High Rapturing Capacity (HRC)

mofa barrel of high grade ceramic which can withstand the shock conditions ed by heavy fault current.
The fuse element is of pure silver The filler within the powdered silica, carefully dried beform use. An
indicatur te sometimes provided to w when the fuse has blown

mical and

The short circuit fusing time is as low as 0.00013 seconds and on large rating it can take the 0.02
seconds. This type of fuse can distingush between high starting current taken amour and a high fault or
overload current. They are applied in mour circums to protect the machines. The class of HRC is
important in relation to the degree of excess-current yunction it can offer a circuit.

the five me

Is comparison, the fasing factor of tewirable fuse is 1.9. This means that a 10A fuse will blow at 19A. The
fising factor of the carridgs fase in between 1.25 and 1.75 depending in the type. This is to mean that a
10A fuse will blow between 12.5A and 17.54. The fusing facne of the HRC fuse does not exceed 1.25.
This means that a 30A HRC fiuse will tolerate more than 37.5A before it blirws

copper win, in

Manee Crcutt Breaker (MCB)

Miniature Circuit Breaker is increasing in its use in modern electrical installations a alumative to a fume.
It is an electro-mechanical device for breaking a circuit automatically. Its application is to automatically
disconnect a circuit under faulty and short circsit conditions They are designed to carry the normal
current and interrupt the circuit without being damaged. It should operate within four hours at 15 times
the designed load current of the circuit which
Advantages of MCB over Cartridge Fuses

14) Easy to reset, replacement is not necessary every time it operates

(b) So discriminative that it will trip on a small sustained overload and reject the harmless transient
overcurrent

(c) Gises a better overall protection against both fire and shock risks than fuses

(d) Gives a close degree of small ever-current protection, that is, its tripping factor is 1.1. The tripping
effect can be carried out by heat or electromagnet. Figure 6.16 illustrates

the typical methods useil

(a) Typical thermal trip. The thermal element consists of two bonded strips of metal different rates of
thermal expansion. The heat of an excessive current will cate element to bend. Bimetals have inverse-
time elements which provide a long time delay light overloads and a faster response on heavy ones.

Armature

Magnetic

Contacts

L-Live wire

Fig 16: Typical thermal trip and typical magnette trip

(b) Typical magnetic trip, in which an electromagnet element is used. When a predesernitel current
flows through the coil, the armature is attracted, initiating an unlatching actin causing the circuit to
open. A magnetic trip provides for short circuit protection only

6.7 INSTALLATION, TESTING AND INSPECTION

After the installation is completed, it is necessary to carry out inspection and tests to ascertain that the
installation has been carried out in a safe manner. Testing involves measuring with instruments since the
electrical properties cannot be seen. Inspection deals with physical checking by looking closely at the
installed electrical work to detect any faults which might have occurred in the finished installation. This
helps to minimise any danger to human life. After the inspection has been carried out to a finished
installation, the tests are then performed in the following sequence:

184 Electricity Level 3

1 Verification of polarity (polarity test).

2. Effectiveness of earthing

3. Insulation-resistance tests.

4. Ring-circuit continuaty.

It should be remembered that any protective device (eg, earth-leakage circuit-break should be med and
tested to ensure proper functioning. The supply authority will only connect their power if the imulation
resistance is not less than I megaohm or 0.5 megken with the apparatus connected.

Verification of Polarity
This is the first of the four main tests which must be done when the installation is completely inspected.
The purpose of the test is to make sure that all the single pole switches, ctrcar breakers, fuses or
thermostats are connected to the live conductors only. The outer conten of the centre-contact bayonet
and edison-screw lamp holder are connected to the team conductor. This verification of polarity can be
done whether the electrical circuit is dead or live

Testing for Polarity on Live Circuits

In a live circuit, a test lamp or a voltmeter is used. Either of the two is connected to the phase terminal
and carth. Care should be taken to avoid gam risk of shock. Figure 6.28 illustrates the polarity test.

Fall light

sting for Polarity in Dead Crum

Antinuity tester or a bell and butary set is used for this type of renting Testing is carried on deber
conducter from the consumer coems weit to the switch, lampholder or socket outlet Bebe testing the
following steps should be taken

(a) The main switch should be opened and the main fue removed

the All circuit fases should be in poution.

Lise serminal should be comected to the connumer's earthing terminal. One terminal of the ohmmeter
may be comected to any nearby earth terminal

Remove all loads, eg, lamps, heaters

When all this is done, an ohmmeter or continuity tester may be used to test the installation. The
procedure of sevting requires one lead of the testing instrument to be connected to any sumer's earth
terminal and the other lead to be commected to each terminal of the switch fuse in turm

Figure 6.29 shows an ohmmeter being used to carry out polarity test. When the ohmmeter ust lesd is in
terminal 1, the ohmmeter reads zetu or near zero. When the Inad is in position 2, the ohmmeter reads
infinity.

To the load

to

Fig 6.29 Palarin ser on a single pole switch using an obmeter

Voltag t

Insulation Resistance Test

The insalation test is done to ensure that there are conductors or between the conductors e no possible
earth-leakage currents between and the general mass of earth. These tesh are carried out using an
insulation resistance tester commonly called "negger" Before conecting a completed installation to the
supply, insulation resistance test must be carried out hetween the earth and all oon-earthed ductors
comected together. The test voltage naast be much that it

is not less than twice the normal rims. voltage of the supply. This voltage should not escai 500V d.c.

The insulation resistance of the tested installation shoul be less than I megah should be noted that this
does not remain constant. It depends on moisture and dirt presen when testing.
Insulation resistance tests between conductors and earth should be drine after the following steps have
been taken

(a) The mains supply must be disconnected by opening the switch and removing the main fuses

(b) Loads like lamps must be in position

(c) All switches must be in the ON position

(d) All fuses or MCB must be in position.

(e) For incomplete installation, the ends of the outlet conductors must be tripped and juined together.

(1) Neutral and live terminala should be joined.

The megger is then connected between the joined N and L, terminals and the consumer's earthing
terminal and operated to get a reading. If the reading is low, remove all the fuses and replace singly to
locate the faulty circuit. Figure 6.30 illustrates the insulation resistance test between conductors and
earth.

Domestic Installation 187

Jang Perailation Berwien Conductors

The perperation for testing insulation resistance between the conductors is the same as that of unting
between the conductors and earth discussed earlier. In order to obtain a mading, one wal of the meter
should be connected to the live terminal and the other lead to the neutral uminal at any loed point
Figure 631 illustrates the insulation resistance test between conductors. Most faults t at switches, ceiling
roses, lampholders and junction boxes. A reno trading will mean st circuit or a lamp not removed from
the circuit

ving the mas

ed and je

Megeer

all the fam

Fig 632 Testing

ulation between costars

Ring-circuit Continuity Test

This test verifies the continuity of all conductors of every ring-circuit in an installation. A low mading
ohnimeter or a continuity tester is used. The continuity test ascertains that conductors have zem or near
zero resistance. Ring continuity tests begin at the distribution board and nach conductor is tested
separately. Figure 6.32 illustrates the ring-circuit continuity test
188 Electricity Level 3

Earthing Test

This test enables the effectiveness of earthing to be ascertained. In order to reduce fire electric shock in
an installation, the following should be tested:

(a) Earth-continuity conductors

(b) Earth-loop impedance

(c) Earth-leakage circuit-breakers

(d) Earth-electrode resistance area

The last two tests are too involving and will not be discussed in this book

(a) Earth-continuity Conductor

A low-reading ohmmeter is used to measure the resistance of an earth-continuity conductor The

procedure for this test is illustrated in figure 6.33. When measuring the resistance of the earth-
continuity conductor, the mains supply should be off and the ohmmeter should be connected to
measure the resistance from the main switch to the farthest point of the installation.

Trunking

DFB
Main awnch

Farthest point of installation

Fig. 6.33. Measuring the restance of an earth-contourity conductor

(h) Earth Loop Impedance

The earth-loop impedance test should be carried out to prove the effectiveness of the installation's
earthing arrangement. There are two types of earth-loop tests practised the line-earth and the neutral-
earth. The line-earth loop test is carried out using an instrument called line-earth impedance. This test
closely simulates the condition which would arise should an earth fault occur

Fig. 6.34. Earth-loop inpondance sest

Earth-leakage Circuit-breakers

is areas where it is not possible to

effectively high current to blow

becakers should be fitted

ntly low earth loop impedance to allow

Ley Paints
distributed at 66 kV, 33 kV. 11 kV a 415/240 V

2. Power authority control equipment at the consumer's premises consists of a sealing chamber, service
fuse, neutral link and cr

3. The consumer control equipment consists of the main switch, main fuse und distribution board. When
these are enclosed in one unit, they are referred to as consumer control unit (cicu). The cicu. may
contain MCBs intind of fuses

4 A final sub-circuit is an outgoing circuit intended directly or through a socket outlet. electrical energy
to the loads,

5. A cable consists of one or more conductors (solid or stra together with their insulation and sometimes
mea 6. The verification of polarity test it is carried out t devices are connected in the non-earthed condu

7. The continuity test is carried out to ensure that

rovided with insulation

8. Installation resistance test is done to ascertain that the quality of the insulation used in the
installation is adequate

9. Ring circuit continuity test is carried out to verify the continuity of the line, neutral and earth
conductors, each forming a complete ring.

10. A fuse is a device which opens a circuit by means of a fisse element melling when excеви current
flows.

That all single pole circuit control the two-conductor supply.

na break in an electric circuit.

‫ال‬

practed

of an earth fault, earth leakage circuit Electricity is generated at 11 kV, transmitted at grid voltages of
132 kV and 220 kV, then 1. 8/728