Electrical power distribution is considered to be the final step in the delivery of electric power. The primary objective of a power distribution system is to comply with the consumer's demands for energy by carrying electrical power from the transmission system to individual consumers. A standard
power distribution system includes:
- Feeders
- Distribution Substation
- Distributor Conductors
- Distribution Transformers
- Service Main Conductors
Besides these, your electrical distribution system can also have protection equipment, switches, and measurement equipment.
Selecting a reliable and well-experienced
electrical contractor for your project is essential. Their work bears a great responsibility. It shapes your industrial, residential, or commercial property's operational productivity, efficiency, and safety. Therefore, ensure your project's electrical designs are foolproof, offering optimum protection against overloads and faults.
Remember: While there are no exact steps to prepare a design, your potential electrical contractor must comply with a set of guidelines — regulations and codes. This will help you ensure the electrical safety of your property.
As per the National Electric Code, Circuit Protection is critical to ensure safety and must follow these primary goals:
- Prevention of unnecessary power loss.
- Localizing and isolation of fault.
Short circuits, overloads, and under/ overvoltages are a few unwanted circumstances that can occur within a property's operational life. Such situations call for quick isolation and rectification of faults to prevent damaging effects on the building or the grid system. Therefore, while picking your
commercial electrical contractor, hire the one who is easily accessible during an emergency and holds optimum experience in the industry.
Overcurrent Protection
The service entrance equipment is the first shield of protection against thermal overloads and faults. Overcurrent protection devices like circuit breakers, fuses, and relays work as a fundamental block of a power distribution system. Your electrical engineer installs these devices within the system to isolate, break, or disconnect the circuit to prevent an overload during a short circuit.
Present-day overcurrent protection devices have in-built communication and control system that offers an in-depth analysis of the nature of the problem. It also considers other vital parameters like harmonics and power factors.
Ground-Fault Protection
When finalizing your project's electrical system, ensure the ground fault has an additional layer of protection. This is because the lower magnitude of a ground fault is challenging to identify. There are two essential ground-fault protection systems:
- Equipment for Ground-fault Protection
- Ground-fault Circuit Interrupters
Thus, grounding is crucial in the context of a power protection system. The concept relates to connecting the current-carrying conductor to the ground to limit the voltage caused due to lightning or when two conductors get in contact, and stabilize the voltage.
However, as recommended by NEC, ensure that your potential electrical contractor builds several grounding points throughout your building to offer optimum safety within the premises.
Besides overcurrent protection and grounding, you can also ask your electrical engineer to install other protection systems for greater safety. It can include mechanical protection for feeders, arc-fault circuit interrupter, or branch circuits for hospital emergencies.
Tips To Ensure Circuit Protection
Short circuits can lead to severe damage. However, you can always prevent them by following the below-mentioned tips:
- Check Outlets Before Use.
- Check Appliances Before Use.
- Reduce Electrical Usage During Storms.
- Perform Basic
Circuit Breaker Maintenance.
- Schedule an Electrical Inspection yearly.
About us
Are you looking for a reputed commercial led outdoor lighting contractor to install or replace your damaged electrical wiring system in North Little Rock and surrounding areas? Stewart Electric is here for your assistance! We offer several electrical services, including maintenance, repair, installation, and other emergency services. We are a licensed electrical company aiming to provide high-end services to comply with client requirements. Contact us at (501) 833-8764 or email at customerservice@stewartelectricar.com for more details.
