Sigma Explains, Causes of Unwanted Openings in the Residual Current Protection Switch

Residual current protection switches protect human life against dangerous electrical leakage currents, electrical installation and all electrically operated devices connected to that installation against the risk of fire.

Sigma Explains, Causes of Unwanted Openings in the Residual Current Protection Switch

Why Discard Residual Current Protection Switches?

1) The most common cause is the insulation error that may occur in the electrical installation or in the electrical devices operating connected to this installation. Insulation errors occur as a result of damage to electrical cable insulators, cable connection terminals are not connected correctly, water / moisture enters the mechanical parts of devices that can be found in a humid / wet environment such as kettles.

2) Another reason is the constant leakage currents in the installation or in the electrical devices connected to the installation. This may be due to the fact that the active current-carrying parts and body of the devices are not isolated correctly, the insulation due to the deformation of the devices over time is damaged or the device body is not grounded in accordance with the standards. Although body leakage can be encountered at higher current values, especially in machines used in industrial facilities, correct grounding and insulation is the most important point to be considered in terms of life and property safety.

Residual current protection switches protect human life against dangerous electrical leakage currents and protect the electrical installation and all electrically operated devices connected to that installation against the risk of fire.

3) In case of temporary leakage currents caused by overvoltage pulses, residual current protection switches can open the circuit without any reason. Overvoltage pulses are of two kinds.

1. Overvoltages in the electrical installation as a result of the discharge of lightning current into the ground
2. Overvoltages that may occur during the switching (switching on and off) of electrical equipment connected to the electrical installation.

These overvoltages in the installation may cause current pulses that the residual current protection switches may perceive as residual current. Therefore, during the occurrence of overvoltage pulses, residual current protection switches can open the circuit.

4) Harmonic currents, that is, high-frequency components of the current waveform, are undesirable in electrical wiring. The use of harmonic filters in electrical installations where harmonic currents exist is extremely important in terms of reducing faults and power quality. Another undesirable situation associated with harmonic currents is that, in addition to failure and loss of energy, they also cause the residual current protection switch to pulse at unprovoked and uncertain times. Residual current protection switches can perceive the harmonic currents in the electrical installation as leakage currents and cause unjustified switching on and de-energizing of the electrical system. In enterprises and applications where harmonic current is available, the choice of the right residual current protection switch is extremely important.

Harmonic currents , that is, high-frequency components of the current waveform, are undesirable in electrical wiring.

5) It is of great importance to establish a grounding system in accordance with standards and regulations for the safe transmission of leakage currents to the ground. A leakage current or fault currents generated in the electrical system must be transmitted to the ground for the safety of life and property. In electrical installations with high grounding resistance, some of the leakage current may pass over the human as a result of contact and cause unwanted accidents and loss of life.

It is of great importance to establish a grounding system in accordance with standards and regulations for the safe transmission of leakage currents to the ground.

In order to prevent all these unwanted trenches, it is recommended to carry out maintenance controls on time, to choose the right product, to install grounding in accordance with standards and regulations, to produce solutions against harmonics in harmonic enterprises, to use external lightning (lightning rod) and internal lightning (surge arrester) systems against overvoltages.

sigma web