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A short circuit occurs when the current pass through earth directly or the current returns to its source without passing the load. It is caused by a very low or zero impedance wire that may be connected line to line or line to ground.

A fault current can be a short circuit but the wire have an impedance that may still give current to the load. the protective device operates when the current exceeds the rating of circuit breaker, by load current + fault current.

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12y ago
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9y ago

A short circuit is a circuit where the impedance is very low, close to zero ohms, causing a high current. This is often a fault condition. An open circuit is a circuit where the impedance is very high, close to infinity ohms, casuing no current. This is also often a fault condition, but one that does not cause the protective device (fuse or circuit breaker) to trip. A closed circuit is where the current flow path is as expected. This is "normal" operation. Often, the difference between an open and a closed circuit is that the controlling switch is open or closed.

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12y ago

Most circuits (not battery powered) require a ground, so are grounded circuits. A short circuit will cause the safety device (a fuse or breaker) to operate to isolate the short.

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10y ago

Because the circuit via the earth has a higher resistance. It has to satisfy a legal maximum limit for any supply.

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Q: Why earth fault current is less than short circuit current?
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What is short circuit voltage?

Short circuit voltage is the voltage that has to be applied to the primaries of a transformer, so that the nominal current flows through the secondaries, when they are shorted. This value is important, if transformer secondaries shall be used in parallel. Ideally all transformers with parallel secondaries should have the same short circuit voltage. When their short circuit voltages are different, the transformer with the lower short circuit voltage will be loaded more than their relationship of power ratings would predict. The short circuit voltage is also important in the design of a transformer, because it predicts, how much the secondary voltage will drop at nominal output current. This knowledge helps the designer to find out, how many further windings the secondary needs for a certain voltage in relation to an ideal transformer. Short circuit voltage is also known as impedance voltage.


What is the difference between the inrush current and the fault current?

Magnetizing inrush current has bigger 2nd harmonics compare to short circuit current. the second harmonics content is about >60% of fundamental harmonic. magnetizing inrush current happened when we energised the transformer, and short circuit current happened if there is a short circuit between different alive phase.


A device that protects a circuit from current overload is called?

Fuses or circuit breakers are termed 'overcurrent protection devices', which protect circuits from either an overload current or a short-circuit current.


How short circuit current measure?

In shortg circuit current is infinitive.


What fuses and circuit breakers provide protection in the event of?

Short circuit fault.

Related questions

What is short circuit voltage?

Short circuit voltage is the voltage that has to be applied to the primaries of a transformer, so that the nominal current flows through the secondaries, when they are shorted. This value is important, if transformer secondaries shall be used in parallel. Ideally all transformers with parallel secondaries should have the same short circuit voltage. When their short circuit voltages are different, the transformer with the lower short circuit voltage will be loaded more than their relationship of power ratings would predict. The short circuit voltage is also important in the design of a transformer, because it predicts, how much the secondary voltage will drop at nominal output current. This knowledge helps the designer to find out, how many further windings the secondary needs for a certain voltage in relation to an ideal transformer. Short circuit voltage is also known as impedance voltage.


Can a short circuit cause low voltage?

Most likely a short circuit will cause no voltage. Due to the high current on a short circuit fault the over current protection of the circuit will trip. This will cut the voltage supply off completely.


If a 240V circuit is protected by a 15A simi-enclosed fused and has an electrical earth-fault loop impedance of 1.9 ohms determine the earth fault current in the event of a zero impedance earth fault?

I am assuming that its a 240 Volt AC circuit supplying an inductive load with a fault loop impedance of 1.9 ohms at the time of the short circuit. The power factor is assumed to be 0.8 The instantaneous earth fault current value would be; Current = (Voltage x Power Factor) / Impedance (240 x 0.8) / 1.9 192 / 1.9 = 101 Amps. However this may be a trick question as it doesn't ask for an instantaneous value, the fuse will limit the fault current to 15 amps and should disconnect the circuit within 0.4 seconds.


What is df236 fault code?

DF236 + after relay supply,short circuit to earth.


Why is the current high when the voltage is low?

This is describes the condition at the location a short-circuit fault.


What is the difference between the inrush current and the fault current?

Magnetizing inrush current has bigger 2nd harmonics compare to short circuit current. the second harmonics content is about >60% of fundamental harmonic. magnetizing inrush current happened when we energised the transformer, and short circuit current happened if there is a short circuit between different alive phase.


What is dead short circuit?

A short circuit which offers very low, practically zero, fault resistance is called "dead short circuit". further more it bypasses the entire load current through itself.


What is used in an electrical circuit to prevent a short circuit?

difference between p type and n type semiconducter materialAnswerInsulation is used to prevent a short current. To protect the circuit should a short-circuit fault occur is either a fuse or a circuit breaker.


What is used in an electrical circuit to prevent a short current?

A Fuse or a circuit breaker can be used to protect an electric circuit from over loads. A surge arrestor / over voltage relay can be provided for voltage protection An ELCB/ Earth fault Relay may be provided for earth fault protection. Electrix Chennai, India.


When a tree falls on power lines grid what fault is it?

It depends on what happens. It could cause adjacent conductors to clash (line-to-line short-circuit fault), or it could break a conductor which then makes contact with the ground (line-to-earth short-circuit fault), or it could be neither of these.


Is a fault?

An electrical fault is where the electrical current goes where it is not intended to go. Usually this is the quickest and shortest return path to the electrical supply service. An electrical fault will trip breakers and blow fuses in the circuit as protection to stop the short circuit.


A fault is a what?

An electrical fault is where the electrical current goes where it is not intended to go. Usually this is the quickest and shortest return path to the electrical supply service. An electrical fault will trip breakers and blow fuses in the circuit as protection to stop the short circuit.