Autorecloser Instantaneous Based on Line Splice Rating / Conductor Damage Curve?

Good day,

I am brainstorming a coordination problem whereby the instantaneous highset of an autorecloser has to be set for a 12kV feeder. The feeder starts with a relay at the 12kV bus of the substation. The relay has an instantaneous setting which is purposefully set lower than the maximum short circuit level at the substation (the feeder impedance is small compared to the transmission line impedance so this may be considered the max sc level for the feeder). The problem is this instantaneous setting is a high 3000A when compared to the type of feeder conductor (4/0 AWG AAC with ampacity of 383). The first autorecloser downstream of the station relay is set with overcurrent protection pickup of 375 A and definite time pickup of 500A (for fault current protection). These settings are good for the fuse saving scheme implemented.

The problem involves setting the instantaneous overcurrent for this autorecloser (AR). Usually this is done based on the maximum short circuit level on the load side of the auto. However short circuit analysis is not done on the feeders. It is only done up to the 12kV bus at the station and the calculation would be very complicated (alot of tee-offs to deal with. This is not an option). Furthermore, the conductor is derated and has alot of line splices. Will it make sense setting the instantaneous of the AR based on the maximum current these line splices will handle before immediate failure or should the splices be completely ignored and the instantaneous be set based on the damage curve of the conductor? (Splice used is GL-409a Anderson and Fargo Aluminum automatic. Could not find information on the maximum current these could handle either).

N.B. I have even been advised to remove the instantaneous element of the AR completely and rely on the station relay's instantaneous setting as this really is the max sc level of the feeder. Would not doing this leave the feeder susceptible to splice failure? Sorry for long post been trying to solve this for days. Would appreciate any calculations with answers.

Was using page 6 of this document as a source:

https://www.eiseverywhere.com/file_uploads/810d4fdaca565c6acdc08ccbfc7a35bf_2013HORSAvistaDistributionOverview.pdf