Basic Short-Circuit Calculation

Procedure (Follow-Up)

June 26th, 2008

Calculation of Short-Circuit Currents
- Point-To-Point Method

Adequate interrupting capacity and protection of

electrical components are two essential aspects
required by the National Electric Code in Sections
110-9, 110-10, 230-65, 240-1, and 250-95
Interrupting Rating, Interrupting
Capacity and Short-Circuit Currents

Interrupting capacity can be defined as “the

actual short circuit current that a protective
device has been tested to interrupt.”

The National Electrical Code Requires

adequate interrupting ratings in section
110-9.
NEC Section 110-9

Equipment intended to break current at fault

levels shall have an interrupting rating
sufficient for the system voltage and the
current which is available at the line terminals
of the equipment.
Calculation of Short-Circuit
Currents-Point-To-Point Method

The first step to assure that system protective

devices have the proper interrupting rating
and provide component protection is to
determine the available short-circuit currents.
Calculation of Short-Circuit
Currents-Point-To-Point Method

The application of the point-to-point method

permits the determination of available short-
circuit currents with a reasonable degree of
accuracy at various points for either 3ph or
1ph electrical distribution systems.
Calculation of Short-Circuit
Currents-Point-To-Point Method

This method assumes unlimited primary

short-circuit current (infinite bus).
Step 1 (Ifla)

Determine Transformer full-load amperes from

Name plate
Transformer Table
Formula= 3ph Transf Ifla= KVAx1000
E(L-L)
Step 2 (Multiplier)

Find Transf. Mutilplier.

 Multiplier= __100__

Transf. %Z
Step 3 (ISCA)

Determine transf. let-thru short-circuit

current
 lSCA = IFLA x multiplier
Step 4 (“f” factor)

Calculate “f” factor

 3ph faults f= 1.73 x L x I
SCA
C x E(L-L)
 L=length (feet) of circuit to the fault.
C=Constant from Table 5-7-1. For parallel runs,
multiply C values by the number of conductors per
phase.
ISCA= available short-circuit current in amperes at
beginning of circuit.
E= Voltage line to line
Step 5 (“M”)

Calculate “M”
M=__1__
1+f
Step 6 (ISCA @ fault)

Compute the available short-circuit current

(symmetrical) at the fault
 ISCA = ISCA x M
at

Fault
Example of Short-Circuit
Calculation
Step 1 (Ifla)

Ifla = KVA x 100

EL-L x 1.73

Ifla = 300 x 1000 = 834

208 x 1.73
Step 2 (Multiplier)

Multiplier=__100__
Trans.%Z

Multiplier = 100 = 55.55

1.8
Step 3 (ISCA)

ISCA = IFLA x Multiplier

ISCA = 834 x 55.55= 46,329A
Step 4 (“f” factor)

f=1.73 x L x I
2 x C x E(L-L)
f= 1.73 x 20 x 46,329 = .1927
2 x 20,000 x 208
Step 5 (“M”)

M= 1_
1+f
M = ___1____ = .838
1 + .1927
Step 6 (ISCA @ fault)

ISCA = ISCA X M
Fault #1

ISCA = 46,329 x .838= 38,823

Fault #1
Fault 2 Start at Step 4

Use ISCA @ Fault #1 to calculate

 F= 1.73 x L x ISCA
2 x C x E(L-L)

 F= 1.73 x 20 x 38,823 = 1.29

5000 x 208
Step 5

M=_1_
1+f
=_1__ = .437
1+1.29
Step 6

ISCA = ISCA x M
Fault #2 Fault #1

ISCA = 38,823 x .437 = 16,965A

Fault #2
Peak Let-Thru Current
Equipment withstand ratings can be
described as : How Much Fault Current
can the equipment handle, and for How
Long ?
Peak Let-Thru Current
Based on present standards, data has
been compiled through testing, resulting
in Fuse Let-Thru Charts
 Peak let-thru current-mechanical forces
 Apparent prospective RMS symmetrical let-
thru current-heating effects.
KRP-C Sp
LPN RD SP
LPS RK SP