$5.99 U.S.

design
Issue 8

Technical Information For Those In The Engineering Design Process

Sizing a Circuit Breaker

Single-Pole Short-Circuit
Interruption of Molded-
Case Circuit Breakers

ANSI C37 Standard and

UL 489 Standard
Comparison
 Table of
Contents 3
Sizing a Circuit
Breaker
Design Magazine
Staff:
A commonly
Editor &
Program Manager:
misunderstood fact
Paul Luehrsen about circuit breakers
is related to the
Publisher: percentage of loading
Lynn Turner
permitted by the NEC
Guest Contributors:
George Gregory
Alan Kuntz
Jim McWhirt
and the design of the
circuit breaker, and
why the two may be
12
different. ANSI C37
Jim Pauley
Standard and UL
489 Standard
Graphic Design:
Comparison
Stacie Davis

Design Advisory
Committee:
Mark Bidinger
Jerry Blanchard
5 UL incorporated
ANSI Standard C37
into the UL 1558
Single-Pole Short- Standard for
Andy Foerster Circuit
Scott Jordan switchgear in 1982
Interruption of
Jeff Qualkenbush Molded-Case and into the UL 1066
Hal Theobald Circuit Breakers standard for low-
Joseph Weigel voltage power circuit
Troy Wurth
With the existing breakers in 1985.
testing standards, These two UL
MCCBs are fully standards provide the
suitable for application basis for third-party
on the various systems witnessing and
when used properly certification to the
within their ratings for ANSI standard.
any condition of a
single fault.The
corner-grounded delta
system is an exception
to this statement.
Questions have been
raised regarding the
capability and
necessity of the circuit
breaker to interrupt a
second, simultaneous
fault.

2
 Sizing a
Circuit Breaker
One of the most often asked questions is,
“How do I size a circuit breaker?” A
commonly misunderstood fact about circuit
breakers is related to the percentage of
loading permitted by the National Electrical
Code (NEC) and the design of the circuit
breaker, and why the two may be different.
Let’s investigate both aspects.
Circuit Breaker Design
A circuit breaker is designed and evaluated
to carry 100 percent of its rated current for
an indefinite period of time under standard
test conditions. These conditions, per UL
489 (Underwriters Laboratories Standard for
Molded-Case Circuit Breakers and Circuit
Breaker Enclosures), include mounting a
circuit breaker in free air (i.e., with no
enclosure) where ambient temperature is
held at 40° C (approximately 104° F).
Under these conditions, molded-case circuit
breakers (MCCBs) are required to not trip
at rated current.
However, a circuit breaker most frequently is
applied to equipment at 80 percent of its
rated current under NEC Section 384-16
(d). If you understand why this requirement
is in place, you’ll be able to apply circuit
breakers correctly.
Circuit Breaker Characteristic
Trip Curves
Circuit breaker characteristic trip curves
document how long it takes for specific
circuit breakers to trip, depending on the
level of current. Figure 1 shows a typical
curve for a thermal-magnetic circuit breaker.
The curved portion at the top represents the
time it takes for the circuit breaker to trip on
overload. An overload condition will cause
heat buildup around the current path, within
the circuit breaker as well as along the power
conductors. This heat, which is generated by
the current flow, is actually what causes the
circuit breaker to trip in this region, not
simply the magnitude of the current flow.
This portion of the curve is said to have an
inverse time characteristic, which means the
circuit breaker will trip in less time at higher
levels of current flow.
Since the current path (including both the
circuit breaker and the conductor) reacts to
heat, the overall operating temperature of the
equipment becomes a factor in sizing a circuit
breaker in an enclosure. Other factors that
may impact equipment operating temperature
include:
• Size and location of the enclosure
• More than one current carrying device
housed in the same enclosure
• Level of current each device is carrying
• Environmental conditions in the area of the
equipment
Consequently, simply designing a circuit
breaker to hold 100 percent of its rated
current only addresses a portion of the
concern. The equipment must be able to
safely sustain the heat generated by all
sources, without exceeding the temperature
limits in the product test standard. Both of
these factors are accounted for by the sizing
rules imposed by the NEC.
The NEC recognizes that over current
protective devices will be affected by heat in
the system. As such, defines the concept of
continuous loads and the 80 percent rule to
try and offset the effects of heat in the system
when sizing a circuit breaker.
Continuous Loads
To better understand the sizing aspects of a
circuit breaker, you must first clearly
understand the concept of continuous loads.
In Article 100, the NEC defines continuous
loads as “a load where the maximum current
is expected to continue for three hours or
more.” It’s critical to understand that this is
a load at its maximum current uninterrupted
for at least three hours. Office lighting
typically meets this qualification.
 Example 1
50A continuous load and 125A
non-continuous load
OCPD = 100% non-continuous load +
125% continuous load
(1.00 x 125A) + (1.25 x 50A) = 187.5A
Therefore, a 200A OCPD is needed. If a
100%-rated circuit breaker is chosen, a
175A rating
(125A + 50A) is acceptable.
Example 2
300A non-continuous load
A 300A OCPD is acceptable. A 100%-
rated device is not needed since the load
in non-continuous.
Example 3
200A continuous load
OCPD = 100% non-continuous load +
125% continuous load
(1.00 x 0A) + (1.25 x 200A) = 250A
Therefore, a 250A OCPD is needed. If a
100%-rated circuit breaker is selected, a
200A rating is permitted.
Example 4
16A continuous load and 30A non-
continuous load
OCPD = 100% non-continuous load +
125% continuous load
(1.00 x 30A) + (1.25 x 16A) = 50A
Therefore, a 50A OCPD can be selected.
Although 100% rated circuit breakers
typically are not available in sizes this
small, the permitted rating would still be a
50A (16A + 30A = 46A, rounded up to
50A).
4
NEC Sizing Rules
Sections 210-20(a), 215-3 and 384-16(c) all relate to the sizing rules
for overcurrent protective devices (OCPDs). The first three all specify
the same requirement: OCPD size = 100% of non-continuous load +
125% of continuous load.
Section 384-16(d) has the same requirement, except that it’s stated in
terms of the loading of the OCPD. This rule states that an OCPD
can be loaded to only 80 percent of its rating for continuous loads.
Remember, 80 percent is the inverse of 125 percent (0.80 = 1 +
1.25) and, as such, the rules are identical in their requirement.
Read the rule closely. The 125 percent sizing of the OPCD (or 80
percent loading) is only applicable when continuous loads are
involved. Circuit breakers and other OCPDs can be sized at 100
percent of their rating for non-continuous load applications.
100 Percent-Rated Devices
The NEC does recognize complete assemblies (including the
OCPDs) that are listed for operation at 100 percent of their rating for
continuous loads. This means that the equipment has undergone
additional testing to verify that it can handle the additional heat rise
associated with this level of operation.
A 100 percent-rated circuit breaker and the end use equipment have
been tested to verify that the additional heat generated by the 100
percent continuous loading conditions is safely dissipated. Other
equipment specifications also are driven by the need to dissipate the
heat associated with the level of heat rise achieved during 100
percent-rated testing. In cases where the temperature at the circuit
breaker wiring terminals exceeds 50° C during 100 percent rated
testing, UL 489 requires the use of 90° C insulated wire (sized at the
75° C ampacity) with these circuit breakers. The circuit breaker must
be marked as such by the manufacturer.
UL 489 also specifies minimum enclosure size and venting
requirements if needed for heat dissipation. A circuit breaker that
successfully has passed these additional tests is still not listed for
application at 100 percent of its rating for continuous loading unless
its marked as such by the manufacturer.
Circuit Breaker Sizing Examples
A circuit breaker either carries a standard rating (80 percent) or a
100 percent rating. The standard rating is subject to NEC sizing
rules. Circuit breakers that are 100 percent-rated are permitted to be
loaded continuously at the full rating as long as the assembly is listed
and conductors are properly connected. Follow the examples listed in
the sidebar to the left:
 Single Pole
Short-Circuit Interruption of
Molded-Case
Circuit Breakers
With the existing testing standards, the
molded-case circuit breaker (MCCB) is fully
suitable for application on the various
systems when used properly within its ratings
for any condition of a single fault. The
corner-grounded delta system is an exception
to this statement and requires that special
care be exercised. Questions have been raised
regarding the capability and necessity of the
circuit breaker to interrupt a second,
simultaneous fault. An examination of each
system can provide some guidelines for
application.
Voltage Convention
Systems and voltages applied in the U.S. are
detailed in Chapter 3 of the IEEE Red Book.
A straight rating expressed as a 240V or
480V would imply a system operating with
no line-to-line voltage exceeding the rating
number and with no leg broken for a
grounding connection (Figure 1 (c) and (d)
are examples). In a slash rating expressed as
120/240V or 480Y/277V, the higher number
is the greatest line-to-line voltage and the
lower number is the greatest voltage of any
conductor to ground. Check Article 240-85
of the National Electrical Code (NEC) for
application requirements.
Individual Pole Circuit
Breaker Tests
Industry Standard Tests. Single-pole
MCCBs are tested at their marked
interrupting rating at rated voltage. The
individual poles of a two- and three-pole
MCCBs are tested under available current
and voltage conditions indicated in Table 1.
Test details appear in the industry standards.
Notice that available current for this test
sequence is generally lower than the
interrupting rating of the MCCB. There is an
additional test sequence in which the MCCB
is tested specifically for its interrupting
rating. In this sequence, multi-pole MCCBs
are tested only in common operations in
which all phase poles are involved in
interruption in a bolted-fault condition. No
individual pole short circuit tests are required
except as tested for one-pole units.
Three-Phase Tests Applied To One-Pole
Interruption. One of the first points to be
aware of is that in the three-phase
interruption at its interrupting rating, each
individual pole of a three-pole MCCB
interrupts the specified available current at
phase voltage. Because of the closing angle,
that is the electrical angle at which the short
circuit is initiated, one pole of the three will
interrupt a maximum offset (asymmetrical)
current condition, even though the closing is
permitted to be random.
The two operations of this test demonstrate
the capability of the design to interrupt the
toughest individual pole conditions at phase
voltage and at the available current specified.
This result means that an individual pole of
this circuit breaker is capable of interrupting a
short circuit at its interrupting rating at phase
voltage, but does not indicate performance for
any voltage above phase voltage.
For example, an individual pole of a three-
pole circuit breaker with a marked
interrupting rating of 65kA at 480V or at
480Y/277V is capable of interrupting a single-
pole fault of 65kA at 277V. ANSI/IEEE
C37.13 clause 10.1.4 states, “When a circuit
breaker is applied in such a way on a single-
phase circuit that the system voltage
impressed across a single pole is no greater
than 58 percent, of any one of the rated
maximum available short-circuit current may
be equal to 100 percent of the corresponding
three-phase short-circuit rating.”
5
 Table 1
Individual Pole Short Circuit Test Values for Molded-
Case Circuit Breakers

Frame Rating Individual Pole Short Circuit Test Values

2-pole circuit breaker 3-pole circuit breaker
Amperes Voltage Amperes Voltage

100A Maximum 5,000 L-L 4,330 L-L

250V Maximum
100A Maximum 10,000 L-L 8,660 L-L
251 - 600V
Straight Voltage
101 - 800A 10,000 L-L 8,660 L-L
Straight Voltage
800A Maximum 10,000 L-N 10,000 L-N
480Y/277V or
600Y/347V
801 - 1200A 14,000 L-L 12,120 L-L
Straight Voltage
801 - 1200A 14,000 L-N 14,000 L-N
480Y/277V or
600Y/347V
1201 - 2000A 14,000 L-L 14,000 L-L
Straight Voltage
2001 - 2500A 20,000 L-L 20,000 L-L
Straight Voltage
2501 - 3000A 25,000 L-L 25,000 L-L
Straight Voltage
3001 - 4000A 30,000 L-L 30,000 L-L
Straight Voltage
4001 - 5000A 40,000 L-L 40,000 L-L
Straight Voltage
5001 - 6000A 50,000 L-L 50,000 L-L
Straight Voltage

Source: UL 489, Table 7.7.2 [4]

Systems
Assume that the systems in Figure 1 are
grounded at or near the transformer and at
no other place in the system when the
systems are grounded.

6
 The Solidly Grounded WYE
(Figure 1a). This system is by far the most
common system in North America. It is
characterized by the fact that any ground-
1A
fault current is immediately and directly
phase current. If it is a short-circuit
condition, the phase overcurrent protective
device will immediately detect it and open
Figure 1 the circuit. Ground faults or line-to-neutral
faults are the only kinds of faults that would
become individual-pole faults in this system.
The Impedance-Grounded WYE
(Figure 1b). This system is commonly used in
industrial process plants or mills where
unexpected interruption of energy can
1B
interrupt the process flow and be extremely
costly. The impedance in the neutral
connection to ground limits the ground fault
current in the event of a single fault to
ground. This system permits a single fault to
ground to exist for a short period of time
until the process can be shut down to correct
the fault.
The Ungrounded Delta-System
(Figure 1c). This system is occasionally used
1C
in industrial applications. As with the
impedance-grounded WYE system, this
system will permit a single ground fault to
exist with minimal flow of ground fault
North American current.
Electrical Systems
The Corner-Grounded Delta System
(Figure 1d). This system is in use in some
industrial applications. It has the advantages
of not requiring overcurrent protection or
1D
switching devices in the grounded
conductor. However, a ground fault in any
phase other than the grounded phase will
place a fault on the specified phase at line-
to-line voltage. Exercise extreme care in
selecting circuit breakers for use with this
system.
Grounded Delta Variation
1E
(Figure 1e). In this system, the center ground
point is occasionally used to provide the
single phase 120/240V system shown in
Figure 1f, which is frequently applied in
residential systems.
Application
Ground Fault Considerations. Most faults
that require interruption of a short circuit by
a single pole of a circuit breaker are ground
faults. A small percentage of them are phase-
to-neutral faults. According to Section 9.2.4
of the IEEE Gray Book:
In solidly grounded systems, the line-to-
ground bolted fault current value is usually
about the equal to the three-phase bolted
fault current value for the location being
examined. Under certain conditions, such as
bolted line-to-ground fault at the secondary
terminal of the connected transformer, the
line-to-ground bolted fault current value can
theoretically exceed the three-phase bolted
current value (however, tests show that, in
practical systems, the ground fault often is
less than the bolted three-phase fault
current). Most often, the ground-fault
current due to the relatively high impedance
of the ground return circuit (i.e., conduit,
busway enclosure, grounding conductor,
etc.)
The system designer needs to be aware of
the potential ground-fault current that can
flow. At the terminals of the transformer, a
bolted ground fault can be about the same
value as a bolted three-phase fault. As the
distance from the transformer increases, the
potential magnitude of a ground fault
decreases with the impedance of the
grounding path. The impedance of the
grounding path will be significantly greater
than that of the primary conductors.
Solidly-Grounded WYE System
Application considerations are
straightforward for this most common
system (see Figure 2). Any fault that would
place a short circuit through an individual
pole of a MCCB would be either a line-to-
ground fault or a line-to-neutral fault. In
either case, the fault would return through
the neutral. The voltage across the circuit
breaker pole would remain phase voltage.
For example, in a 480Y/277V system, the
voltage across the pole would be 277V
during the interruption. This interruption
condition has been fully tested in the three-
phase test as indicated above and in
ANSI/IEEE C37.13. The individual-pole
interrupting capability for any one-pole or
three-pole MCCB for this system is its 7
marked interrupting rating.
 A two-pole unit used in this will have been
Figure 2 tested at values indicated in Table 1. In its
common connected short circuit at its
Solidly-grounded interrupting rating, the two poles are sharing
WYE with ground the interruption so that voltage across each
pole is roughly one half of line-to-line
fault
voltage.
However, in most cases, the two-pole unit
has exactly the same construction as the
three-pole unit and would have an
interrupting capability equivalent to that of
the corresponding three-pole unit.
Impedance-Grounded WYE System
This system is different than the solidly
grounded system addressed in Figure 2 as
rated MCCBs are generally quite appropriate
for application on these systems for several
reasons:
• Two simultaneous line-to-ground faults are
required to create this condition.
• The second fault must be on the supply
side of the MCCB and on a different phase.
• One or both of the faults is likely to be an
arcing fault with a significant voltage drop
across it, reducing the available fault current
level. Ground faults are generally high
impedance faults as indicated in IEEE
Standard 241, 9.2.5. [8]

Figure 3 related to ground faults and the necessary

interrupting capability of an individual pole
of an MCCB. Where impedance grounding is
• Other overcurrent protective device poles
are frequently in the circuit and will open
simultaneously with the pole in question. In
Impedance-grounded used in low-voltage applications, it is almost this case, it is not an individual-pole
WYE with ground always a high impedance grounding system. interruption.
fault For 480V systems, the grounding resistor is
typically in the neighborhood of 80 ohms. • A fault at the high magnitude of interest
would in many systems cause other supply
In the event of a single line-to-ground fault side devices in the system to open in series.
as in Figure 3, the fault current must pass
through the impedance, which severely limits The single pole tests at line-to-line voltage
the ground fault magnitude. The system can are in place for conditions similar to this one
run with the single ground fault until it can that may place line-to-line voltage across the
be shut down to correct the fault. However, pole. It is expected that any ground fault will
the system is in a precarious safety condition be corrected rapidly. When used in
while the ground fault is permitted to accordance with NEC 250-36, these systems
will have ground detection alarms and will
Figure 4 remain.
not be used with L-N loads. Ground
detection will permit rapid location and
A second ground fault on a different phase correction of a ground fault.
Simultaneous fault bus in the supply side of the MCCB can NEC 110-10 states, “This fault shall be
condition, result in a line-to-line-to-ground fault with
impedance-grounded only a single pole of the circuit breaker to
WYE interrupt it. The voltage across the pole is
line-to-line voltage only up to the levels
indicated in Table 1.
Figure 5
Various simultaneous ground fault conditions
Here the three-phase bolted available short
circuit current may be well above the levels
at which the individual pole has been tested.
For example, many circuit breakers are rated
65kA for application where the available
short-circuit current of a three-phase bolted
fault is at that level.

However, a circuit breaker with a straight

voltage rating and a frame rating between
100A and 800A will have had an individual-
pole short-circuit test at 8.7 kA at line-to-
8 line voltage. There is a great difference
between 65kA and 8.7kA. However, straight-
assumed to be either between two or more of
the circuit conductors, or between any circuit
conductor and the grounding conductor or
enclosing metal raceway.” This wording
makes clear that protective devices are
intended to address one fault only, and not
multiple simultaneous faults. That intent is
confirmed by the requirement of 250-36 for
ground detection. MCCBs are not intended
to address multiple faults, albeit that the
standard tests do provide for unexpected
contingencies that result in line-to-line
voltage faults on one pole.
Consider potential fault points in Figure 5.
Assume a ground fault has occurred at point
A. With only that fault on the system, a low-
level fault current will begin to flow back
through point G.
A second ground fault at point B will create
a fault condition of line-to-line voltage that
will be shared by two MCCBs, N and M.
The two poles will be sharing the
interruption so that it is not an individual
pole interruption.
A second ground fault at point C is on the
same phase as the one at point A. It does not
create a high-level short-circuit condition.
A second ground fault at point D does create
the potential for the major fault identified
above that will be interrupted by one pole of
MCCB M. However, recall that any fault of
concern will be at a level above 8.7kA. At
this high level, device L may also open in
series with MCCB M and may provide a
degree of series protection for MCCB M. If
the two devices are series rated, full series
protection will be provided, though this is
not the condition for which series ratings
were developed. If MCCB L has ground
fault protection and the fault level is a high
level short circuit, MCCB L will open
without an intentional delay along with
MCCB M and may share the interruption.
A second fault at point E, which is a line-to-
line-to-ground fault, will result in a line-to-
line voltage fault across the pole of MCCB
M but will cause MCCB L to open also to
share the interruption. Much of the fault
current will be shunted through point E.
A second ground fault at point F does create
the potential for the major fault that will be
interrupted by one pole of MCCB M.
However, again a pole of MCCB L is in the
circuit so that it may provide a degree of
protection for MCCB M.
To summarize points on the system of
Figure 3:
• Two simultaneous ground faults can initiate
a fault through an individual pole at line-to-
line voltage.
• The combination fault can be above the
level at which the MCCB has been tested
under UL 489 only if both faults are
minimum impedance faults.
• A line-to-neutral fault on this system will be
at phase voltage. The MCCB is capable of
interrupting an individual pole short circuit at
its interrupting rating at this voltage.
To further reduce the potential for an
occurrence that may be beyond the capability
of the MCCB:
• Detect ground faults and remove them
quickly. Sustained ground faults are unsafe
regardless of protection provided.
• Consider series protection of load-side
circuit breakers by overcurrent protective
devices on their supply side.
Low-voltage power circuit breakers and many
fusible systems are capable of interrupting the
higher level ground faults should the designer
wish to consider them at points in the system.
Ungrounded Delta System
Though ungrounded delta systems have
largely been replaced by the impedance
grounded WYE in new installations, many are
still in operation. Figure 6
Corner-grounded delta system Ungrounded delta
This system has the special characteristic that
one phase is already grounded. A ground
fault on any ungrounded phase places the full
line-to-line voltage fault on the circuit breaker
pole in that phase. That is, the second
simultaneous fault is not needed to create the
individual-pole short-circuit. For that reason,
the circuit breaker should not be used on
circuits capable of delivering a greater fault
current than the level at which individual
poles were short-circuit tested at line-to-line
voltage.
9
 Figure 7
Corner-grounded
Corner-grounded delta system
This system has the special characteristic
that one phase is already grounded. A
ground fault on any ungrounded phase
places the full line-to-line voltage fault on
a the circuit breaker pole in that phase. That
is, the second simultaneous fault is not
needed to create the individual-pole short-
circuit. For that reason, the circuit breaker
should not be used on circuits capable of
delivering a greater fault current than the
level at which individual poles were short-
circuit tested at line-to-line voltage.
b Protection schemes use either the 3 or 2-
pole units depicted in Figures 7(a) and 7(b),
respectively. With either configuration, the
individual pole interrupting ability must be
suitable for the maximum single-phase fault
current that can be delivered. Some
manufacturers provide circuit breakers rated
specifically for application on these systems.
The 2-pole units are required by NEC 240-
85 to be marked “1F - 3F” indicating that
they have been tested to interrupt a bolted
3-phase short circuit using two poles.
Conditions in which a line-to-line voltage
fault above the tested level could occur
involve two simultaneous ground faults.
These conditions apply to systems in Figures
1(b) and 1(c) and in some cases to two-pole
MCCBs in Figure 1(e). The possibility of
this occurrence is minimized by rapid
removal of the first ground fault. The NEC
does not anticipate protection for conditions
other than a single fault.
Ground fault current is frequently limited
considerably by arc impedance plus ground
path impedance. Experience suggests that
the ground fault impedance is high. The
system engineer must consider the entire
system and how it is to be operated in
determining whether massive, simultaneous
faults to ground are an issue.
The corner-grounded delta system of Figure
1(d) is one that requires special attention
and application of MCCBs specifically rated
for that application or de-rated to provided
necessary short-circuit protection.

Center-point-grounded delta
Figure 8 The system of Figure 8 is seldom used for a
system rated greater than 240 V. Voltage to
ground from the high leg is 0.867 line-to-
Center-point- line voltage. Table 1 short-circuit capability
grounded delta values apply for the pole connected to this
high leg.

Single-phase system
The system shown in Figure 1(f) is the
120/240 V configuration most commonly
encountered. Single pole circuit breakers
rated 120 V or 120/240 V connected line-to-
neutral are fully tested for application on this
system. Two-pole circuit breakers rated
120/240 V or 240 V and connected to each
end of the transformer are fully tested for
application.

Table 2 contains a summary of application

points for the various systems discussed:

Conclusion
Individual-pole tests of MCCBs are done at
standard levels, which are generally lower
than the marked interrupting rating of the
unit. However, three-phase tests done at the
interrupting rating are in some cases a
rigorous test of individual pole capability.
10
 Table 2
Molded-case Circuit Breaker Single Pole
Interruption and Application for 3-Phase Systems

System Condition Maximum Voltage 1-Pole MCCB 2-Pole MCCB 3-Pole MCCB
Across Pole

Solidly-grounded Single L-G or L-N VPH Fully tested at IR. Fully tested at IR if Fully tested at IR.
WYE. Figure 1(a). fault. same as 3-pole unit.
Otherwise tested at
VL per Table 1.

Impedance- Single L-G or L-N VPH Fully tested at IR. Fully tested at IR if Fully tested at IR.
grounded WYE. fault. same as 3-pole unit.
Figure 1(b). Otherwise tested at
VL per Table 1.

Impedance- L-G fault on load side VL Fully tested at IR. Tested at Table 1 Tested at Table 1
grounded WYE. of MCCB. Second value. value.
Figure 1(b). simultaneous fault See note 1. See note 1.
on different phase on
line side of MCCB.
Figure 4.

Ungrounded delta. L-G fault on load side VL Fully tested at IR. Tested at Table 1 Tested at Table 1
Figures 1(c) and 6. of MCCB. Second value. value.
simultaneous fault See note 1. See note 1.
on different phase on
line side of MCCB.

Corner-grounded Single L-G fault. VL Fully tested at IR. Tested at Table 1 Tested at Table 1
delta. Figure 1(d). value. value.
Use only MCCBs
marked “1F-3F.”

Center-point Single L-G fault from VPH Fully tested at IR. Tested at Table 1 Tested at Table 1
grounded delta. high leg. value for pole value for pole
Figure 1(e). connected to high connected to high
leg. leg.

Designations:
IR – Interrupting rating VL – Line-to-line voltage VPH - Phase voltage

Notes:
1. Requires two simultaneous faults for current above tested level. Even with simultaneous faults, impedance or additional 11
overcurrent protective device in the fault path limits current level.
 ANSI C37 Standard
&
UL 489 Standard
Comparison
Since Ben Franklin discovered electricity, people have been
struggling to harness its energy and use it safely. As the use of
electricity spread into homes and buildings, the need for personal
safety and protection against fires became increasingly clear.

Underwriters Laboratories Inc.® (UL), was established in the late

1800s to test many products for the insurance industry. Fire safety
and prevention were a major concern. UL, working with electrical
manufacturers, developed standards for electrical products and
provided third-party certification assuring that the products provide
safe and intended functionality, regardless of the manufacturer.

The electrical products that began as safety switches evolved into

circuit breakers and load centers. Molded case circuit breakers
(MCCBs) are listed to the UL 489 Standard. UL 489 requires that
these circuit breakers meet specific construction and testing
requirements to provide necessary protection while requiring little or
MASTERPACT® NW no maintenance. One important feature of these types of circuit
ANSI breaker breakers is the enclosed molded case, which provides personal safety,
as well as assuring proper dielectric clearances.

Dependence on electricity grew as continuous process industries

became a large part of our economy. Safety and fire prevention again
were major considerations, but continuity of service and equipment
performance also were critically important. Industrial power users
worked with manufacturers and the International Electrical and
Electronic Engineers Inc.® (IEEE) committee to design, test and
produce electrical equipment that provided the safety, performance
and continuity of service they required.

The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) compiled these

accumulated design and test documents and adopted them as the
ANSI Standards. These standards became the basis for designing and
testing low-voltage power circuit breakers (LVPCBs) and switchgear.

Switchgear is designed with strict standards for

compartmentalization, draw-out construction and steel barriers
MICROLOGIC® SE between circuit breakers, bus and instrument compartments. Because
UL breaker of the compartmentalization and barriers, LVPCBs were designed
with open construction to provide the strength, heat dissipation and
12 maintenance necessary for long service life.
Circuit Breaker and Equipment
Standards
UL incorporated ANSI Standard C37 into
the UL 1558 Standard for switchgear in
1982 and into the UL 1066 standard for
low-voltage power circuit breakers in 1985.
These two UL standards provide the basis
for third-party witnessing and certification to
the ANSI standard.
Circuit Breaker Standards:
• UL 489
• ANSI C37.13 and C37.50 or UL 1066
Equipment Standards:
• UL 67 Panelboards
• UL 891 Switchboards
• ANSI Switchgear or UL 1558
Switchgear or UL 891 Switchboards
UL and ANSI Standards differ in four basic
areas: philosophy, construction, performance
testing and certification.
n Philosophy
The scope of the UL 489 MCCB Standard
includes miniature circuit breakers (MCBs)
and insulated case circuit breakers (ICCBs).
These circuit breakers are typically rated 10A
to 6,000A and up to 600Vac and 500 Vdc.
Circuit breakers designed and tested to this
standard typically exhibit the following
characteristics:
• Sealed molded case
• Little or no maintenance
• No user replaceable parts
• Good performance and reliability
• Long service life
The scope of ANSI C 37 LVPCB Standard
includes two- or three-pole stationary and
draw-out circuit breakers. The specifications
of these circuit breakers are 254, 508 or 635
Vac maximum, fused or unfused, manually
or power operated, with or without
electromechanical or electronic trip units.
These breakers typically have the following
characteristics:
• Iron frame – older designs are open, newer
designs are closed
• Maintainable for long service life
• Most parts can be replaced in the field
• High performance and reliability
• High maintenance costs
n Construction
The main construction differences between
UL 489 Listed and ANSI C37 Certified
circuit breakers are maintainability, ampere
interrupting ratings (AIRs), heat rise and
endurance. These construction differences
result from the design and test philosophies
outlined above.
UL 489 Listed circuit breakers are sealed
and require no maintenance for a long
service life. ANSI C37 Certified breakers
typically require maintenance for long life
and have been designed with an open case to
facilitate maintenance.
n Performance Testing
The UL 489 and ANSI C37 Standards
require the same basic tests, including:
• Dielectric
• Calibration
• Overload
• Temperature
• Endurance
• Short-circuit
Both the UL 489 and ANSI C37 Standards
demonstrate the circuit breaker’s ability to
protect conductors under overload or short-
circuit conditions. The major differences in
performance testing occur during the details
and sequences of the tests for overload,
temperature, endurance and short-circuit
conditions.
• Overload Testing
Overload Testing is done to demonstrate
making and breaking current values that
might be obtained when initially energizing a
motor load. Each time the circuit breaker is
closed and opened on a high current load
(600 percent), the contact surfaces are
subjected to arcing and heat. This action
stimulates an accelerated life test to make
sure the contacts provide adequate
conductivity through many operations. The
UL 489 Standard tests all circuit breaker
ratings with significant operations to ensure 13
 the design is capable of a long service life
with no maintenance. The ANSI C37
Standard tests circuit breakers rated only up
to 2000A.
• Temperature Testing
The UL 489 Standard allows for two types
of ratings. Standard circuit breakers cannot
exceed a maximum of 50° C temperature
rise at the sire terminal connection at 100
percent current in 40° C open air. 100
percent rated circuit breakers may have a
temperature rise of 60° C at the sire terminal
connection in the smallest allowable
enclosure if the circuit breakers are
connected with wire rated at 90° C wiring
insulation sized to the 75° C chart (Table
310-16, NEC). The ANSI C37 Standard
requires a maximum of 55° C temperature
rise at 100 percent in the smallest enclosure
and a maximum of 85° C temperature rise
on the contacts.
• Endurance Testing
Circuit breakers tested to the UL 489
Standard must pass a significant number of
operations without any maintenance. This
test verifies that the design is capable of a
long service life. The ANSI C37 Standard
tests circuit breakers for further operations,
but then allows for maintenance of the
circuit breaker at relatively short intervals.
(Note: no manufacturer currently offers
225A or 600A frame circuit breakers tested
to ANSI C37).
• Short-Circuit Testing
The short-circuit tests reflect differences in
the philosophies between the UL and ANSI
standards. The UL 489 Standard requires
that the tests be conducted at several values
of short-circuit current. A separate test
sequence evaluates the maximum
interrupting rating claimed by the
manufacturer. Tests are conducted at the
rated voltage(s) of the circuit breaker, which
is typically 240V, 480V or 600V.
Three-pole circuit breakers are tested under
three-phase conditions during the maximum
interrupting ability sequence. Each pole is
tested individually at a reduced current level.
The circuit breaker must safely interrupt the
short-circuit current and protect the rated
wire in the circuit.
14
The ANSI C37 Standard requires that a
three-pole circuit breaker be tested under
three-phase conditions at the maximum
interrupting rating and also that each
individual pole be tested at 87 percent of the
maximum interrupting rating. Both the
three-phase and the individual-pole tests are
conducted at rated maximum voltages of
254V, 508V and 635V. The ANSI Standard
also includes a separate sequence to evaluate
the short-time withstand current of the
circuit breaker. The short-time withstand
current is a high level current that can be
maintained for 0.5 seconds without damage
to the circuit breaker.
Certification
Certification tests to the UL 489 Standard
are witnessed by UL engineering
representatives. At the successful completion
of the test program, UL permits circuit
breakers to bear a UL Listing mark. These
circuit breakers are required to undergo
subsequent follow-up testing on a regular
basis: quarterly, semiannually or biannually
depending on the circuit breaker size and
quantities produced. All follow up tests are
witnessed by UL field representatives.
Certification tests to the UL 1066 Standard
(which include the requirements of the ANSI
C37 Standard) are witnessed by UL
engineering representatives. At the
successful completion of both UL test
programs, UL permits the circuit breaker to
bear a UL Listing mark, combined with the
product identity. While UL conducts follow-
up inspections on the UL 1066 Standard
tested products to ensure that the
construction has not changed from that,
which was originally tested, they do not
require subsequent follow-up testing.
UL 489 ANSI C37
Power Factor: Power Factor:
0.45 – 0.50 0.50
Frame Size (A) Number of operations Frame Size (A) Number of operations
at rated voltage at rated voltage
50 – 1600 50 600% current 225 – 800 50 600% current
1601 – 2500 25 600% current 1600 – 2000 38 600% current
2501 – 6000 3 600% current* >2000 0
* An additional 25 operations at 200% current

UL 489 ANSI C37

Temperature 50° C temperature rise at line and loaded 50° C temperature rise at line and load terminal
terminals bus connections and 85° C temperature rise on
circuit breaker contacts
Current Standard Circuit Breaker:
• 100% rated current in open air at 40° C 100% rated current in smallest enclosure
• 80% rated current in smallest enclosure
Exceptions 100% Rated Circuit Breaker: Trip unit defeated
• 100% rated current in smallest enclosure
• Temperature rise may be 60° C if 90° C
wire is used sized to the 75° C chart (NEC)

UL 489 ANSI C37

Power Factor: 0.75 – 0.80
Maintenance not allowed
Max. Frame Size (A) Number of operations at
rated voltage
100 6000 At rated current
4000 Without current
225 4000 At rated current
4000 Without current
600 1000 At rated current
5000 Without current
800 500 At rated current
3000 Without current
2500 500 At rated current
2000 Without current
6000 400 At rated current
1100 Without current
Power Factor: 0.85
Maintenance allowed
Max. Frame Size (A) Number of operations at
rated voltage
225 4000 At rated current
10000 Without current
2500 Between maintenance
600 2800 At rated current
9700 Without current
1750 Between maintenance
800 2800 At rated current
9700 Without current
1750 Between maintenance
1600 800 At rated current
3200 Without current
500 Between maintenance
2000 800 At rated current
3200 Without current
500 Between maintenance
3200 400 At rated current
1100 Without current
250 Between maintenance
4000 400 At rated current
1100 Without current
15
250 Between maintenance
 Short Circuit UL 489 ANSI C37

Power Factor < 10,000 A 0.45 – 0.50 0.15 Unfused

10,001 – 20,000 A 0.25 – 0.30 0.20 Fused
< 20,000 A 0.15 – 0.20

Voltage and Current Rated voltage with low, medium and high Rated current at the three voltage levels: 254,
level current. 508 and 635Vac

Operations Open – close/open on all three poles Open – close/open on all three poles. First open
at closing angle to ensure peak current of 2.3 x
rated current in one phase

Open – close/open on each individual pole Open – close/open individual pole at 87% of
at reduced current level rated current

Short-time withstand – first ON cycle, closing

angle must ensure a peak current of 2.3 x rated
current in one phase. Circuit breaker remains
closed, tripping disabled – 0.5 sec. ON, 15 sec.
OFF, 0.5 sec. ON

Square D Product Information Resources

Online Tools
Consultants looking for product information can log on to www.SquareD.com and use the Square D
Other resources on DigestPlus Selector. DigestPlus is an electronic version of the paper-based Digest catalog. With
more than 66,000 part numbers, users of this tool can search for products based on the electrical
www.SquareD.com characteristics of the application they wish to create or the problem they need to solve. DigestPlus
include distributor can also search by competitor product for suggestions on a comparable Square D product for
and sales office replacement.
locator tools, free
software Personal Service
Consulting Engineers can call the Square D Customer Information Center 24 hours a day, seven days
downloads and a week for answers to just about any technical question. The center links customer service
more. representatives and technical experts around the country in a virtual technical support center. The
Square D Customer Information Center phone number is 1-888-Square D
(1-888-778-2733).

©2000 Schneider Electric

All Rights Reserved.

www.SquareD.com
Document Order #0101DM0002