Structure of IET Regulation 17th Ed.

Part 1: Scope, Objectives and Fundamental Principles Part 2: Definitions Part 3: Assessment of General Characteristics Part 4:Protection for Safety Part 5: Selection & Erection of Equipment Part 6: Inspection and Testing Part 7: Special Installations or Locations Appendices

Part X
Chapter XP Section XPa Sub-Section Xpa.1. Sub-Section Xpa.2. Section XPb Chapter XQ Chapter XR

IEE Reg- PART 4: Protection for Safety

CHAPTER 41: Protection Against Electric Shock CHAPTER 42: Protection Against Thermal Effects CHAPTER 43: Protection Against Overcurrent CHAPTER 44: Protection Against Voltage Disturbances and EM Disturbances

Reg. 43: Protection Against Overcurrent

Overcurrent may be sub-divided into: 1. Overload current and 2. Fault current

1. 2.

Short-circuit current (between live conductors) and Earth fault current (between line and earth).

Definitions

Overcurrent: A current exceeding the rated value Overloads Overloads are overcurrents occurring in healthy circuits. Short circuits and earth faults (Fault Current) A short-circuit current is the current that will flow when a dead short occurs between live conductors (line-to-neutral for single-phase; line-to-line for three-phase). Earth fault current flows when there is a short between a line conductor and earth.

Protection against overcurrents

Installations should be protected against currents which would cause

Excessive temperature

Mechanical forces

Injury to life

Damage to property

Overcurrent Protective Devices

In order to prevent danger, every installation and every circuit shall be protected against overcurrent by devices which:

will operate automatically at values of current which are suitably related to safe current rating of circuit, and are of adequate breaking capacity/making capacity, and are suitably located and constructed so as to prevent danger from overheating, arcing or the scattering of hot particles when they come into operation and to permit ready restoration of the supply without danger.

Overcurrent Protective Devices

Semi-enclosed (rewirable) fuses Cartridge Fuses High Breaking Capacity (HBC) Fuses Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) Moulded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCB) Circuit Breakers incorporating overcurrent release, or in conjunction with fuse.

Fuse

A fuse is a device that opens a circuit by means of a strip of wire, which is designed to melt when an excessive current flows through it.
Fuse Terminology Fuse current rating : It is the maximum amount of current the fuse can carry without melting its fuse element Eg. 5A, 10A, 15A, 20A,.100A. Fusing current It is the maximum amount of current, which is required to heat-up and melt fuse element Fusing factor This is the ratio of fusing current to the fuse current rating.

Semi-enclosed (rewirable) fuses

Semi-enclosed fuses to BS 3036 are permitted but not recommended. Main disadvantages are subject to deterioration with time incorrect replacement easy higher fusing factor (upto 2) than cartridge fuses (1.25 to 1.6) characteristic unreliable making discrimination difficult low short-circuit breaking capacity

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