Overload Protection

Before discussing specific control components, it is necessary

to review what an overload is and what steps can be taken to
limit the damage an overload can cause.

Current and Current flow in a conductor always generates heat due to

Temperature
resistance. The greater the current flow, the hotter the
conductor. Excess heat is damaging to electrical components.
For that reason, conductors have a rated continuous current
carrying capacity or ampacity. Overcurrent protection devices
are used to protect conductors from excessive current flow.
Thermal overload relays are designed to protect the conductors
(windings) in a motor. These protective devices are designed to
keep the flow of current in a circuit at a safe level to prevent the
circuit conductors from overheating.

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 Excessive current is referred to as overcurrent. The National
Electrical Code® defines overcurrent as any current in excess
of the rated current of equipment or the ampacity of a
conductor. It may result from overload, short circuit, or ground
fault (Article 100-definitions).

Short Circuits When two bare conductors touch, a short circuit occurs. When
a
short circuit occurs, resistance drops to almost zero. Short-
circuit current can be thousands of times higher than normal
operating current.

Ohm’s Law demonstrates the relationship of current, voltage,

and resistance. For example, a 240 volt motor with 24 ohms of
resistance would normally draw 10 amps of current.

When a short circuit develops, resistance drops. If resistance

drops to 24 milliohms, current will be 10,000 amps.

The heat generated by this current will cause extensive

damage
to connected equipment and conductors. This dangerous
current must be interrupted immediately when a short circuit
occurs.

Reprinted with permission from NFPA 70-1999, the National Electrical Code®, Copyright ©
1998, National Fire Protection Association, Quincy, MA 02269.
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Overload Conditions An overload occurs when too many devices are operated on a
single circuit or a piece of electrical equipment is made to work
harder than it is designed for. For example, a motor rated for 10
amperes may draw 20, 30, or more amperes in an overload
condition. In the following illustration a package has become
jammed on a conveyor causing the motor to work harder and
draw more current. Because the motor is drawing more current
it heats up. Damage will occur to the motor in a short time if the
problem is not corrected or the circuit is not shut down by the
overload relay.

Temporary Overload Due Electric motors are rated according to the amount of current
to Starting Current they will draw at full load. When most motors start, they draw
current in excess of the motor’s full-load current rating. Motors
are designed to tolerate this overload current for a short period
of time. Many motors require 6 times (600%) the full-load
current rating to start. Some newer, high-efficiency motors may
require higher starting currents. As the motor accelerates to
operating speed, the current drops off quickly. The time it takes
for a motor to accelerate to operating speed depends on the
operating characteristics of the motor and the driven load. A
motor, for example, might require 600% of full-load current and
take 8 seconds to reach operating speed.

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Overload Protection Fuses and circuit breakers are protective devices used to
protect circuits against short circuits, ground faults, and
overloads. In the event of a short circuit, a properly sized fuse
or
circuit breaker will immediately open the circuit.

There is, however, a dilemma that occurs when applying fuses

and circuit breakers in motor control circuits. The protective
device must be capable of allowing the motor to exceed its
full-
load rating for a short time. Otherwise, the motor will trip each
time it is started. In this situation it is possible for a motor to
encounter an overload condition which does not draw enough
current to open the fuse or trip the circuit breaker. This
overload
condition could easily cause enough heat to damage the
motor.
In the next section we will see how overload relays are used to
solve this problem.
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 Overload Relays

Overload relays are designed to meet the special protective

needs of motor control circuits. Overload relays:

· allow harmless temporary overloads, such as motor

starting, without disrupting the circuit

· will trip and open a circuit if current is high enough to

cause motor damage over a period of time

· can be reset once the overload is removed

Trip Class Overload relays are rated by a trip class, which defines the
length of time it will take for the relay to trip in an overload
condition. The most common trip classes are Class 10, Class 20
and Class 30. Class 10, for example, has to trip the motor off
line in 10 seconds or less at 600% of the full load amps. This is
usually sufficient time for the motor to reach full speed. Many
industrial loads, particularly high inertia loads, use Class 30.
Siemens standard overload relays are Class 10 or Class 20 with
Class 30 available with some starters.

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Overload Relay in a The following illustration shows a motor circuit with a manual
Motor Circuit starter and overloads. Current flows through the overloads
while the motor is running. Excess current will cause the
overload to trip at a predetermined level, opening the circuit
between the power source and the motor. After a
predetermined amount of time the starter can be reset. When
the cause of the overload has been identified and corrected
the
motor can be restarted.

Bimetal Overloads
Overload protection is accomplished with the use of a bimetal
strip. This component consists of a small heater element wired
in series with the motor and a bimetal strip that can be used as
a trip lever. A bimetal strip is made of two dissimilar metals
bonded together. The two metals have different thermal
expansion characteristics, so the bimetal bends at a given rate
when heated.

Under normal operating conditions the heat generated by the

heater element will be insufficient to cause the bimetal strip to
bend enough to trip the overload relay.

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 As current rises, heat also rises. The hotter the bimetal
becomes, the more it bends. In an overload condition the heat
generated from the heater will cause the bimetal strip to bend
until the mechanism is tripped, stopping the motor.

Some overload relays that are equipped with a bimetal strip are
designed to automatically reset the circuit when the bimetal
strip has cooled and reshaped itself, restarting the motor. If the
cause of the overload still exists, the motor will trip again and
reset at given intervals. Care must be exercised in the selection
of this type of overload as repeated cycling will eventually
damage the motor.

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Ambient Compensated In certain applications, such as a submersible pump, the motor
Overload Relay may be installed in a location having a constant ambient
temperature. The motor control, along with the overload relay,
may be installed in a location with a varying ambient
temperature. The trip point of the overload relay will vary with
the temperature of the surrounding air as well as current
flowing through the motor. This can lead to premature and
nuisance tripping.

Ambient compensated overload relays are designed to

overcome this problem. A compensated bimetal strip is used
along with a primary bimetal strip. As the ambient temperature
changes, both bimetal strips will bend equally and the overload
relay will not trip the motor. However, current flow through the
motor and the heater element will affect the primary bimetal
strip. In the event of an overload condition the primary bimetal
strip will engage the trip unit.

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Class 48 Bimetal The Class 48 bimetal ambient compensated overload relay is
Ambient Compensated available in single-pole or three-pole designs. Unlike the
Overload Relay melting alloy overload relay, the bimetal ambient compensated
overload relay can be set for manual or self-resetting operation.
An adjustment dial located on the unit allows the ampere trip
setting to be adjusted by ±15%. The bimetal ambient
compensated overload relay heater elements are available in
Class 20 or Class 10 ratings. A normally open or normally closed
auxiliary contact is available as an option.

SIRIUS 3RU11 The Siemens SIRIUS 3RU11 is a bimetal type of overload relay
Overload Relay with the heater elements as an integral part of the design. The
unit comes with a Class 10 trip as standard. The SIRIUS 3RU11
features manual or automatic reset, adjustable current settings,
and ambient compensation. A switch-position indicator also
incorporates a test function which is used to simulate a tripped
overload relay. A normally open and a normally closed auxiliary
contact are included.

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Electronic Overload Electronic overload relays are another option for motor
Relays protection. The features and benefits of electronic overload
relays vary but there are a few common traits. One advantage
offered by electronic overload relays is a heaterless design.
This
reduces installation cost and the need to stock a variety of
heaters to match motor ratings. Electronic relays offer phase
loss protection. If a power phase is lost, motor windings can
burn out very quickly. Electronic overload relays can detect a
phase loss and disconnect the motor from the power source.
This feature is not available on mechanical types of overload
relays.

Furnas ESP 100 A single ESP100 overload relay replaces at least six size ranges
Electronic Overload of heaters. Instead of installing heaters the full-load amperes
Relay (FLA) of the motor is set with a dial. The ESP100 overload
relay illustrated below, for example, is adjustable from 9 to
18 amperes. NEMA Class 10, 20, and 30 trip curves are
available for a variety of applications. The relay comes in
either
a manual or self-resetting version. Auxiliary contacts are
available as an option.

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Siemens 3RB10 The Siemens SIRIUS 3RB10 is an electronic overload relay with
Electronic Overload a design very similar to the ESP 100. The unit comes with a
Relay Class 10 or Class 20 trip. The 3RB10 features manual or
automatic reset, adjustable current settings, and ambient
compensation. A switch-position indicator also incorporates a
test function which is used to simulate a tripped overload relay.
A normally open and a normally closed auxiliary contact are
included.

In addition to heaterless construction and phase loss protection,

Siemens 3RB12 the 3RB12 offers ground fault protection, phase unbalance,
Electronic Overload
Relay
LED displays (ready, ground fault, and overload), automatic
reset with remote capability, and selectable trip classes (5, 10,
15, 20, 25, or 30). The 3RB12 is self-monitoring and is provided
with 2 normally open and 2 normally closed isolated auxiliary
contacts.

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PROFIBUS DP In any complex process the need for rapid information flow is
critcal. PROFIBUS DP is an open communication system based
upon international standards developed through industry
associations. PROFIBUS DP allows the connection of several
field devices, such as SIMOCODE-DP, on a single bus for
communication to a PLC or computer. PROFIBUS DP is suitable
as a replacement for costly parallel wiring.

3UF5 SIMOCODE-DP The 3UF5 SIMOCODE-DP overload relay integrates with

PROFIBUS-DP. SIMOCODE-DP protects the load against
overload, phase failure, ground fault, and current imbalance.
SIMOCODE-DP can be parametrized, controlled, observed, and
tested from a central source such as a PC with Win-
SIMOCODE-DP/Professional installed, or a PLC with a
PROFIBUS-DP communication processor. The 3UF50 basic unit
can also be used as an autonomous solid-state overload relay
for motor protection. A trip class in six steps from Class 5 to
Class 30 can be selected. The basic unit (shown) is supplied
with four inputs and four outputs. An available expansion unit
provides eight additional inputs and four additional outputs.

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Review 3
1. With an increase in current, heat will ____________ .

a. increase
b. decrease
c. remain the same

2. The National Electrical Code® defines overcurrent as

any current in ____________ of the rated current of
equipment or the ampacity of a conductor.

3. An ____________ occurs when electrical equipment is

required to work harder than it is rated.

4. A Class __________ overload relay will trip an over-

loaded motor offline within 10 seconds at six times full-
load amps.

a. 10
b. 20
c. 30

5. A ____________ strip uses two dissimilar metals

bonded together.

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 Manual Control

Manual control, as the name implies, are devices operated by

hand. A simple knife switch, like the one shown in the
following illustration, was the first manual-control device used
to start and stop motors. The knife switch was eventually
replaced with improved control designs, such as manual and
magnetic starters.

Basic Operation The National Electrical Code® requires that a motor control
device must also protect the motor from destroying itself
under
overload conditions. Manual starters, therefore, consist of a
manual contactor, such as a simple switch mechanism, and a
device for overload protection. The following diagram
illustrates
a single-pole manual motor starter. Each set of contacts is
called
a pole. A starter with two sets of contacts would be called a
two-pole starter.
35
Two-Pole Manual Starter Starters are connected between the power source and the
load. For example, a two-pole or single-phase motor starter is
connected to a motor. When the switch is in the “OFF”
position, the contacts are open preventing current flow to the
motor from the power source. When the switch is in the “ON”
position, the contacts are closed and current flows from the
power source (L1), through the motor, returning to the power
source (L2).

This is represented with a line drawing and symbols as

illustrated in the following drawing.

Low Voltage Protection Some manual motor starters offer low-voltage protection (LVP)
as an option. LVP will automatically remove power from the
motor when incoming power drops or is interrupted. The starter
must be manually reset when power is restored. This protects
personnel from potential injury caused by machinery that may
otherwise automatically restart when power is restored.

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SMF Fractional- Siemens SMF fractional-horsepower starters provide overload
Horsepower Manual protection and manual “ON/OFF” control for small motors.
Starters SMF starters are available in one- or two-pole versions suitable
for AC motors up to 1 HP and 277 VAC. The two-pole version is
suitable for DC motors up to 3/4 HP and 230 VDC. SMF manual
starters are available in a variety of enclosures. A two-speed
version is available.

MMS and MRS Siemens MMS and MRS manual switches are similar to SMF
Manual Switches starters but do not provide overload protection. MMS and
MRS switches only provide manual “ON/OFF” control of
single- or three-phase AC motors where overload protection is
provided separately. These devices are suitable for use with
three-phase AC motors up to 10 HP and 600 VAC and up to
1-1/2 HP and 230 VDC. The MMS and MRS manual switches
are available in various enclosures. Two-speed and reversing
versions are available.

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Furnas Class 11 Furnas Class 11 manual starters use a melting-alloy overload
Manual Starter relay with interchangeable heater elements and a manual reset.
and Manual Contactor It has a maximum rating of 10 HP at 460 VAC (3Ø) and 5 HP at
230 VAC (1Ø). Class 11 manual starters are available in a
complete line of general-purpose and industrial-duty
enclosures. Class 11 manual starters may also be furnished
with a low-voltage protection circuit. Class 11 manual
contactors provide no overload protection.

3RV10 Motor Starter 3RV10 motor starter protectors (MSPs) are part of the Siemens
Protectors SIRIUS 3R motor control product line. A thermal overload with
a bimetal strip is used to provide overload protection with the
3RV10 motor starter protector. 3RV10 MSPs come in four frame
sizes: 3RV101, 3RV102, 3RV103, and 3RV104.

Frame Max Max HP at

Current 460 VAC
3RV101 12 Amps 7.5
3RV102 25 Amps 20
3RV103 50 Amps 40
3RV104 100 Amps 75

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 The 3RV101 is available in both screw-terminal and CAGE
CLAMP™ versions. The 3RV102, 3RV103, and 3RV104 are
available with screw terminals.

CAGE CLAMP™ The CAGE CLAMP™ is available on many Siemens SIRIUS 3R

products including the MSPs. To connect a wire, simply push an
electrician blade screwdriver into the appropriate portal, insert
the stripped end of the wire into the portal directly above,
remove the screwdriver, and the wire is securely connected.
CAGE CLAMP™ devices are especially beneficial in
installations that are subject to vibration.

Enclosures and Options Siemens 3RV10 MSPs are available in a variety of enclosures.
Several options, such as indicator lights, are also available.

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Reversing Drum Manually operated drum controllers, like the Furnas Class 58
Controller reversing drum controller, stop and change direction of
reversible AC motors. Overload protection is not provided by
the reversing drum controller and must be supplied by an
external means. The Furnas Class 58 reversing drum controller
is rated for 10 HP at 460 VAC. Another style of drum switch is
used to change speed of multi-speed motors.

The Furnas Class 53 master switches provide single-handle

Master Switch
control of hoists, cranes, oven pushers, and other equipment
requiring speed steps of wound rotor or direct-current motors.
Master switches are available with momentary or maintained
contacts and up to five speed settings.

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 Magnetic Contactors and Starters

Most motor applications require the use of remote control

devices to start and stop the motor. Magnetic contactors,
similar
to the ones shown below, are commonly used to provide this
function. Contactors are also used to control distribution of
power in lighting and heating circuits.

Basic Contactor Magnetic contactors operate utilizing electromagnetic

Operation principles. A simple electromagnet can be fashioned by
winding a wire around a soft iron core. When a DC voltage is
applied to the wire, the iron becomes magnetic. When the DC
voltage is removed from the wire, the iron returns to its
nonmagnetic state. This principle is used to operate magnetic
contactors.

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 The following illustration shows the interior of a basic contactor.
There are two circuits involved in the operation of a contactor:
the control circuit and the power circuit. The control circuit is
connected to the coil of an electromagnet, and the power circuit
is connected to the stationary contacts.

The operation of this electromagnet is similar to the operation

of the electromagnet we made by wrapping wire around a soft
iron core. When power is supplied to the coil from the control
circuit, a magnetic field is produced magnetizing the
electromagnet. The magnetic field attracts the armature to the
magnet, which in turn closes the contacts. With the contacts
closed, current flows through the power circuit from the line to
the load. When the electromagnet’s coil is deenergized, the
magnetic field collapses and the movable contacts open under
spring pressure. Current no longer flows through the power
circuit.

42
 The following schematic shows the electromagnetic coil of a
contactor connected to the control circuit through a switch
(SW1). The contacts of the contactor are connected in the
power
circuit to the AC line and a three-phase motor. When SW1 is
closed, the electromagnetic coil is energized, closing the “M”
contacts and applying power to the motor. Opening SW1
deenergizes the coil and the “M” contacts open, removing
power from the motor.

Overload Relay Contactors are used to control power in a variety of

applications.
When applied in motor-control applications, contactors can
only
start and stop motors. Contactors cannot sense when the
motor is being loaded beyond its rated conditions. They
provide
no overload protection. Most motor applications require
overload protection. However, some smaller-rated motors
have overload protection built into the motor (such as a
household garbage disposal). Overload relays, similar to the
one
shown below, provide this protection. The operating principle,
using heaters and bimetal strips, is similar to the overloads
discussed previously.
43
Motor Starter Contactors and overload relays are separate control devices.
When a contactor is combined with an overload relay, it is called
a motor starter.

44
Motor Starter in a The following diagram shows the electrical relationship of the
Control Circuit contactor and overload relay. The contactor, highlighted with
the
darker grey, includes the electromagnetic coil, the main motor
contacts, and the auxiliary contacts. The overload relay,
highlighted by the lighter grey, includes the “OL” heaters and
overload contacts. The contactor and the overload relay have
additional contacts, referred to as auxiliary contacts, for use in
the control circuit. In this circuit a normally closed “OL”
contact
has been placed in series with the “M” contactor coil and L2. A
normally open “M” auxiliary contact (“Ma”) has been placed in
parallel with the “Start” pushbutton.

Review 4
1. A starter with two sets of contacts would be called a
____________ -pole starter.

2. ____________ will automatically disconnect power from

the motor when incoming power drops or is interrupted.

3. The Furnas Class 11 motor starter protects motors up to

____________ HP at 460 VAC and ____________ HP at
230 VAC.

4. The 3RV102 motor starter protector protects motors up

to ____________ HP at 460 VAC.

5. When a contactor is combined with an overload relay, it

is called a ____________ ____________ .

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