- Author
-
Beausoliel, R. W.
|
Meese, W. J.
- Title
- Experimentally Determined Performance of Some Residential Circuit Breakers.
- Coporate
- National Bureau of Standards, Gaithersburg, MD
- Report
-
NBSIR 81-2221,
April 1981,
47 p.
- Distribution
- AVAILABLE FROM National Technical Information Service (NTIS), Technology Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, Springfield, VA 22161. Telephone: 1-800-553-6847 or 703-605-6000; Fax: 703-605-6900. Website: http://www.ntis.gov
- Keywords
-
circuit breakers
|
electrical fires
- Abstract
- Laboratory test results show that at low ambient temperatures some residential-type circuit breakers may not trip at currents up to 140 percent of rated currents. Under some environmental conditions this may lead to wiring temperatures that exceed the limitations specified in the National Electrical Code. The results also show that circuits sometimes open at the point of short cirucuits before circuit breakers operate. Ignition of combustibles proximate to the point of such short circuits sometimes occurs. The results indicate the need for a more detailed study of overcurrent protection performance in the field and under laboratory conditions. Also needed are the development of more meaningful scientific/mathematical principles and models on the functional characteristics of circuit breakers.