Over current Protective Devices

Shiela Pomida

What is an Over Current?

An overcurrent exists when current exceeds the rating of conductors or equipment.

It can result from overload, short circuit, or ground fault.
There are three basic types of current flow in an electrical circuit:

1. Normal intended current flow to operate electrical equipment.

2. Abnormal overcurrent flow with a value of up to 10 times normal current

flow. This is known as an overload.

3. Abnormal overcurrent flow with a value more than 10 times the normal
current flow is known as short-circuit or fault current flow

An overload is a condition in which equipment or conductors carry current

exceeding their rated ampacity.

A short circuit is the unintentional electrical connection between any two

normally current-carrying conductors of a circuit (line-to-line or line-toneutral).

An OCPD protects equipment by opening when it detects an overload, short

circuit, or ground fault.

OCPDs

Every piece of electrical equipment must have a short-circuit current rating

that permits the OCPD to clear short circuits or ground faults for that
equipment without extensive damage to the circuit's electrical components.

OCPDs protect conductors and equipment by opening the circuit.

OCPDs protect against excess heat generated by overcurrent sources like

overload, short circuit, or ground fault.

Size OCPDs to keep conductors from exceeding their ampacities.

Fuses

In electronics and electrical engineering, a fuse (from the French fuse,

Italian fuso, "spindle") is a type of low resistance resistor that acts as a
sacrificial device to provide overcurrent protection, of either the load or
source circuit. Its essential component is a metal wire or strip that melts
when too much current flows through it, interrupting the circuit that it

connects. Short circuits, overloading, mismatched loads, or device failure are

the prime reasons for excessive current. Fuses are an alternative to circuit
breakers.

A fuse interrupts excessive current ("blows") so that further damage by

overheating or fire is prevented. Wiring regulations often define a maximum
fuse current rating for particular circuits. Over current protection devices are
essential in electrical systems to limit threats to human life and property
damage.

Circuit Breakers

Circuit Breakers contain a resettable latch which acts like an ON-OFF switch
for the normal current flow. When abnormal current flows through the circuit
breaker, the latch trips, and the indicator on the outside of the circuit breaker
moves into the OFF position. Once the overcurrent problem has been
corrected, the indicator lever can be reset into the ON position, which
simultaneously resets the latch inside the circuit breaker.

Parts of a Circuit Breaker

Panel Boards

distribution board (also known as panelboard or breaker panel) is a

component of an electricity supply system which divides an electrical power
feed into subsidiary circuits, while providing a protective fuse or circuit
breaker for each circuit in a common enclosure. Normally, a main switch, and
in recent boards, one or more residual-current devices (RCD) or residual
current breakers with overcurrent protection (RCBO), are also incorporated.

OCPD location

Locate OCPDs so you prevent exposure to physical damage. But also make
the OCPDs readily accessible, Readily accessible means located so a person
can reach the OCPD quickly without having to climb over or remove
obstacles. Supplementary OCPDs, which are often used for luminaires,
appliances, or for internal circuits and components of equipment, don't need
to be readily accessible. OCPDs located next to the equipment they supply
can be accessible by portable means.

Each occupant must have ready access to all OCPDs that protect the
conductors that supply that occupancy, with a few exceptions.

Service and feeder OCPDs need not be accessible to occupants of multipleoccupancy buildings or guest rooms of hotels and motels if electric
maintenance is provided under continuous building management, and
branch-circuit OCPDs need not be accessible to occupants of guest rooms of

hotels and motels if electric maintenance is provided in a facility under

continuous building management.

However, there are two location restrictions. Don't locate OCPDs near easily
ignitable material. For example, keep them out of clothes closets. Don't
locate them in the bathrooms of dwelling units or guest rooms of hotels or
motels. Note that prohibits locating the service disconnect in any bathroom.