CURRENT TRANSFORMERS

Basics of Operation and In-Service Testing

Norbert J Ac!er"ann# Jr
CEO# Spin$ab
% INTRO&UCTION
Current transformers are used in electric metering for large load situations to reduce the current
level presented to the metering circuit in order to make it more manageable and safe. This paper
presents the basics of operation of current transformers and discusses the in-service testing of
current transformers to assure accurate performance.
' BASICS OF O(ERATION
2.1 Ratio
A current transformer (henceforth called a CT) is designed to produce a secondar current! "s!
that is directl proportional to its primar current! "p! #hich is also called the load current. "n
metering this proportionalit is called the ratio of the CT and is represented b$
"p
Ratio % & '
"s
2.2 Rated Ratio
The ratio of a CT is referenced to a ' amp secondar output for nominal full value input current
such that a CT ratio of 2(( to ' means that the CT #ould produce a secondar current of ' amps
#hen e&posed to a primar current of 2(( amps. The CT manufacturer classifies its CT)s b its
ratio value called the rated ratio #hich is stamped on the nameplate of the CT and that is the
certified operating value of the CT.
2.*. Accurac Class
The CT accurac is determined b its certified accurac class #hich is also stamped on its
nameplate. +or e&ample! a CT accurac class of (.* means that the CT is certified b the
manufacturer to be accurate to #ithin (.* percent of its rated ratio value for a primar current of
1(( percent of rated ratio. +or primar currents of 1( percent of rated ratio the specified accurac
for a given classification is double that of the 1(( percent value or (., percent for the above-
stated case. The accurac is relativel linear bet#een these t#o points. -ence a CT #ith a rated
ratio of 2(( to ' #ith accurac class of (.* #ould operate #ithin (..' percent of its rated ratio
value for a primar current of 1(( amps. To be more e&plicit! for a primar current of 1((.((
amps it is certified to produce a secondar current bet#een 2../0 amps and 2.'11 amps.
2... Rating +actor
1ome CT)s are certified to be accurate for primar current values greater than 1(( percent of the
rated ratio! called over-range. This over-range is designated b a rating factor representing the
factor b #hich the upper limit of the primar current can be increased and still remain #ithin
certified accurac. -ence a 2(( to ' rated ratio CT #ith a rating factor of 2 #ill remain #ithin its
accurac certification up to .(( amps (2(( amps times 2). The rating factor of the CT is stamped
on the nameplate of the CT. Tpical rating factors are 1! 1.'! 2! *! and ..
2.'. 2urden
3hen a CT is used in a metering circuit it #ill have a secondar current loop connecting its
output through a test block to a meter . This current loop #ill consist of a secondar #ire from its
41 terminal to a test block and go through a shorting s#itch. +rom the shorting s#itch the
current loop #ill have a #ire connection over to the meter! go through the meter! and have a #ire
connection back to the test block. +rom there the current loop #ill go through the secondar
current test s#itch and have a #ire connection return to the 42 terminal of the CT #ith a
connection to neutral either at the output of the current test s#itch or at the 42 terminal of the
CT . This secondar current loop has an electrical impedance called its burden. This burden #ill
have a resistance component and ma have an inductance component. 5suall the inductance
component is small and is treated as negligible. The burden of the secondar circuit! as installed!
is designated the natural burden of the circuit. "f installed properl the natural burden should be
less than a fe# milliohms. The CT is designed to operate accuratel under certain burden
conditions as specified. The accurac class certification of a CT is presented for a stated upper
value of burden! called the CT)s rated burden. +or e&ample it ma have an accurac class of (.*
for burden of 1! meaning that the CT)s rated burden is 1 ohm and the CT #ill maintain accurate
rated ratio performance #ithin (.* percent for secondar circuit burdens up to 1 ohm. This rated
burden classification is also stamped on the CT nameplate. "f the natural burden of the secondar
circuit is larger than the rated burden! then the CT is not certified to have accurate performance.
+or this condition! called over-burdened! the secondar current #ill not be accurate tending to be
some#hat less to significantl less than the accurate value causing the metering to be in error in
favor of the customer. +urthermore! secondar circuits ma have burden build up as the age due
to loose connections! corrosion! broken stranded #ires! etc. CT)s! as installed! need to have
enough e&cess burden capacit over the natural burden to allo# accurate performance over time
even if there is additional burden build up in the secondar circuit.
2
) IN-SER*ICE TESTIN+ OF CT-METERE& INSTA,,ATIONS
*.1. "ntroduction
6lectrical utilities have significant concerns about revenue loss due to inaccuracies from
metering. 7etering inaccuracies are caused b installation errors! aging and environmental
failures! and theft. 1tudies have consistentl sho#n that the ma8orit of revenue loss in their
sstem comes from their CT-metered installations. This occurs because these are the larger
customers of the utilit such that an error #ill create obviousl a much larger loss and because
CT installations are more comple& and comprise more components resulting in a higher
probabilit of failures. The attached Table presents the *2 different failure modes that ou can
have in a CT-metered installation. "n nearl all cases these failure modes result in errors in favor
of the customer resulting in under-billing of the customer. To protect against this revenue loss!
utilities have implemented in-service testing of their CT-metered installations. These test
programs ma consist of ratio testing! burden testing! ratio9burden testing! and #ire verification
testing.
*.2. Ratio Testing
Ratio testing involves simultaneousl measuring the primar current and the secondar current in
order to calculate the operating ratio of the circuit. This ratio value is compared to the rated ratio
to determine the percent error for that CT. Ratio values greater than the rated ratio result in
under-billing and ratio values less than the rated ratio result in over-billing. As presented in the
Table! ratio errors can be caused b manufacturer error! shorting bar left connected at the CT!
shorted primar turns! shorted secondar turns! magneti:ation! etc. 7ost utilities use an error
threshold of plus or minus 2 percent to determine ade;uate ratio performance of installed CT)s.
<thers choose to have an error threshold of 1 percent for their large CT customers and 2 percent
for their smaller CT customers.
*.*. 2urden Testing
2urden testing of CT-metered installations involves measuring the secondar current of the CT
circuit #hile introducing additional burden in graduated steps! usuall up to the rated burden of
the CT! into the circuit and assuming constant customer load during the duration of the test. "f
the measured secondar current remains constant during the duration of the test then the CT is
deemed to have passed the burden test as rated. This allo#s the determination of the performance
of the CT under the build up of additional burden in order to evaluate future performance if such
additional burden does occur. "f the customer load does change sometime during the burden test
then the secondar current #ill correspondingl change giving a false indication of burden error.
This is a ma8or limitation of burden testing. As presented in the Table! burden errors can be
caused b e&cessivel long secondar #ires! #rong #ire gauge! loose connections! corroded
connections! etc. "n a ma8orit of cases! burden errors are caused b loose or corroded
connections in the secondar circuit. -ence #hen a burden error is detected a tightening of the
scre#s in that circuit #ill usuall correct the error. <ther#ise! a search for and elimination of the
high burden component #ill be necessar.
*
*... Ratio92urden Testing
The dependence on constant customer load during the duration of the test is a ma8or limitation
for burden testing. To overcome this limitation! a techni;ue called ratio9burden testing is
recommended. Ratio9burden testing involves measuring the CT ratio #hile imposing a series of
additional burdens into the secondar circuit usuall up to the rated burden of the CT. "n this test
an customer load change #ill create a corresponding change in both the primar current and the
secondar current so that the ratio should be unaffected. -ence an change in the ratio value
during the test #ill un;uestionabl be due to burden error.
.
*.'. 3ire =erification
3iring errors in CT-metered installations are detected through use of phase angle analsis of the
primar current signal! secondar current signal! and secondar voltage signal. +or a particular
meter tpe and secondar #iring net#ork there #ill be an appropriate phase angle relationship
among these signals. 6rrors in #iring such as CT reversal! CT cross phasing! or CT->T cross
phasing #ill introduce particular additional phase shifts that are readil identifiable indicating the
presence of a #iring error.
*., Comprehensive CT-1stem Testing
To assure the absence of all of the possible *2 failure modes that can occur in a CT-metered
installation (see Table) a comprehensive in-service test is re;uired that comprises ratio testing!
ratio9burden testing! and #ire verification testing in tandem. >assing a comprehensive test
assures accurate CT and secondar circuit performance at that site.
- E.AM(,ES OF CT CIRCUIT FAI,URES
..1 CT #ith 1horted Turns
..2 3rong 1election of ?ual Ratio CT
..* 7agneti:ed CT
... 2urden +ailure in 1econdar Circuit
..' 3iring 6rror
'
Failue Mode Test Technique Possible Cause
for Failure Mode of Failure Mode
Wiring Problems
1 Cross Phasing of a CT Wire Verification Installation Error
2 Cross Phasing of a CT/PT Wire Verification Installation Error
3 X1X2/H1H2 Reversal of a CT Wire Verification Installation Error
4 X1X2/H1H2 Reversal of a PT Wire Verification Installation Error
5 Meter Socket Wire Error Wire Verification Installation Error
6 oose Connections !"r#en Test Vi$ration/Win#/Installation Error
Corro#e# Connections/Ter%inals !"r#en Test Moist"re
! Ins"lation Stri&&ing Error !"r#en Test Installation Error
" E'cessive Wire ength/S%all Wire !"r#en Test Installation Error
1# !roken Wire Stran#s !"r#en Test Installation Error
11 Meter (ver$"r#ene# !"r#en Test Installation Error
Primar$%&econdar$ Current &hunt Problems
12 Shorte# T"rns )Wiring * eakage C"rrent+ Ratio/!"r#en Test ightning/,ro"n# -a"lt
13 Shorte# T"rns )T"rn to T"rn+ Ratio/!"r#en Test ightning/,ro"n# -a"lt
14 Shorte# T"rns )T"rn to ,ro"n#+ Ratio/!"r#en Test ightning/,ro"n# -a"lt
15 Theft )Secon#ar. Sh"nt+ Ratio/!"r#en Test Ta%&ering
16 Theft )Pri%ar. Sh"nt+ Ratio/!"r#en Test Ta%&ering
1 Theft )CT Wra&+ Ratio/!"r#en Test Ta%&ering
1! Theft )Pri%ar. Ta&+ Ratio/!"r#en Test Ta%&ering
1" Theft )Secon#ar. Ta&+ Ratio/!"r#en Test Ta%&ering
Current Transformer Problems
2# (&en Secon#ar. Ratio Test Installation Error/Ta%&ering
21 Shorte# Secon#ar. Ratio Test Installation Error/Ta%&ering
22 Magneti/e# CT Ratio/!"r#en Test ightning/,ro"n# -a"lt
23 0"al Ratio Error Ratio Test Installation Error
24 Inacc"rate Ratio on CT Ratio Test Man"fact"rer 0efect
25 Wire Wra& Error on CT Ratio Test Man"fact"rer 0efect
26 Inacc"rate Rate# !"r#en on CT !"r#en Test Man"fact"rer 0efect
2 CT !"r#en Man"fact"rer Error !"r#en Test Man"fact"rer 0efect
2! CT Mo"nte# !ack1ar#s Wire Verification Installation Error
2" Polarit. 0ot on Wrong Si#e of CT Wire Verification Man"fact"rer 0efect
3# (ver$"r#ene# CT Ratio/!"r#en Test Secon#ar. !"r#en
31 (ver#riven CT Ratio/!"r#en Test E'cessive C"rrent
32 CT Phase Shift Wire Verification Har%onic oa#ing
T2!E3 CT S.ste% -ail"re Mo#es

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