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Neutral Earth connection

Former Community Member
Former Community Member
Interrogating an issue with a substation set up - The substation is a split one with two 11Kv to 400v cast resin transformers that supply each substation half. The set up incorporates back up generators that kick in on a power cut, I noticed that we have a UPS system installed that takes two supplies from the substation, one from each half. either one is on and the other supply stays as backup to the UPS system. What was picked up is that when there is a power cut and until the power is restored there is a load shed that disconnects the supply to the UPS. This UPS remains on feeding 400v three phase to the site, but the earth neutral connection is lost until one of the supply breakers closes back up again. means that the output is not referenced to earth for a few minutes till the gens spin up. I believe that through checking manuals and reading up this isnt a good scenario to be in in terms of sensitive equipment. 


I would be looking at providing a transformer in there along with a local earth neutral link so that this is maintained on all eventualities. has anyone come up with this sort of issue before ? it could also be addressed through neutral earth contactors at the appropriate places, Had looked at possible three pole devices on circuit breakers but that does not allow full isolation to be achieved and could also lead to possible paralleling of the neutral earth link at each transformer.
Parents
  • If you wish to allow the system to run with one corner of the 3 phase triangle grounded, so the 2 other lives are at 400V and the neutral at 230V, ever, then all capacitors inside   equipment mains filters need to be able to stand this, generally filters in PC power supplies and similar are designed for 250V AC continuous and rather more for a short duration but it is not good to push your luck.

    You also may wish to fuse the neutral.


    There is less risk in having multiple NE bonds in some configurations, so long as they can carry the full fault current in any one link, and there is no earth fault relay problem.

    It is quite common when say 2 transformers are paralleled that in effect there are 2 NE links. So long as the neutral and earth bonds that connect them are up to the load current it is not dangerous.


    Also, be aware that if any of your switching arrangements can ever  leave your transformer secondary unearthed, then in some cases it can become very hazardous -

    depending on the transformer internals, capacitive coupling between the HV side and the secondary windings can cause them to float to a significant fraction of the HV phase to ground voltage if not tied down.
Reply
  • If you wish to allow the system to run with one corner of the 3 phase triangle grounded, so the 2 other lives are at 400V and the neutral at 230V, ever, then all capacitors inside   equipment mains filters need to be able to stand this, generally filters in PC power supplies and similar are designed for 250V AC continuous and rather more for a short duration but it is not good to push your luck.

    You also may wish to fuse the neutral.


    There is less risk in having multiple NE bonds in some configurations, so long as they can carry the full fault current in any one link, and there is no earth fault relay problem.

    It is quite common when say 2 transformers are paralleled that in effect there are 2 NE links. So long as the neutral and earth bonds that connect them are up to the load current it is not dangerous.


    Also, be aware that if any of your switching arrangements can ever  leave your transformer secondary unearthed, then in some cases it can become very hazardous -

    depending on the transformer internals, capacitive coupling between the HV side and the secondary windings can cause them to float to a significant fraction of the HV phase to ground voltage if not tied down.
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