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Current” which spoke to this topic but did not get into the
math. I have received many requests ever since to get into the
math. I trust this article will satisfy inquiring minds with details
To play this game, you need a
around calculating available fault current and provide some
sharp eye, a quick mind and a
equations for the student to explore. 2017 National Electrical Code
book. How well do you know
the NEC?
Available Short-Circuit Current
Take the Quiz!
Maximum available short-circuit current is an important
parameter for every power distribution system as it provides a
data point necessary to ensure equipment is being applied
within its rating and the system is performing to meet
expectations. Available short-circuit current is used in many
other applications as well.
(√3)×(kVsec)
Using the information stated above for the example 1500 kVA
transformer for this example, the maximum available fault
current that this specific transformer will let through is 31,378
amps and is calculated as follows:
Figure 4. Impact of varying the impedance (+ / – 20%) of a 1500 kVA transformer
Figure 5. Circuit diagram that includes both transformer and utility source
impedance.
Figure 7. Impact of varying utility available fault currents on the power
distribution system
The data needed for this example is retrieved from the National
Electrical Code. From Table 9 of NEC 2014 for a 500 MCM
conductor in steel conduit, the Xl (reactance) is found to be
0.048 Ohms/1000ft. For this example, as stated earlier, we are
only using the reactance value which will result in slightly
higher short-circuit current values and make the math for this
publication more palatable. For a 1500 kVA transformer with
1,804 full load amps, we will need 5- 500MCM conductors in
parallel per phase. The calculation is made as follows:
To summarize again,
Figure 8. Summary of calculations and comparison with other tools to calculate
available fault current.
Final Calibration
So we have walked through the calculation of available fault
current for service-entrance equipment. We showed how
shortcuts result in conservative available short-circuit currents
which, for the purpose of evaluating interrupting ratings and /
or SCCR ratings, provide a safety factor for the design. We also
showed how reducing available fault currents through a more
detailed analysis can be achieved but takes more effort and
Closing Remarks
Available fault current is a very important parameter to
consider in your design, installation and inspection. Tools are
As always, keep safety at the top of your list and ensure you
and those around you live to see another day.
TAGS circuit
٢٤أعجبني
Thomas A. Domitrovich
Thomas Domitrovich, P.E. is a national application
engineer with Eaton Corporation in Pittsburgh PA. He
has more than 20 years of experience as an
electrical engineer and is a LEED Accredited
Professional. Thomas is active in various trade
organizations on various levels with the Independent
Electrical Contractors (IEC), International Association
of Electrical Inspectors (IAEI), Institute of Electrical
and Electronic Engineers (IEEE), National Electrical
Manufacturer’s Association (NEMA) and the National
Fire Protection Association (NFPA). Thomas is
involved with, and chairs various committees for
NEMA and IEEE and is an alternate member on NFPA
73. He is very active in the state-by-state adoption
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