CASE STUDY

HARMONICS IMPACT OVER PROTECTION SYSTEM OF

POWER GENERATOR

ABSTRACT
A THEATER ENCOUNTERED THE PROBLEM OF
INCORRECT OPERATION OF POWER GENERATOR’S
EARTH FAULT PROTECTION SYSTEM WHICH TRIPPED
OUT CIRCUIT BREAKER WHEN DIMMER LOADS WERE
FULLY USED. THIS THEATER UTILIZED A LOT OF
DIMMERS AND INSTALLED A BACKUP POWER
GENERATOR WITH EARTH FAULT PROTECTION
SYSTEM. THE BACKUP GENERATOR WOULD SUPPLY
POWER TO A CRITICAL LOAD VIA AN AUTOMATIC
TRANSFER SWITCH (ATS) WHEN OUTAGE OCCURRED.
THE PROBLEM WAS CAUSED BY A HIGH DEGREE OF
THIRD HARMONIC CURRENT PRODUCED BY DIMMERS
AND INAPPROPRIATE INSTALLATION OF NEUTRAL AND
GROUND SYSTEM. CONSEQUENTLY, CURRENT
WOULD FLOW IN NEUTRAL AND GROUND SYSTEM
EVEN IN NORMAL LOAD CONDITION CAUSING ERRORS
TO CURRENT DETECTION OF EARTH FAULT
PROTECTION SYSTEM. TO RESOLVE THE SITUATION,
CHANGING EXISTING 3-POLE ATS TO 4-POLE TYPE
WAS NEEDED IN ORDER TO CONTROL CURRENT IN
NORMAL LOAD CONDITION (FUNDAMENTAL AND
THIRD HARMONIC CURRENT) TO FLOW IN ONLY
PHASE AND NEUTRAL CONDUCTOR AND NOT IN
GROUND CONDUCTOR WHICH WOULD LEAD TO
INCORRECT OPERATION OF EARTH FAULT
PROTECTION SYSTEM.

1. Introduction
A theater installs a lot of dimmers to control stage
lighting. These dimmers and other important loads are
connected to an Emergency Distribution Board (EDB) then
the Metropolitan Electricity Authority of Thailand (MEA)
feeder or an emergency generator selectable by an
Automatic Transfer Switch (ATS). See Figure 1, an
electrical line diagram for more details. In the Generator
Control Panel (GCP), an Earth Fault Relay is installed to
monitor a short circuit to ground condition and to protect the
generator. (Remark: Red line 3L represent 3 phase line,
white line represent neutral line, and green line represent
groung line).
 Figure 1: An electrical line diagram of the theater.

2. Problem and consequence

In a normal circumstance, the theater uses only
electricity from MEA without any problem. However, when
there is a situation that the emergency power supply and a
lot of dimmers are used together, an Earth Fault Protection
system will trip a circuit breaker in the GCP without any real
short circuit to ground. Consequently, performance
interruption can be a result.

3. Estimated loss
There is no equipment damage in this circumstance.
However, in each show, there are approximately 1,000
audiences and 1,000 Baht per ticket (20 Euro per ticket).
This theater may have to pay up to 1,000,000 Baht (20,000
Euro) for returned tickets. And also affect to the theater’s
reputation.

4. Root cause of the problem

Figure 2 shows harmonic current measurement to the
dimmers revealing significantly the third harmonic current. A
major problem from the third harmonic in three phase
electrical system is they are in-phase. Consequently, it will
increase a neutral current (see Figure 3).
 Figure 2: Harmonic current measurement to the dimmers.

Figure 3: The third harmonic, in three phase electrical

system, is in-phase in neutral line.

From Figure 4, an Earth Fault Relay, which is used for

checking the short circuit to ground condition (or Earth Fault),
will read currents in three phase lines and a neutral line
(current I in the Figure). In an ideal circumstance, this
current should be zero. However, in the earth fault
circumstance, the current I will not be equal to zero. So, the
earth fault can be detected.
 Figure 4: Diagram shows how Earth Fault Relay works.

In this particular theater, low voltage circuit neutral bus and

ground bus are connected to each other in the MDB.
Moreover, the generator neutral line is also connected to
ground. Noted, in actual circumstance, an unbalance load
creates nonzero current flowing in both neutral and ground
lines. Therefore, the relay is set to activate when 20 -30% of
full load current is detected. In this case, 600 A is set.

5. Problem analysis
Three scenarios is discussed here, one for normal load
circumstance, two for short circuit to ground circumstance,
and three for the third harmonic current from dimmers.
5.1 Normal load circumstance.
 An unbalance load creates nonzero current flowing in
neutral and ground lines as shown in Figure 5. This current
can mislead the relay for the short circuit to ground.
Therefore, the relay is set to activate when 20 -30% of full
load current is detected. In this case, 600 A is set.

Figure 5: Diagram shows normal load circumstance.

5.2 Short circuit to ground circumstance.

In the case of short circuit to ground (Earth Fault), most

of currents will flow into the generator’s neutral point in GCP
through the lowest impedance line (ground system in this
case). Some currents may flow to ground point in MDB.
See Figure 6. Consequently, there will be minimal current
flows through the neutral line. This situation will make the
 Earth Fault Relay detecting the short circuit to ground and
trip the breaker properly (if the value is beyond the setting).

Figure 6: Diagram shows Short circuit to ground

circumstance.
5.3 The third harmonic current from dimmer

circumstance.

In this case, in-phase harmonic currents will flow from

the dimmers (harmonic generating sources) through three
phase lines to the generator neutral point. Then make a
return loop back to the dimmers through neutral and ground
lines. This situation is shown in Figure 7. If current in the
ground line is more than the setting, the Earth Fault Relay
will trip the circuit breaker as it should be. However, this is a
wrong interpretation of the relay.
 Figure 7: Diagram shows the third harmonic current from
dimmer circumstance.

6. Solution
One way to solve the misinterpretation of the relay in
case of the third harmonic current in the ground line is to
change the ATS from three pole type to four pole type. This
change will control the harmonic current to flow only in the
neutral line between GCP and EDB only (and not get into the
ground line at the generator at GCP). This ATS type change
is to add one more switch for separating neutral circuits on
the MEA side from the generator side. Moreover, ground
line connection between GCP and EDB should be
disconnected. See Figure 8.
 Figure 8: Electrical diagram shows 4-pole type ATS is
replaced 3-pole type ATS.

In the normal load circumstance, the 4 pole ATS can

block load current that flow into the generator through the
ground line and Earth loop (See Figure 9). Consequently,
the Earth Fault Relay setting can be set to be more sensitive
to a short circuit to ground (Earth Fault).
Figure 9: Current flows at normal load circumstance when 4-
pole ATS is replaced.

In the short circuit to ground circumstance, the 4 pole

ATS can block the Earth Fault current that may flow thru

neutral line to the generator and force it to flow thru only

ground line. See Figure 10. So, the Earth Fault Relay will
see significant current that high enough to trip the breaker

quicker.
Figure 10: Short circuit current flow during Earth Fault when
4-pole ATS is replaced.

In the third harmonic current from dimmer circumstance,

the 4 pole ATS can block the third harmonic current flow
through ground line and force it to flow only in phase and
neutral lines. See Figure 11. This situation will not interfere
the Earth Fault Relay functionality no matter how high the
third harmonic current is.
 Figure 11: The third harmonic current flow caused by
dimmers when 4-pole is replaced.

7. Expenditure
Four pole ATS costs about 200,000 Baht (4,000 Euro),
which is 30,000 Baht (600 Euro) more expensive than the
three pole type. This cost does not include new wiring cost.

8. Conclusion
The third harmonic currents generated from dimmers
can make a generator’s Earth Fault Relay misinterpreting
situation and trip the generator’s circuit breaker. This is due
to the currents does not cancel each other at the neutral
point as in the normal load current. Additionally, improper
ground and neutral line wiring make current flow through
these lines significantly greater than it should be and again
make the Earth Fault Relay misinterpreting it as a short
circuit to ground and trip the generator breaker. Changing
the ATS from three pole type to four pole type can control
currents to flow only in phase and neutral lines.
Consequently, the Earth Fault Relay will not misinterpret
situation anymore.
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