Overview
There are two basic methods of circuit protection. They are fuses and circuit breakers. There are many variations of fuses and circuit breakers. This course attempts to explain how and why fuses and circuit breakers work. There is some basic theory upon which these devices are designed. There is an explanation of some of the terms that are applied to fuses and circuit breakers and why they are important to engineers who, by the very nature of their work, are exposed to the problems encountered in the use of electrical energy.
Fuse ratings include current (which is, after all, what causes fuses to open), voltage, amps, interrupting capacity, and other items. There are places where fuse protection is superior to circuit breaker protection.
Circuit breaker ratings include all of the items mentioned above for fuses. Unlike fuses, they are resettable after a trip incident. There are places where circuit breaker protection is superior to fuse protection.
When a complex circuit, such as a large building or industrial facility, is designed and built the circuits should be selectively coordinated. This means that when (not if) a fault develops; only the part of the circuit involved in the fault should be disconnected allowing power to remain available for the rest of the facility. A protection device (fuse or circuit breaker) should only operate if it is directly involved with the fault. Upstream devices should be sized to not trip or open when the device directly downstream opens.
In order to earn PDH credit for this course, a multiple-choice quiz of twenty (20) questions must be passed.
Specific Knowledge or Skill Obtained
This course teaches the following specific knowledge and skills:
- How fuses are made
- How fuses work
- How fuses are applied
- The advantages and disadvantages of fuses
- How circuit breakers are made
- How circuit breakers work
- How circuit breakers are applied
- The advantages and disadvantages of circuit breakers
- Selective coordination for fuses and circuit breakers
Course
Click on the following link to the PDF document to review the course material before taking the quiz for credit.
Fuse and Circuit Breaker Operation and Coordination
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