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Anonymous Poster #1

HV Switchgear - Internal Earth Bar

06/29/2026 7:06 AM

HV Switchgear (IEC 62271-1, 62271-200): The size of the internal earth bus (the bar running through the entire switchgear lineup) differs from the size indicated in the type test report. Is this acceptable? Is the busbar size specified in the type test report applicable only to the main busbars and not to the earth bus? If the manufacturer provides calculations demonstrating that the earth bus size is adequate for the specified fault current and duration, can this be accepted? For example, if the short-time withstand current/duration is 25 kA for 1 second, the adiabatic equation indicates a required conductor size of approximately 175 sq.mm. In this case, would providing a 200 sq.mm earth bus (40 × 5 mm) be acceptable?

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Guru

Join Date: Jul 2016
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#1

Re: HV Switchgear - Internal Earth Bar

06/29/2026 11:27 PM

Yes, since earth faults are not tolerated as part of normal operation, the ground bus only needs to be sufficient to carry the system ground fault current long enough to enable the protection to clear the power sources to the fault.

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Anonymous Poster #1
#2
In reply to #1

Re: HV Switchgear - Internal Earth Bar

06/30/2026 4:55 AM

I see in this forum talking about the bus bar design, including temperature rise, required bracing, and magnetic forces under fault conditions, Do this switchgear be type tested again as the required bracing may change based on the bus bar size?

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Guru

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#3
In reply to #2

Re: HV Switchgear - Internal Earth Bar

06/30/2026 4:41 PM

I don’t know what ‘type tested’ means. A smaller ground bus bar will have different failure strengths & weaknesses that may not cancel each other out. Those failure modes need to be evaluated.

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