Presentation Structure

What are electrical fires?

Ignition factors for structure fires
Electrical equipment involved
Fire Triangle
Main modes of ignition
Arcing
Excessive Ohmic heating
External heating
How do switchboard faults lead to fires?
Electrical fires risk mitigation measures

What are electrical fires?

Electrical fires do not exist

Fire
Protection
Association
Australia

Ignition factors for structure fires

Report on Government Services 2012 Volume 1 Section 9
The most prevalent ignition factors causing structure fires varies across
jurisdictions. Nationally in 2010-11, for structure fires where the cause of ignition
could be determined, the most significant factors reported were:
unattended heat sources (15.3 %)
short-circuit, ground fault and other electrical failure (10.6 %)
suspicious (7.5 %)

Electrical equipment involved

Electrical wiring
Electrical switchboards
Light fittings, especially halogen down lights
Transformers
UPS
Electric heaters

Fire Triangle

How do electrical wiring faults lead to ignitions?

There are only a few main modes in which electrical insulation, or
combustibles close by to electric distribution components, can be
ignited
1) Arcing
2) Excessive Ohmic heating, without arcing
3) External heating
Some ignition types involve a combination of mechanisms, so must
not be viewed as mutually-exclusive causes of fire

Mode 1: Arcing
An arc can be either a series arc or a parallel arc

Note: The occurrence of series arc decreases the current flow in the
circuit, thus an over-current protection device cannot be expected to
respond
Causes of arcing are:
a) Carbonisation of insulation
b) Externally induced ionisation of air (created by flames or an earlier arc)
c) Short circuits

Mode 1a: Arcing (carbonisation of insulation)

Wiring in 240/415V circuits largely insulated with PVC
Establishment of a carbonised path across an insulating material can
be via:
High voltage across the insulator surface
Combined effects of moisture and pollutants on insulator surface (wet
tracking)
PVC exposed to 200-300C chars*;
*the char is a semiconductor which can lead to leakage currents
and arcing
Leakage current flow typically have peaks no greater than 50A (actual peak
value depends on resistance of particular circuit), there could be a long time
before a circuit breaker would be expected to open

Mode 1a: Arcing (Carbonization of Insulation) (2)

AS/NZS 3111-2009:
The circuit-breaker will
not trip when continuously carrying 100%
rated current
trip within 2 hr when carrying 125% rated
current
trip within 6 min when carrying 200% rated
current
trip within 5 s when carrying 600% rated
current for circuit-breakers having current
ratings below 50 A
trip within 10 s when carrying 600% rated
current for circuit-breakers having current
ratings of 50 A and above

Mode 1b: Arcing (Externally induced ionisation of air)

Intrinsic dielectric strength of air is about 3MV/m (except very small gaps)
Breakdown can occur at much lower values if air space is ionised by
Flames
Pre-existing arcs
Dielectric strength in presence of flames ~ 0.11MV/m
If a serious arc-fault occurs in a distribution bus, large amount of ionised
gases will be ejected which can travel a certain distance
If ionised gases encounter another circuit, they can cause a breakdown and
new arcing at the second location
Fire-induced arcing is the most common situation for arcing damage in fire
scenes

Mode 1c: Arcing (short circuits)

Short circuits can take two forms:
A bolted short where a good metal-to-metal contact is made across a fullthickness section of metal
An arcing short, where initial metal-to-metal contact is not sustained and
current flows through an arc
Bolted shorts typically trip the circuit breaker and unlikely start a fire
Arcing shorts can cause melting of the material around the contact area which
may start a fire

Mode 2: Excessive ohmic heating

Causes of excessive ohmic heating:
Gross overloads (rare cause of fire, protection by overcurrent protection
devices)
Excessive thermal insulation
Stray currents and ground faults (documentation shows only 5A required
for ignition when a 3-conductor, PVC-insulated cable contacted a
galvanised iron roof)
Overvoltage (lightning strike, accidental delivery of high voltage into low
voltage wiring, floating neutral)
Poor connections (bad workmanship or mechanical means)

Mode 3: External heating

Most cases of external heating involve the wire or wiring device as victim of fire
and not as initiator of fire
Some situations do exist where external heating of wiring serves as the
initiating event; typically arcing occurred after sufficient overheating

How do switchboard faults lead to fires?

Electrical switchboard thermal imaging

The hot spot visible as a heat source shows a

loose screw connection to the circuit breaker.
We recommend that the cable to the
circuit breaker be re-terminated. If this is not
possible, replace the fuse with a new circuit
breaker.

How do switchboard faults lead to fires (2)?

No fire seal around for cables entering electrical switchboard

AS/NZS 3000:2007 clause 2.9.7 Fire-protective measures

Wiring associated with switchboards shall be installed in such a manner that,
in event of fire originating at the switchboard, the spread of fire will be kept
to a minimum.
There is a very high risk that wiring that enter at the top or sides of a
switchboard, will contribute to the spread of fire.
Any opening of 5mm diameter or greater requires sealing with a fire retardant
sealant.

How do switchboard faults lead to fires (2)?

Fire prevention
Maintain full compliance with current AS/NZS 3000:2007
Expansion of the use of residual current devices (RCDs) to all socket
outlet and lighting circuits rated up to 20 A
Limiting the number of circuits connected to any one RCD to three
Requiring the division of lighting circuits between RCDs where the
number of both RCDs and lighting circuits exceeds one
Arc fault protection must be provided for all switchboards with a
nominal supply rated above 800 A and should be considered for all other
switchboards
Do not overload the power sockets or use power boards (if practicable)

How do switchboard faults lead to fires (2)?

Safeguard heat sources, and combustibles
Install appropriate fire protection measures
Correct type of portable fire extinguishers
Automatic fire suppression system interlocked with automatic power
supply cut-off