Specifications, Formulae, Tables
Overcurrent protection of cables and conductors
Moeller Wiring Manual 02/05
9-45
9
Note:
Causes for the reduction in the short-circuit
current-carrying capacity can be: Reduction of the
conductor cross-section, other conductor
insulation.
Short-circuit protection must not be provided
where an interruption of the circuit could prove
hazardous.
Protection of the phase conductors and the neutral conductor
Protection of the phase conductors
Overcurrent protection devices must be provided
in every phase conductor: they must disconnect
the conductor in which the overcurrent occurs, but
not necessarily also disconnect the other live
conductors.
Note:
Where the disconnection of an individual phase
conductor could prove hazardous, as for example,
with three-phase motors, suitable precautions
must be taken. Motor-protective circuit-breakers
and circuit-breakers disconnect in three poles as
standard.
Protection of the neutral conductor:
1. In installations with directly earthed neutral
point (TN or TT systems)
Where the cross-section of the neutral conductor
is less than that of the phase conductors, an
overcurrent monitoring device appropriate to its
cross-section is to be provided in the neutral
conductor; this overcurrent monitoring device
must result in the disconnection of the phase
conductors but not necessarily that of the neutral
conductor.
An overcurrent monitoring device is not necessary
where:
• the neutral conductor is protected in the event
of a short circuit by the protective device for the
phase conductors
• the largest current which can flow through the
neutral conductor is, in normal operation,
considerably less than the current-carrying
capacity of this conductor.
Note:
This second condition is met provided that the
power transferred is divided as evenly as possible
among the phase conductors, for example where
the total power consumption of the load
connected between phase and neutral
conductors, lamps and sockets is much less than
the total power transferred via the circuit. The
cross-section of the neutral conductor must not be
less than the values in the table on the next page.
2. In installations without a directly earthed
neutral point (IT system)
Where it is necessary for the neutral conductor to
be included, an overcurrent monitoring device
must be provided in the neutral conductor of each
circuit, to cause disconnection of all live
conductors in the relevant circuit (including the
neutral conductor).
The overcurrent monitoring device may however
be omitted where the neutral conductor in
question is protected against short circuit by an
upstream protective device, such as in the
incoming section of the installation.
Disconnection of the neutral conductor
Where disconnection of the neutral conductor is
specified, the protective device used must be
designed in such a way that the neutral conductor
cannot under any circumstances be disconnected
before the phase conductors and reconnected
again after them. 4-pole NZM circuit-breakers
always meet these conditions.