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mainCodes&Standardspageformorecurrentarticles.

Putting It in Reverse

ReversefedTransformersQuestionsAnd
Answers
Published:June2012
ByJamesG.Stallcup

articipantsatoneofmyrecentworkshopshad
questionspertainingtoreversefedtransformers
(backfed).Theinputsidewas480volts(V),
threephase,andtheoutputsidewas120/208V.They
ClickToViewFullSize
wantedtoknowiftheoutputsideof120/208V
transformercouldbeusedasaninputside,andifso,
howwastheelectriciantobondandgroundthetransformer?

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Inmyopinion,whenastepuptransformerisnecessary,itshouldbedesignedandidentifiedforsuchapplication.
Thisarticledoesnotaddresssuchproblems,butitaddressesthegeneralrequirementsthatareoutlinedinthe
NationalElectricalCode(NEC).
Thebigquestionseemedtobewhetherthegroundedconductor(usuallyaneutral)isrequiredtobeconnectedto
theXOterminationpoint.Ofcourse,theanswerisno.Whenthegroundedconductorisusedinthistypeof
installation,itmustnotbeconnectedtotheXOterminalandmustnotbebondedtotheenclosureorearthgrounded.
Foroperationalpurposes,justconnecttheungroundedphaseconductorstotheoutputterminalsthatareusually
identifiedasL1,L2andL3,respectively.Thenanequipmentgroundingconductormustberoutedwiththesupply
circuitandusedtobondandgroundthenoncurrentcarryingpartsofthetransformerenclosure.
Notethatagroundedneutralconductorcannotbederivedfromareversefedtransformerbecausestandard
transformersarenotusuallymanufacturedwithafourwireprimaryside.
Therefore,ifthe480Vsideisgrounded,oneofitsphaseconductorsmustbeconnectedtoanearthgrounded
electrodesothatthetransformerhasagroundedconductorthatwillprovideaneffectivegroundfaultpath,shoulda
groundfaultoccurononeoftheungroundedphaseconductors.Notethatoneoftheungroundedphaseconductors
isgrounded.TheNECrequiresgroundedconductorstobeidentifiedeitherwhiteorgrayinaccordancewith
sections310.110(A)and200.6(A)or(B).
Thetransformersoutputside
The480Vinputsideisnowusedastheoutputside.ThereisnoXOterminationtherefore,oneoftheungrounded
phaseconductorsmustbeconnectedtotheearthgroundiftheinstallerdesirestheelectricalsystemtobegrounded
andequippedwithagroundedconductor.
Advantages
First,cornergroundeddeltasystemswillstabilizethevoltagesoftheothertwoungroundedconductors.Second,this
setupaidsinreducingthegenerationoftransientovervoltagesand,finally,providesanadequatepathforfault
currentswhenagroundfaultconditionoccurs.
Disadvantages
Thesystemisnotabletoprovidedualvoltageserviceforlightingandpowerloads.Also,thegroundedconductor
mustbepositivelyindentifiedthroughouttheelectricalsystem.Finally,ahigherlinetogroundvoltage(byafactorof
1.732)existsontheothertwoungroundedphaseconductorsthanitdoesonawyeneutralgroundedsystem.
Theserviceequipment
Attheserviceequipmentlocation,thegroundedconductormustagainbeconnectedtotheearthgroundasoutlined
insections250.24,250.26,250.50,250.52and250.53oftheNEC.Section240.85permitstheuseofcircuit

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breakerswithastraightmarkingof480Vaslongasthenominalvoltagebetweenanytwoconductorsdoesnot
exceedthecircuitbreakerratings.Warning:Iftwopolecircuitbreakersareinstalledinacornergroundeddelta
system,theymustbemarkedtoindicatesuchsuitability.
Slashmarkedcircuitbreakerssuchas120/240Vor277/480Vmustnotbeusedoncornergroundeddeltasystems.
Section230.90(B)generallyprohibitsanovercurrentprotectiondevicetobeplacedinthegroundedconductorifit
doesnotopenallthecircuitconductorssimultaneously.
Section240.22statesthatnoovercurrentprotectiondevicecanbeinsertedinanyconductorthatisintentionally
groundedunlessthepolesofthecircuitbreakeropenallthecircuitconductorssimultaneously.However,formotor
overloadconditions,anexceptionispermitted.SeeSection430.37oftheNEC.
Reviewstandards
IsuggestedapplyingNEMAPB1andPB2,whichcoverrequirementsforinstallingdeltacornergrounded
transformersandmethodspertainingtothecornergroundedBphase.UL67,UL891,andUL489specifically
addressesdeltacornergroundedsystems.Wheninstalling,inspectingandapprovingthistypeofsystem,see
sections110.2,110.3(B)and90.7oftheNEC.
Itisagiventhatthecircuitsofacornergroundeddeltasystemareathighervoltagestressthanamorewidelyused
standardwyesystembecausethetwoungroundedphasesareconstantlyoperatingathighervoltagerelativeto
ground.Ofcourse,anysurgeactivitywouldbeinadditiontotheconstantsystemvoltagestress.

Featured Sponsors

STALLCUPistheCEOofGrayboyInc.,whichdevelopsandauthorspublicationsfortheelectricalindustryand
specializesinclassroomtrainingontheNationalElectricalCodeandotherstandards,includingthosefromOSHA.
Contacthimat817.581.2206.

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Comments

http://www.ecmag.com/section/codesstandards/puttingitreverse

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1Comment
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Jointhediscussion
KielMacey9monthsago

Issinglephasingmotorspossibleoncornergroundeddeltasystems?I'mtryingto
resolveasystemproblemweinheritedfromabothercompany.Inowunderstandwhy
mycontrolcabinetisliteredwithblownfusesfromthegroundedconductor.Reading
Schneiderscornergroundeddeltapublicationtheyrecommend2polebreakerson240
cornerground.Whynot3pole?

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