Overcurrent Protection of Transformer

(NEC 450.3)

Overcurrent Protection of Transformer (NEC 450.3

 Introduction
 Overcurrent protection of transformers >600V
(NEC450.3A)
 1. Unsupervised location of transformer
(impedance <6%)
2. Unsupervised location of transformer
(impedance 6% to 10%)
3. Supervised location (in primary side
only) of transformer
4. Supervised location of transformer
(impedance up to 6%)
5. Supervised location of transformer
(impedance 6% to 10%)
6. Difference in C.B between supervised &
unsupervised Location
7. Sumary of overcurrent protection for
more than 600V
 Overcurrent Protection of Transformers <600V
(NEC 450.3B)
1. Only primary side protection of
transformer
2. Primary and secondary side protection
of transformer
3. Summary of overcurrent protection for
less than 600V

Introduction
The overcurrent protection required for
transformers is consider for Protection of
Transformer only. Such overcurrent protection will
not necessarily protect the primary or secondary
conductors or equipment connected on the
secondary side of the transformer.
When voltage is switched on to energize a
transformer, the transformer core normally
saturates.
This results in a large inrush current which is
greatest during the first half cycle (approximately
0.01 second) and becomes progressively less
severe over the next several cycles (approximately
1 second) until the transformer reaches its normal
magnetizing current. To accommodate this inrush
current, fuses are often selected which have time-
current withstand values of at least 12 times
transformer primary rated current for 0.1 second
and 25 times for 0.01 second. Some small dry-
type transformers may have substantially greater
inrush currents.
To avoid using over sized conductors, overcurrent
devices should be selected at about 110 to 125
percent of the transformer full-load current rating.
And when using such smaller overcurrent
protection, devices should be of the time-delay
type (on the primary side) to compensate for
inrush currents which reach 8 to 10 times the full-
load primary current of the transformer for 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
qualified persons will monitor and service the
transformer installation. Overcurrent protection for
a transformer on the primary side is typically a
circuit breaker. In some instances where there is
not a high voltage panel, there is a fused
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.

Overcurrent Protection of Transformers

>600V (NEC450.3A)
1) Unsupervised Location of Transformer
(Impedance <6%)
Unsupervised Location of Transformer (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.
 Rating of Secondary of Fuse / Circuit Breaker =
1.25X1043A = 1304A, so standard size of Fuse
= 1600A.

2) Unsupervised Location of Transformer

(Impedance 6% to 10%)
Unsupervised Location of Transformer (Impedance
6% to 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 fuse = 1200A.
 OR Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker = 2.5X525A
= 1312A, so next standard size of circuit
breaker = 1600A.

3) Supervised Location (in Primary side only)

of Transformer
Supervised Location (in Primary side only) of
Transformer

 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.

4) Supervised Location of Transformer

(Impedance Up to 6%)
Supervised Location of Transformer (Impedance
Up to 6%)

 OverCurrent Protection at Primary Side

(Primary Voltage >600V):
 Rating of Pri. Fuse at Point A= 300% of Pri. full
load current or next lower standard size.
 Rating of Pri. Circuit Breaker at Point A= 600%
of Pri. full 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 fuse = 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.

5) Supervised Location of Transformer

(Impedance 6% to 10%)
Supervised Location of Transformer (Impedance
6% to 10%)

 OverCurrent Protection at Primary Side

(Primary Voltage >600V):
 Rating of Pri. Fuse at Point A= 300% of Pri. full
load current or next lower standard size.
 Rating of Pri. Circuit Breaker at Point A= 400%
of Pri. full 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= 225% of Sec.
full load current or next lower standard size.
  Rating of Sec. Circuit Breaker at Point B=
250% of Sec. full 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.

Difference 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 fuse 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 different.
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 from 125% to
250% for unsupervised to Supervised Location.

Summary of overcurrent Protection for more

than 600V

Maximum Rating of Overcurrent Protection for

Transformers more than 600 Volts
 Primary Secondary Protection
Transfo
Locatio Protection Less
rmer More than
n (More than than
Rated 600V
Limitat 600 Volts) 600V
Impeda
ions Fuse Fuse C.B or
nce C. B. C. B.
Rating Rating Fuse
Less
600% 300% 300 % 250% 125%
Any than
(NH) (NH) ( NH) (NH) (NH)
locatio 6%
n 6% To 400% 300% 250% 225% 125%
10% (NH) (NH) (NH) (NH) (NH)
Not Not Not
300% 250%
Any requir requir requir
(NH) (NH)
Superv ed ed ed
ised Less
locatio than 600% 300% 300% 250% 250%
ns only 6%
6% To
400% 300% 250% 225% 250%
10%
NH: Next Higher Standard Size.

Overcurrent Protection of transformers

<600V (NEC 450.3B)
1) Only Primary side Protection of
Transformer
Only Primary side Protection of Transformer

 OverCurrent Protection at Primary Side

(Less than 2A):
 Rating of Pri. Fuse / C.B at Point A = 300% of
Pri. full load current or next lower standard
size.
 Example: 1KVA, 480/230 3Phase transformer,
full 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. full load current or next lower standard
size.
 Example: 3KVA, 480/230 3Phase transformer,
full 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. full load current or next higher standard
size.
 Example: 15KVA, 480/230 3Phase
transformer, full load current at Pri. side =
15000/(1.732X480) = 18A
 Rating of Primary Fuse = 1.25X18A= 23A, so
next higher standard size of Fuse = 25A.