MAHARASHTRA STATEBOARDOF

TECHNICAL EDUCATION (MSBTE)

Sanjivani Rural EducationSociety’s

SANJIVANI K. B. P.POLYTECHNIC,
KOPARGAON - 423603 2021 - 2022
Department of Electrical Engineering

PROJECT TOPIC

ELCB, APPLICATIONS and specification

Name of Students Roll no

Vaibhav Rangnath Aware 66
Rushikesh Keshav Shinde 74
Milind Anna Bhaisane 68
1
Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker
(ELCB)
 An Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) is a device used
to directly detect currents leaking to earth from an installation and
cut the power .
. There are two types of ELCBs:

1. Voltage operated: A voltage-operated ELCB detects a rise in

potential between the protected interconnected metalwork and a
distant isolated Earth reference electrode. They operate at a detected
potential of around 50 volts to open a main breaker and isolate the
supply from the protected premises.

2. Current operated: Current-operated ELCB (RCB) Current-

operated ELCBs are generally known as Residual-current devices
(RCD). These also protect against earth leakage.
 The ELCB detects fault currents from
live to the earth (ground) wire within the
installation it protects. If sufficient voltage
appears across the ELCB’s sense coil, it will
switch off the power, and remain off until
manually reset. A voltage-sensing ELCB does
not sense fault currents from live to any other
earthed body.
 The way to identify an
ELCB is by looking for green or green and
yellow earth wires entering the device. They rely
on voltage returning to the trip via the earth wire
during a fault and afford only limited protection to
the installation and no personal protection at all.
You should use plug in 30mA RCD’s for any
appliances and extension leads that may be used
outside as a minimum.
 Application

 1)THE VOLTAGE-OPERATED E.L.C.B. IS

GENERALLY USED WHERE THERE ARE POOR
EARTHING CONDITIONS (FOR EXAMPLE, ROCKY
OR DRY SUB-SOIL).
2)CURRENT OPERATED ELCB IS A POPULAR CIRCUIT
BREAKER USED IN INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL, AND
HOUSEHOLD APPLICATIONS.
 SPECIFICATION

According to IEEE Standard C37. 13, “The rated maximum

voltage of a circuit breaker is the highest RMS voltage, three-
phase or single-phase, at which it is designed to perform. The
circuit breaker shall be rated at one or more of the following
maximum voltages: 635 V, 508 V, or 254 V.
 Advantages

ELCBs have one advantage over RCDs: they

are less sensitive to fault conditions, and
therefore have fewer nuisance trips.
.
While voltage and current on the earth line is
usually fault current from a live wire, this is
not always the case, thus there are situations
in which an ELCB can nuisance trip.
When an installation has two connections to earth, a nearby high
current lightning strike will cause a voltage gradient in the soil,
presenting the ELCB sense coil with enough voltage to cause it to trip.
.
If the installation’s earth rod is placed close to the earth rod of a
neighboring building, a high earth leakage current in the other building
can raise the local ground potential and cause a voltage difference
across the two earths, again tripping the ELCB.
.
 Disadvantages

They do not detect faults that don’t

pass current through the CPC to the earth rod.

They do not allow a single building

system to be easily split into multiple sections with
independent fault protection, because earthing
systems are usually use common earth Rod.
 They may be tripped by external
voltages from something connected to the earthing
system such as metal pipes, a TN-S earth or a TN-
C-S combined neutral and earth.

As electrically leaky appliances

such as some water heaters, washing machines and
cookers may cause the ELCB to trip.

ELCBs introduce additional

resistance and an additional point of failure into
the earthing system.
Thank you