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Overcurrent Protecti on of Transformer (NEC 450.3) - Photo by Efrem Oshi nsky @ Fl i ckr
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Overcurrent Protection of Transformer (NEC 450.3)
Content
Introduction
The overcurrent protection required f or transf ormers is consider f or Protection of Transf ormer only. Such
overcurrent protection will not necessarily protect the primary or secondary conductors or equipment
connected on the secondary side of the transf ormer.
When voltage is switched on to energize a transf ormer, the transf ormer core normally saturates.
This results in a large inrush current which is greatest during the f irst half cycle (approximately 0.01 second)
and becomes progressively less severe over the next several cycles (approximately 1 second) until the
transf ormer reaches its normal magnetizing current. To accommodate this inrush current, f uses are of ten
selected which have time-current withstand values of at least 12 times transf ormer primary rated current
f or 0.1 second and 25 times f or 0.01 second. Some small dry-type transf ormers may have substantially
greater inrush currents.
Unsupervi sed Locati on of Transformer (Impedance <6%)
To avoid using over sized conductors, overcurrent devices should be selected at about 110 to 125 percent
of the transf ormer f ull-load current rating. And when using such smaller overcurrent protection, devices
should be of the time-delay type (on the primary side) to compensate f or inrush currents which reach 8 to
10 times the f ull-load primary current of the transf ormer f or about 0.1 s when energized initially.
Protection of secondary conductors has to be provided completely separately from any primary-side
protection.
A supervised location is a location where conditions of maintenance and supervision ensure that only
qualif ied persons will monitor and service the transf ormer installation. Overcurrent protection f or a
transf ormer on the primary side is typically a circuit breaker. In some instances where there is not a high
voltage panel, there is a f used disconnect instead.
It is important to note that the overcurrent device on the primary side must be sized based on the
transformer KVA rating and not sized based on the secondary load to the transformer.
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Overcurrent Protection of Transf ormers >600V (NEC450.3A)
1) Unsupervised Locat ion of Transf ormer (Impedance <6%)
OverCurrent Protection
at Primary Side (Primary
Voltage >600V):
Rating of Pri. Fuse at
Point A= 300% of Pri. Full
Load Current or Next
higher Standard size. or
Rating of Pri. Circuit
Breaker at Point A=
600% of Pri. Full Load
Current or Next higher
Standard size.
OverCurrent Protection
at Secondary Side (Secondary Voltage <=600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse / Circuit Breaker at Point B= 125% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next higher
Standard size.
OverCurrent Protection at Secondary Side (Secondary Voltage >600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse at Point B= 250% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next higher Standard size. or
Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker at Point B= 300% of Sec. Full Load Current.
Example: 750KVA, 11KV/415V 3Phase Transformer having Impedance of Transformer 5%
Full Load Current At Primary side = 750000/(1.732X11000) = 39A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 3X39A = 118A, So Standard Size of Fuse = 125A.
OR Rating of Primary Circuit Breaker = 6X39A = 236A, So standard size of CB = 250A.
Full Load Current at Secondary side = 750000/(1.732X415) = 1043A.
Unsupervi sed Locati on of Transformer (Impedance 6% to 10%)
Rating of Secondary of Fuse / Circuit Breaker = 1.25X1043A = 1304A, so standard size of Fuse =
1600A.
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2) Unsupervised Locat ion of Transf ormer (Impedance 6% t o 10%)
OverCurrent
Protection at
Primary Side
(Primary Voltage
>600V):
Rating of Pri. Fuse at
Point A= 300% of
Primary Full Load
Current or Next
higher Standard size.
Rating of Pri. Circuit
Breaker at Point A=
400% of Primary Full
Load Current or Next
higher Standard size.
OverCurrent Protection at Secondary Side (Secondary Voltage <=600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse / Circuit Breaker at Point B= 125% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next higher
Standard size.
OverCurrent Protection at Secondary Side (Secondary Voltage >600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse at Point B= 225% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next higher Standard size.
Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker at Point B= 250% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next higher Standard
size.
Example: 10MVA, 66KV/11KV 3Phase Transformer, Impedance of Transformer is 8%
Full Load Current At Primary side = 10000000/(1.732X66000) = 87A
Rating of Pri. Fuse = 3X87A = 262A, so next standard size of Fuse = 300A.
OR Rating of Pri. Circuit Breaker = 6X87A = 525A, so next standard size of CB = 600A.
Full Load Current at Secondary side = 10000000/(1.732X11000) = 525A.
Rating of Sec. Fuse = 2.25X525A = 1181A, so next standard size of f use = 1200A.
OR Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker = 2.5X525A = 1312A, so next standard size of circuit breaker =
1600A.
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3) Supervised Locat ion (in Primary side only) of Transf ormer
Supervi sed Locati on (i n Pri mary si de onl y) of Transformer
Supervi sed Locati on of Transformer (Impedance Up to 6%)
OverCurrent Protection at
Primary Side (Primary Voltage
>600V):
Rating of Pri. Fuse at Point A=
250% of Primary Full Load Current
or Next higher Standard size.
Rating of Pri. Circuit Breaker at
Point A= 300% of Primary Full
Load Current or Next higher
Standard size.
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4) Supervised Locat ion of Transf ormer (Impedance Up t o 6%)
OverCurrent Protection
at Primary Side (Primary
Voltage >600V):
Rating of Pri. Fuse at
Point A= 300% of Pri. f ull
load current or next lower
standard size.
Rating of Pri. Circuit
Breaker at Point A= 600%
of Pri. f ull load current or
next lower standard size.
OverCurrent Protection
at Secondary Side
(Secondary Voltage <=600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse / Circuit Breaker at Point B= 250% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next higher
Standard size.
OverCurrent Protection at Secondary Side (Secondary Voltage >600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse at Point B= 250% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next Lower Standard size.
Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker at Point B= 300% of Sec. Full Load Current or Next Lower Standard
size.
Example: 750KVA, 11KV/415V 3Phase Transformer having Impedance of Transformer 5%
Full Load Current At Primary side = 750000/(1.732X11000) = 39A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 3X39A = 118A, so next lower standard size of f use = 110A.
OR Rating of Primary Circuit Breaker = 6X39A = 236A, so next lower standard size of Circuit Breaker
= 225A.
Full Load Current at Secondary side = 750000/(1.732X415) =1043A.
Rating of Secondary of Fuse / Circuit Breaker = 2.5X1043A=2609A, so standard size of Fuse =
2500A.
Supervi sed Locati on of Transformer (Impedance 6% to 10%)
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5) Supervised Locat ion of Transf ormer (Impedance 6% t o 10%)
OverCurrent Protection at
Primary Side (Primary
Voltage >600V):
Rating of Pri. Fuse at Point
A= 300% of Pri. f ull load
current or next lower
standard size.
Rating of Pri. Circuit Breaker
at Point A= 400% of Pri. f ull
load current or next lower
standard size.
Overcurrent protection at
secondary side (Secondary
voltage <=600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse / Circuit Breaker at Point B= 250% of Sec. f ull load current or next higher
standard size.
Overcurrent protection at secondary side (Secondary voltage >600V):
Rating of Sec. Fuse at Point B= 225% of Sec. f ull load current or next lower standard size.
Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker at Point B= 250% of Sec. f ull load current or next lower standard size.
Example: 750KVA, 11KV/415V 3Phase Transformer having Impedance of Transformer 8%
Full Load Current At Primary side = 750000/(1.732X11000) = 39A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 3X39A = 118A, so next lower standard size of Fuse = 110A.
OR Rating of Primary Circuit Breaker = 4X39A = 157A, so next lower standard size of Circuit Breaker
= 150A.
Full Load Current at Secondary side = 750000/(1.732X415) = 1043A.
Rating of Secondary of Fuse / Circuit Breaker = 2.5X1043A=2609A, so standard size of Fuse =
2500A.
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Dif f erence in C.B between Supervised & Unsupervised Location
Here we see two notable conditions while we select Fuse / Circuit Breaker in Supervised Location and
Unsupervised Location.
First notable condition is Primary Overcurrent Protection. In unsupervised location f use in primary side is
300% of primary current or Next Higher Standard size and in supervised location is 300% of primary
current or Next Lower Standard size. Here primary overcurrent protection is same in both conditions
(300%), but selecting size of Fuse/Circuit Breaker is dif f erent.
Lets us Check with the Example for 750KVA, 11KV/415V 3Phase Transformer.
Full Load Current At Primary side = 750000/(1.732X11000) = 39A
In Unsupervised Location: Rating of Primary Fuse = 3X39A = 118A, so next higher standard size =
125A
In Supervised Location: Rating of Primary Fuse = 3X39A = 118A, so next lower standard size =
110A
Second notable condition is Secondary Overcurrent Protection increased f rom 125% to 250% f or
unsupervised to Supervised Location.
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Summary of overcurrent Prot ect ion f or more t han 600V
Maximum Rating of Overcurrent Protection f or Transf ormers more than 600 Volts
Location
Limitations
Transf ormer Rated
Impedance
Primary Protection
(More than 600 Volts)
Secondary Protection
More than 600V Less than
600V
C. B. Fuse
Rating
C. B. Fuse
Rating
C.B or
Fuse
Any location Less than 6% 600%(NH) 300%(NH) 300 %(
NH)
250%(NH) 125%(NH)
6% To 10% 400%(NH) 300%(NH) 250%(NH) 225%(NH) 125%(NH)
Supervised
locations only
Any 300%(NH) 250%(NH) Not
required
Not
required
Not
required
Less than 6% 600% 300% 300% 250% 250%
6% To 10% 400% 300% 250% 225% 250%
NH: Next Higher Standard Size.
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Overcurrent Protection of transf ormers <600V (NEC 450.3B)
1) Only Primary side Prot ect ion of Transf ormer
Onl y Pri mary si de Protecti on of Transformer
Pri mary and Secondary si de Protecti on of Transformer
OverCurrent Protection at
Primary Side (Less than 2A):
Rating of Pri. Fuse / C.B at Point
A = 300% of Pri. f ull load current
or next lower standard size.
Example: 1KVA, 480/230 3Phase
transf ormer, f ull load current at
Pri. side = 1000/(1.732X480) = 1A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 3X1A =
3A, so next lower standard size
of Fuse = 3A.
OverCurrent Protection at
Primary Side (2A to 9A):
Rating of Sec. Fuse / C.B at Point A = 167% of Pri. f ull load current or next lower standard size.
Example: 3KVA, 480/230 3Phase transf ormer, f ull load current at Pri. side = 3000/(1.732X480) = 4A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 1.67X4A = 6A, so next lower standard size of Fuse = 6A.
OverCurrent Protection at Primary Side (More than 9A):
Rating of Pri. Fuse / C.B at Point A = 125% of Pri. f ull load current or next higher standard size.
Example: 15KVA, 480/230 3Phase transf ormer, f ull load current at Pri. side = 15000/(1.732X480) =
18A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 1.25X18A= 23A, so next higher standard size of Fuse = 25A.
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2) Primary and Secondary side Prot ect ion of Transf ormer
OverCurrent
Protection at Primary
Side (Less than 2A):
Rating of Pri. Fuse /
C.B at Point A = 250%
of Pri. f ull load current
or next lower standard
size.
OverCurrent
Protection at Primary
Side (2A to 9A):
Rating of Sec. Fuse /
C.B at Point A= 250%
of Pri. f ull load current
or next lower standard
size.
OverCurrent Protection at Primary Side (More than 9A):
Rating of Pri. Fuse / C.B at Point A= 250% of Pri. Full Load Current or Lower Higher Standard size.
Example: 25KVA, 480/230 3Phase Transf ormer, Full Load Current at Pri.
Side=125000/(1.732X480)=30A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 2.50X30A= 75A, So Next Lower Standard Size of Fuse =70A.
OverCurrent Protection at Secondary Side (Less than 9A):
Rating of Pri. Fuse / C.B at Point B= 167% of Sec. Full Load Current or Lower Standard size.
Example: 3KVA, 480/230 3Phase Transf ormer, Full Load Current at Sec. Side=3000/(1.732X230)=8A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 1.67X8A= 13A, So Next Lower Standard Size of Fuse =9A.
OverCurrent Protection at Secondary Side (More than 9A):
Rating of Pri. Fuse / C.B at Point A= 125% of Pri. Full Load Current or Higher Standard size.
Example: 15KVA, 480/230 3Phase Transf ormer, Full Load Current at Sec.
Side=15000/(1.732X230)=38A
Rating of Primary Fuse = 1.25X38A= 63A, So Next Higher Standard Size of Fuse =70A.
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Summary of overcurrent Prot ect ion f or Less t han 600V
Maximum Rating of Overcurrent Protection f or Transf ormers Less than 600 Volts
Protection Method Primary Protection Secondary Protection
More than
9A
2A to 9A Less than
2A
More than
9A
Less than 9A
Primary only protection 125%(NH) 167% 300% Not required Not required
Primary and secondary
protection
250% 250% 250% 125%(NH) 167%
NH: Next Higher Standard Size.
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