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Commentator

Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 88

Source Breakers 3 pole or 4 pole

08/09/2007 11:47 PM

Dear Sir,

Below diagram shows a factory main distribution arrangement. In here they have used 3 pole breakers for source supply (Utility and Standby Gen., which are not permitted to parallel) instead of 4 pole breakers. I have a doubt whether this arrangement is safe, because here N is common irrespective of source, so if there is a fault in N (even though N is earth) of one source it will effect other system as well. Is this arrangement is justifiable?

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Anonymous Poster
#1

Re: Source Breakers 3 pole or 4 pole

08/10/2007 6:47 AM

What type of neutral fault do you consider might give rise to a dangerous situation?

Greg L

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Guru

Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Surrey BC Canada
Posts: 1571
Good Answers: 42
#2

Re: Source Breakers 3 pole or 4 pole

08/11/2007 2:43 AM

I certainly hope you have adequate transfer switches on your standby and grid power source.

Your connection is a common practice, in that 3 phase systems normally draw power from the A,B,C phases and not from earth (N). The Earth (N) should generally not be a load bearing element, but a safety ground. This will usually show up as a lighter gauge wire for the neutral, and often bare wire. ie: you have a neutral grounded system.

The intent is to keep the phase to ground potential as low as possible, hence the "bolted" grounds. Any phase fault to ground will cause a trip in the breaker and remove the power source from your grid.

As additional protection some breakers are fitted with ground fault detection that will remove the phase power if current is detected in the neutral earth conductor.

Grounding systems for total shock protection is a science in itself, especially as one considers health care facilities, where patients are often connected to equipment powered from the lines. There have been cases where a shorting portable vacuum has induced a voltage potential into the neutral at low levels, but has killed a patient on another floor that was "directly connected" to inadequately grounded and protected equipment.

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Power-User

Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Vietnam
Posts: 153
#3

Re: Source Breakers 3 pole or 4 pole

08/11/2007 3:19 AM

That is useful question.

In factories above diagram is justifiable. beacause of need to change the power supply when factories were powered of.

And please see this link: http://www.criticalpowernow.com/pdfs/ClPwrAOLCase.pdf

for detail of 4 poles breaker application.

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Power-User
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Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 261
#4

Re: Source Breakers 3 pole or 4 pole

08/11/2007 5:55 AM

You state that the generators are "not permitted to parallael".

This indicates that there is some link between the breakers that permits only one to be closed at any given time. If not there should be. In effect, what I see is a transfer switch.

Since each system is properly grounded when connected, whats your problem?

I doubt there would be any significant differece in ground potentials if one ground were disconnected if both grounds are good.

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