'inding of t!e searc! coil) (!is action prod"ces an electromoti%e force #e)m)f)$ across t!e searc! coil) 3n electromoti%e force is act"all& an alternating %oltage) (!e ind"ced %oltage across t!e searc! coil prod"ces a c"rrent inside t!e 'iring of t!e trip circ"it) .t is t!is c"rrent t!at operates t!e trip coil of t!e circ"it breaker) 9ince t!e trip c"rrent is dri%en b& t!e resid"al magnetic fl", #t!e res"lting fl",, t!e net effect bet'een bot! fl",es$ bet'een t!e p!ase and t!e ne"tral coils& it is called the resid"al c"rrent devise. Wit! a circ"it breaker incorporated as part of t!e circ"it, t!e assembled s&stem is called resid"al c"rrent circ"it breaker #RCCB$ or resid"al c"rrent de%ise #RC/$) (!e incoming c"rrent !as to pass t!ro"g! t!e circ"it breaker first before going to t!e p!ase coil) (!e ret"rn ne"tral pat! passes t!ro"g! t!e second circ"it breaker pole) /"ring tripping '!en a fa"lt is detected, bot! t!e p!ase and ne"tral connection is isolated) o RC/ sensiti%it& is e,pressed as t!e rated resid"al operating c"rrent, noted '(n) Preferred %al"es !a%e been defined b& t!e .EC, t!"s making it possible to di%ide RC/s into t!ree gro"ps according to t!eir .=n %al"e) o 4ig! sensiti%it& #)*$ >+ 10+ 80 m3 #for direct+contact ? life in@"r& protection$

9tandard .EC >0711 #Aeneral re0"irements for resid"al c"rrent operated protecti%e de%ices$ defines t!ree t&pes of RC/ depending on t!e c!aracteristics of t!e fa"lt c"rrent) (&pe AC RC/ for '!ic! tripping is ens"red for resid"al sin"soidal alternating c"rrents

*ensitivity of RCB! 6edi"m sensiti%it& #+*$ 100+ 800+ 100+ 1000 m3 #for fire protection$ Lo' sensiti%it& #L*$ 8+ 10+ 80 3 #t&picall& for protection of mac!ine$

Type of RCB! (&pe A RC/ for '!ic! tripping is ens"red for resid"al sin"soidal alternating c"rrents for resid"al p"lsating direct c"rrents -or resid"al p"lsating direct c"rrents s"perimposed b& a smoot! direct c"rrent of 0)00> 3, 'it! or 'it!o"t p!ase+angle control, independent of t!e polarit&)

(&pe B RC/ for '!ic! tripping is ens"red as for t&pe 3 for resid"al sin"soidal c"rrents "p to 1000 4; for resid"al sin"soidal c"rrents s"perposed b& a p"re direct c"rrent for p"lsating direct c"rrents s"perposed b& a p"re direct c"rrent for resid"al c"rrents '!ic! ma& res"lt from rectif&ing circ"its o t!ree p"lse star connection or si, p"lse bridge connection o t'o p"lse bridge connection line+to+line 'it! or 'it!o"t p!ase+angle monitoring, independentl& of t!e polarit& o (!ere are t'o gro"ps of de%ices

Break ti,e of RCB!

1. - #general "se$ for instantaneo"s RC/s #i)e) 'it!o"t a time dela&$

6inim"m break time immediate 6a,im"m break time 200 ms for 1, .=n, 110 ms for 2, .=n, and B0 ms for 1, .=n

1. * #selecti%e$ or T #time dela&ed$ for RC/s 'it! a s!ort time delay #t&picall&
"sed in circ"its containing s"rge s"ppressors$ 6inim"m break time 180 ms for 1, .=n, >0 ms for 2, .=n, and 10 ms for 1, .=n 6a,im"m break time 100 ms for 1, .=n, 200 ms for 2, .=n, and 110 ms for 1, .=n