Application Briefs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can you have isolated ground?

Yes – On our 100A, 225A, 250A, 400A and 800A versions we can add a fifth copper bar rated at
100% capacity ground. The product types are GM100G, GM100NG, GM225G, GM250T5G,
GM400T5G, GM400T5NG and GM800T5G.

2. How do you keep people from adding too many drops and overloading the circuit?

STARLINE Track Busway is no different from any other busway or panelboard. Anyone could
mount 14 - 3 pole 100A circuit breakers in a 225A main panel if they wanted to. It is typical
that the addition of a circuit to STARLINE is done by a qualified person who is familiar with the
electrical system at the facility. They are expected to know the load on the bus through routine
sampling over time.

However, for those who want protection against this issue, we have developed a product called
Bus Run Monitor. This product installs in the busway slot and includes 3 CTs that are installed in
an end feed unit. Bus Run Monitor has an optional warning light, warning buzzer, or form C
contacts to notify facility personnel of a current draw over the preset limit. The preset can be
selected at 60-90% of the bus capacity.

We believe this is a valid concern but in practice STARLINE Track Busway trips have been
extremely rare.

3. How do you identify Phase L1, L2, or L3 device on the power drop boxes?

Each drop box carries a number label either L1, L2, or L3. The color code is determined by the
customer’s request. If the customer has no preference, we typically ship 1/3 of the drop boxes
wired to each individual phase.

4. How do you know what phase you are plugged into, and how do you allocate the drops
so they are balanced across all three phases?

Answer 3 addresses the first half of this question. The answer to the second half is the same as
any power distribution system. The electrical designer does the balancing.

Page 9.1 | www.StarlinePower.com

 Application Briefs
WALL MOUNTING
GM100/GM100NG/GM225 SYSTEMS

Wall

“A”

To properly position busway

at the minimum distance Busway
from wall, first select the
largest plug-in unit to be ENCLOSURE “A” Conductor side
used with the system. Using WIDTH
the provided table as a 101 mm to
reference, find the distance 203 mm 101 mm GMBH-1
Standard Hanger
(A) to position the busway Top view
215 mm to of large
from the wall. Position the 241Circuit
mm Breaker
127 mm
busway and secure into Plug-In shown
place by tightening the BH- 266 mm
M10 hanger. & Up 203 mm

initial insert
position

Minimum distance from mounting

edge surface to enclosure occurs
as enclosure edge is in line with
rotation center-line of paddle

If a plug-in unit does

interfere with the wall,
loosen all hanger bolts and
move the Busway slightly to Loosed GMBH-1 & reposition
Busway if enclosure is too close
allow the plug-in unit to to wall as needed.
Busway
rotate into its final resting
position. Ensure that the
Busway sections are
adjusted evenly to avoid any Equal
‘kinking’ of Busway section 3 M. Max.
joints.
Rotate to install

Equal

Page 9.2 | www.StarlinePower.com

 Application Briefs
WALL MOUNTING
GM100/GM100N/GM100NG,
& GM225 SYSTEMS

Busway plug-in units face Wall

toward the conductor side
(with the exception of the E9
or “S” enclosure). When Power End Feed Busway
installing the busway along a
wall, care should be taken to
make sure the busway
conductor side faces away
from the wall.

NOTE: Be careful when Conductor side

ordering plug-in units with
the busway conductors
facing the wall, some plug-in
units will have receptacles or Loosen THB-3 & position
Busway if enclosure is too
breakers facing the wall. close toinsert
wall, as needed.
initial
Consult the Product position
Top view of Circuit Polarizing Lip
Selection Guide to ensure
Breaker Plug-In Minimum distance from mounting
plug-in units selected will surface to enclosure occurs as
shown
face the desired direction. Profile of GM225 Busway enclosure edge is in line with
(GM100,GM100NG are similar rotation centerline of paddle.
profiles)

Wall
Mounting bolts
Using MO bolts, mount the
short leg of the mounting
bracket to your wall/surface
(Note: use appropriate bolt
type for type of wall/surface. Busway
Ensure that the bracket is
mounted securely enough to BH-1
support the weight of the Standard Hanger
3 m Max.
busway and any anticipated
plug-in units (maximum
allowable weight is 45kg
between mounting
supports). Space the
brackets no more than 3
meters on center.

Page 9.3 | www.StarlinePower.com

 Application Briefs
225 AMP WITH 200% NEUTRAL

In certain applications, it is necessary to have a 200% rated neutral. Harmonic currents

generated by electronic loads create a neutral current that may approach twice that of the
phase currents. For 100 amp applications, STARLINE Track Busway offers a 100 Amp rated
busway with a 200% rated neutral for this purpose. For 225 Amp applications, STARLINE
Track Busway offers a power feed unit with a dual neutral connection for achieving a 225 Amp
rated system with two, independent 225 Amp rated neutrals. In essence, the busway system
provides 225 Amps per phase with 200% neutral capacity.

Dual Neutral Center Feed

Power feeds to a busway system are typically located at the end of the busway system runs,
but may be located at any point on the run. A power feed at some intermediate point on the
run is called a ‘Center Feed’. In many cases, the center feed is used so that the power tap to
the busway can be located at a point convenient for the feeder cable home run. The dual
neutral center feed is located at the center of a run and takes advantage of the distributed
loads typical in busway applications.

Figure 1 shows a traditional busway application in a data center. An end power feed
provides power to a series of racks. Racks are evenly spaced, and the load is more or
less evenly distributed along the length of the busway. The busway phase and neutral
ratings are 225 Amps maximum.

Page 9.4 | www.StarlinePower.com

 Application Briefs

Figure 2 shows the same busway application with the dual neutral center feed. The dual
neutral center feed electrically separates the neutral busbar into two circuits. The dual neutral
circuits feed the busway in opposite directions. Figure 3 shows the electrical schematic for the
dual neutral power feed unit. As can be seen, the neutral busbar is divided in two, and
electrically isolated in the center, thereby provided two, independent neutral circuits. Separate
terminal block connections are provided for each neutral feed. Three phase connections and an
isolated ground (optional) connection are provided in the normal manner.

Page 9.5 | www.StarlinePower.com

 Application Briefs
225 AMP WITH 200% NEUTRAL

Refer again to Figure 2. The system is capable of a total of 225 Amps per phase across the entire system
length. More importantly, the system is capable of 225 Amps neutral current to the left of the power feed,
and another 225 Amps neutral current to the right of the power feed. The end result is that with a single
power feed point and therefore a single conduit home run, the busway system provides 225 Amps per phase
and 450 Amps neutral capacity.

Features
• Single power feed point
• System rated for 225 Amps per phase
• System rated for 450 Amps neutral current
• Compatible with all STARLINE GM225 and GM100NG (isolated ground) plug-in units.
• Cost –efficient double neutral system

Page 9.6 | www.StarlinePower.com

 GM250T5, GM250T5N,
GM250T5G, GM250T5NG Systems

COMPONENT RELATIONSHIP

When ordering material it is important to understand the relationship between various

components. Examples:

• GM250T5 uses the “T5” series of plug-in units. These plugs are interchangeable with
GM400T5 plugs and compatible with other Starline T5series busway systems.
•
• ALL COMPONENTS except Housing, Tee, Elbow Sections and Power Feeds are the same
and are interchangeable for GM250T5, GM250T5N (double neutral), GM250T5G and
GM250T5NG Amp Systems. Substitute either “GM250T5” or GM250T5N” or “GM250T5G”
or “GM250T5NG” for all Housing, Tee, Elbow Sections and Power Feed units.

• Each housing section requires a joint kit. Determine the total number of housing
sections (regardless of length) as this becomes the number of Joint Kits (GMJK250T5
series) that will be needed.
o Add one extra Joint Kit for each Tee Section.
o No need to add extra Joint Kits for Elbow Sections, as they are already part of
your housing count.

• If this is your first installation for either GM250T5, GM250T5N, GM250T5G or

GM250T5NG systems, you will need to order Installation Tool GMT5IT.

• General support hardware rule to follow:

Total System Length + 0.10 (10%) = Support Hardware Qty 10

10 equal 3 m spacing and 10% extra is recommended for job site changes.

• Total Power Feeds and End Caps can be determined by counting the total number of
unconnected runs.

• Before specifying or ordering elbow or tee sections, it is important to understand polarity

and the relationship to direction of outlets. Please refer to POLARITY CONCERNS for
more detail.

Page 9.7 | www.StarlinePower.com

 GM250T5, GM250T5N,
GM250T5G, GM250T5NG Systems
POLARITY CONCERNS

STARLINE utilizes a unique polarizing method to prevent mismatched components from being
inadvertently connected to each other. The system is designed to prevent cross phasing during
installation. It is particularly important to understand this design concept prior to ordering and/or
installing some components. For example, if the face direction of a STARLINE plug-in unit is important
in your installation consider that they will always face the conductor side. Certain plug-in units are
‘reversible’, designated by ‘R’, to face devices away from the conductor side.

Top View

Stripe side
Outlet Box always faces
polarizing stripe

Polarizing
Outlet Box always Stripe
faces polarizing stripe

Tee’s and Elbow Sections are specified according to desired polarity

Outlets
Facing

Power Feed

Outlets
Facing

Outlets Outlets
Outlets
Facing Facing
Facing

Outlets
Facing

Page 9.8 | www.StarlinePower.com

 Application Briefs
NEUTRAL SIZING-400 AMP SYSTEMS

In certain applications, a customer may want the safeguard of a neutral conductor rated at more than
100% of the phase conductors. For 400 amp applications, STARLINE Track Busway offers a busway
system with an oversized neutral busbar. The rating of the oversized neutral is 150% of a 400 Amp
phase that is protected by an 80% rated circuit breaker. Thereby a neutral capacity of 480 Amps is
achieved. This supplies the customer with 160 Amps of additional capacity on the neutral conductor
compared to the maximum phase current.

Why Oversized Neutral?

There is a concern that with a 3-phase, 4-wire, wye-connected system with nonlinear loads, the neutral
may need to carry more than the system’s rated full-load current. According to a IEC report on non-
linear loads, in certain instances the neutral conductor current will exceed 100% but will rarely exceed
125% of the rated full-load current. This report can be seen in the 2005 IEC Handbook, IEC article
310.15 (B) 4. To cover the majority of applications, the GM400N system was tested and certified with a
neutral rating of 150% of the phase current, with the assumption that the phases are protected with an
80% circuit breaker.

400 Amps (Phase) x 80% (System Protection Breaker) = 320 Amps (Full Load Phase Current)

320 Amps (Full Load Phase Current) x 150% (Oversized Neutral Rating) = 480 Amps (Full Load Neutral
Current)

The System

GM400N and GM400NG System contain all of the features of the standard B400 and B400G systems plus
an oversized neutral busbar. This busbar doubles the amount of copper for the neutral in a Busway
section. Oversized neutral end feeds are supplied with a double lug for the neutral. The customer will
be able to connect to the neutral with two 120 mm2 wires. All other connections have a single wire
entry. The maximum voltage rating for the GM400N/GM400NG system is 277Y / 415 volts. The
oversized neutral Busway system uses all of the same hardware, plug–in units and accessories as the
standard GM400 system uses.

Nomenclature

GM400N 400A Busway Section with oversized neutral

GM400NG 400A Busway Section with oversized neutral and protected Earth

GMEF400N 400A End Feed with oversized neutral

GMEF400NG 400A End Feed with oversized neutral and protected Earth

GMJK400N-1 400A Jointer Kit with oversized neutral

GMJK400NG-1 400A Jointer Kit with oversized neutral and protected Earth

Page 9.9 | www.StarlinePower.com