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EARTHING

Introduction
connect any electrical equipment to
earth with a very low resistance wire,
making it to attain earths potential
The wire is usually connected to a
copper plate placed at a depth of 2.5
to 3meters from the ground level
The earth resistance is affected
by the following factors:
1. Material properties of the earth wire
and the electrode
2. Temperature and moisture content
of the soil
3. Depth of the pit
4. Quantity of the charcoal used
Necessity of Earthing
To protect the operating personnel from
danger of shock in case they come in
contact with the charged frame due to
defective insulation.
To maintain the line voltage constant
under unbalanced load condition.
Protection of the equipments
Protection of large buildings and all
machines fed from overhead lines against
lightning.
Methods of Earthing:

Plate earthing

Pipe earthing
Plate Earthing

In this method a copper plate of 60cm x 60cm x


3.18cm or a GI plate of the size 60cm x 60cm x
6.35cm is used for earthing.
The plate is placed vertically down inside the ground
at a depth of 3m and is embedded in alternate layers
of coal and salt for a thickness of 15 cm.
In addition, water is poured for keeping the earth
electrode resistance value well below a maximum of
5 ohms.
The earth wire is securely bolted to the earth plate. A
cement masonry chamber is built with a cast iron
cover for easy regular maintenance.
Pipe Earthing

Earth electrode made of a GI (galvanized) iron pipe of


38mm in diameter and length of 2m (depending on the
current) with 12mm holes on the surface is placed upright
at a depth of 4.75m in a permanently wet ground.
To keep the value of the earth resistance at the desired
level, the area (15 cms) surrounding the GI pipe is filled
with a mixture of salt and coal.
The efficiency of the earthing system is improved by
pouring water through the funnel periodically. The GI earth
wires of sufficient cross- sectional area are run through a
12.7mm diameter pipe (at 60cms below) from the 19mm
diameter pipe and secured tightly at the top as shown in
the following figure.
When compared to the plate earth
system the pipe earth system can
carry larger leakage currents as a
much larger surface area is in
contact with the soil for a given
electrode size. The system also
enables easy maintenance as the
earth wire connection is housed at
the ground level.
PROTECTIVE DEVICES

Fuses
Relays
Miniature circuit breakers (MCB)
Earth leakage circuit breakers (ELCB)
Fuses
safety device used in any electrical
installation, which forms the weakest
link between the supply and the load
Principal of operation of
fuse
CHARACTERISTICS OF FUSE
MATERIAL
Low melting point
Low ohmic losses
High conductivity
Lower rate of deterioration
Selection of fuse wire
a. Maximum current rating of the
circuit and
b. current rating of the smallest size of
wire or accessories to be seen, the
fuse wire inserted should be of size
so that when the current with
reference to the factors (a) and (b) is
increased it should blown out
Fusing element
Lead up to 3A
Lead and Tinn - up to 15A
Tinned copper above 15A
Different types of fuses
Different types of fuses
Re-wirable or kit -kat fuses: These fuses are simple in
construction, cheap and available up-to a current rating of
200A. They are erratic in operation and their performance
deteriorates with time.
Plug fuse: The fuse carrier is provided with a glass window for
visual inspection of the fuse wire.
Cartridge fuse: Fuse wire usually an alloy of lead is enclosed
in a strong fiber casing. The fuse element is fastened to copper
caps at the ends of the casing. They are available up-to a
voltage rating of 25kV. They are used for protection in lighting
installations and power lines.
Miniature Cartridge fuses: These are the miniature version
of the higher rating cartridge fuses, which are extensively used
in automobiles, TV sets, and other electronic equipments.
Transformer fuse blocks: These porcelain housed fuses
are placed on secondary of the distribution transformers
for protection against short circuits and overloads.
Expulsion fuses: These consist of fuse wire placed in
hollow tube of fiber lined with asbestos. These are suited
only for out door use for example, protection of high
voltage circuits.
Semi-enclosed re-wirable fuses: These have limited
use because of low breaking capacity.
Time-delay fuse: These are specially designed to
withstand a current overload for a limited time and find
application in motor circuits
HRC fuse
Disadvantages of ordinary
fuses
a. Unreliable operation :- it is due to
i. Oxidation of fuse wire
ii. Loose connection causes the local heating
iii. Heat radiating device used in the circuit
iv. Single phasing
b. Lack of discrimination
c. Small time lag
d. Misuse
e. Low rupturing capacity:- the use of rewirable
fuse is limited to 4kA in faulty circuit
H R C fuse
HRC fuse
H R C fuse
The high rupturing capacity or (HRC) fuse
consists of a heat resistant ceramic body. Then
silver or bimetallic fuse element is welded to
the end brass caps. The space surrounding the
fuse element is filled with quartz powder. This
filler material absorbs the arc energy and
extinguishes it.
When the current exceeds the rated value the
element melts and vaporizes. The vaporized
silver fuses with the quartz and offers a high
resistance and the arc is extinguished.
Advantages of Rewirable
fuse
It is the cheapest form of operation.
It affords current limiting effect under
short circuit conditions due to cut
off
It requires minimum time to replace .
It requires no maintenance.
It has current limiting effect.
Advantages of H.R.C.Fuses
They are simple and have easy installation.
They are cheaper as compared with other type of circuit
interrupter of the same breaking capacity .They have high
breaking capacity .
They do not requires any maintenance .
Their operation is quick and sure .
Their have inverse time current characteristic.
They do not deteriorate with time.
They are quite reliable and can be selected for proper
discrimination.
They are capable of clearing high as well as low currents.
They have closer control on sustained overloads due to low fusing
factor and the time lag feature.
They have current limitation by cut off property.
Disadvantages of
H.R.C.Fuses
After each operation , its
replacement is required.
Interlocking is not possible in these
types of fuses.
They lack relays in complete
discrimination.
TERMS RELATED WITH FUSES

Rated current: It is the maximum current, which a fuse can carry


without undue heating or melting. It depends on the following
factors:
1. Permissible temperature rise of the contacts of the fuse holder

and the fuse material


2. Degree of deterioration due to oxidation

Fusing current: The minimum current at which the fuse melts is


known as the fusing current. It depends on the material
characteristics, length, diameter, cross-sectional area of the fuse
element and the type of enclosure used.

Fusing Factor: It is the ratio of the minimum fusing current to the


rated current. It is always greater than unity.
MCB
Electro mechanical device
Operate automatically and break the
faulty circuit
Overload protection and short circuit
protection
MINIATURE CIRCUIT BREAKER (MCB)
SAFETY PROTECTION
1. On 5% to 20% excessive over loads they operate.
2. They operate to cut off the circuit even on small
overload current flow.
3. Direct indication of faulty circuit is provided by
the switching knob.
4. Though the initial cost is more than re-wirable kit
Kat fuse unit but it is trouble free and gives safe
protection.
5. Any body can operate to revive the circuit as no
tools etc. are needed.
MCB
1. Actuator lever - used to manually trip and reset the circuit
breaker. Also indicates the status of the circuit breaker (On or
Off/tripped). Most breakers are designed so they can still trip
even if the lever is held or locked in the "on" position. This is
sometimes referred to as "free trip" or "positive trip" operation.
2. Actuator mechanism - forces the contacts together or apart.
3. Contacts - Allow current when touching and break the current
when moved apart.
4. Terminals
5. Bimetallic strip
6. Calibration screw - allows the manufacturer to precisely adjust
the trip current of the device after assembly.
7. Solenoid
8. Arc divider / extinguisher
ADVANTAGES OF USING MCBS OVER
SWITCH FUSES
1.MCBs are essentially tamper-proof as they have enclosures of a
sealed type.
2.MCBs afford closer protection than the rewirable and HRC fuses
in common use, because of the narrowly controlled tripping
factor i.e., ratio of minimum trip current/rated current.
3.These are available in plug-in design also, in which case they
can be pushed into circuit bus-bar even in energized condition.
Thus replacement is easy.
4.These are modular in design which permits their use in various
combinations. In the case of triple pole types, since they are
gang operated, there is no possibility of single phasing.
5.MCBs can assume the function of a switch as well as a
protective device and consequently they may be used to
control, as well as protect, the circuits and apparatus.
ELCB
An Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) is
a safety device used in electrical installations
with high earth impedance to prevent shock.
It detects small stray voltages on the metal
enclosures of electrical equipment, and
interrupts the circuit if a dangerous voltage is
detected.
Once widely used, more recent installations
instead use residual current circuit breakers
(RCCB) which instead detect leakage current
directly.
ELCB
voltage operated and,
current operated.
ELCB
ELCB
The main purpose of earth leakage
protectors is to prevent injury to
humans and animals due to electric
shock

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