Coordination of

Surge protection devices

Design guide
Surge arresters for commercial
and industrial buildings
Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination

Coordination between the surge protective device and

its disconnect circuit breaker

An external disconnecting device must be coordinated with a surge protective device

in order to achieve:
bb continuity of service:
MCCB / MCB vv do not trip due to surge current,
vv do not increase (Up) voltage protection level.
I bb effective protection against all types of overcurrents:
vv overload due to SPD aging,
vv short circuit of low intensity (impedant) due to temporary overvoltages,
vv short circuit of high intensity due to SPD degradation.
Disconnector MCB
coordinated with
surge protective
device L L L

Circuit Circuit Circuit

SPD breaker breaker breaker
closed closed open

Non- Loads Conducting Loads Conducting Loads

conducting SPD SPD
SPD

MCCB = Molded-case circuit breaker.

MCB = Modular circuit breaker.
SPD = Surge protective device. Surge protective device in Surge protective device Surge protective
normal operation in operation during the device at end of life on
lightning stroke short circuit

The disconnecting device must be coordinated with the surge protective device. It is
designed to meet the following two constraints:

Resistance to lightning current

The resistance to lightning current is an essential characteristic of the surge
protective device's external disconnecting device.
The device must be capable of passing the following standardized tests: not trip
upon 15 successive impulse currents at In.

Resistance to short-circuit current

The breaking capacity is determined by the installation rules (IEC 60364
standard):
bb the external disconnecting device must have a breaking capacity equal to or
greater than the presumed short-circuit current Isc at the point of installation.
bb when this device is integrated into the surge protective device, conformity with
product standard IEC 61643-11 naturally ensures protection.

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Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

External disconnecting Fuse protection combined Circuit breaker protection Circuit breaker protection
device with the SPD combined with the SPD integrated into the SPD

Lightning protection of = = =
equipment All types of disconnecting devices protect the equipment satisfactorily
Protection of installation = + ++
(at end of the surge protective Achieved if compliance with the MCB/SPD coordination table Achieved during product design
device's life) Protection from (impedant) short circuits Protection against (impedant) short circuits of low intensity
of low intensity not well ensured
Continuity of service + + +
(at end of the surge protective Only the surge protective device circuit is shut down
device's life)
Maintenance (at end of the = + +
surge protective device's life) Change of fuses Immediate resetting

Main reasons why the disconnecting device recommended by the manufacturer

should be used:
bb if the disconnecting device's rating is lower than the recommended rating:
risk of the disconnecting device opening in normal operation.
bb if the disconnecting device's rating is higher than the recommended rating:
risk of non-disconnection during a temporary voltage surge.

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 Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

Coordination between the surge protective device and its

disconnect circuit breaker in the event of a short circuit

This table shows: the rating, curve and short circuit current level of the disconnector coordinated with the surge
protective device.

Isc (kA)
50
NG125L
C80 A / Compact Compact
NG125L NG125L NG125L Compact
C63 A C63 A C63 A NSX 100N NSX 160N
*
NSX 100N
100 A
100 A 160 A

36
NG125H
NG125H C80 A / Compact Compact
NG125H NG125H Compact NSX 100F NSX 160F
C63 A C63 A C63 A
*
NSX 100F
100 A
100 A 160 A
25
NG125N
Disconnector

iC60L NG125N NG125N C80 A /

iC60L Compact
C10 A C20 A C40 A C50 A
*
NSX 100B
100 A
15
C120H
C80 A /
iC60H iC60H iC60H iC60H Compact
C10 A C20 A C50 A C50 A
*
NSX 100B
100 A Compact Compact Compact
10 NSX 100B NSX 100B NSX 160B
iQuick iQuick iQuick 100 A 100 A 160 A
PRD 8r PRD 20r PRD 40r

C120N
6 iC60N iC60N C80 A /
iC60N iC60N Compact
C10 A C20 A C40 A C50 A
*
NSX 100B
100 A
iK60N iK60N iK60N
C20 A C40 A C50 A
iQuick
PF 10

iPRD 8r iPF K 20 iPRD 20r iPF K 40 iPRD 40r iPF K 65 iPRD 65r iPRF1 12.5r PRD1 25r PRD1 Master PRF1 Master

Surge protective device

8 kA 10 kA 20 kA 40 kA 65 kA 12.5 kA 25 kA 35 kA Imax / Iimp
2.5 kA 5 kA 5 kA 15 kA 20 kA 25 kA 25 kA 50 kA In

Type 3(1) Type 2 Type 1

(1) Uoc: 10 kV. Low risk Medium risk High risk Maximum risk

*
( ) For lightning impulse current withstand

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 Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

Coordination between the surge protective device and

its disconnect fuse in the event of a short circuit

Isc (kA)
50

Fupact
36 125 A gG
max.
Fupact Fupact
125 A gG 125 A gG
max. max.
25
Disconnector

Fupact
63 A gG

15 Fupact Fupact Fupact Fupact

80 A gG 160 A gG 315 A gG 250 A gG

10 SBI + SBI + SBI + Fupact

25 A gG 63 A gG 80 A gG 315 A gG
(14x51 mm) (22x58 mm) (22x58 mm)
STI + STI + SBI +
25 A gG 32 A gG 50 A aM
(10x38 mm) (14x51 mm) (14x51 mm)
6

iPRD 8r iPF K 20 iPRD 20r iPF K 40 iPRD 40r iPF K 65 iPRD 65r iPRF1 12.5r PRD1 25r PRD1 Master PRF1 Master

Surge protective device

8 kA 20 kA 40 kA 65 kA 12.5 kA 25 kA 35 kA Imax / Iimp
2.5 kA 5 kA 15 kA 20 kA 25 kA 25 kA 50 kA In

Type 3(1) Type 2 Type 1

(1) Uoc: 10 kV. Low risk Medium risk High risk Maximum risk

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Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

Coordination between two surge protective devices,

upstream/downstream

When two surge protective devices are installed

in an electrical installation, coordination is
needed according to IEC 61643-12 to obtain an
acceptable stress distribution between the two
surge protective devices according to their
permissible energy "E".

L
Zd
IF I1 I2
MCB MCB

Up1 Up2
SPD 1 SPD 2

L and Zd represent the cable length and impedance respectively between the 2 surge
protective devices.
Up2: level of protection of surge protective device SPD2.
Uw: impulse withstand voltage of the equipment to be protected.
Imax: maximum discharge current.
IF : lightning current:
y Imax of SPD1
= I1 + I2
E: permissible energy.
MCB: modular circuit breaker.
SPD: surge protective device.

For coordination between two surge protective devices,

a minimum cable length between these 2 surge protective devices
is needed to ensure that:
@@I2 < Imax SPD2.
@@Up2 < Uw.
@@E2 < E max SPD2.

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 Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

Minimum distance between two surge protective devices, upstream/downstream

For a cable section of 16 mm2 and an impulse current equal to the maximum discharge current (Imax) of the
upstream surge protective device.

Example
If iPRD65r is installed in the incoming panelboard, the second SPD iPRD8r must be installed at a cable
length of 8 meters from the first one.

Type 2 Type 1
Upstream surge protective device
iQuick iQuick
PRD 20r PRD 40r iPRD 20r iPRD 40r iPRD 65r iPRF1 12.5r  PRD1 25r PRD1 Master

iPRD 65r
0m 10 m 10 m 10 m

iPRD 40r 0m 0m 2m 10 m 10 m 10 m
Downstream surge protective device
Type 2

iPRD 20r 0m 2m 0m 3m 2m 10 m 10 m

iQuick
PRD 40r 0m 0m 2m 10 m 10 m 10 m

iQuick
PRD 20r
0m 1m 0m 2m 2m 10 m 10 m

iPRD 8r 3m 7m 4m 9m 8m 10 m 10 m
Type 3

iQuick
PRD 8r 2m 6m 4m 7m 7m 10 m 10 m

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Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

Cascading in the event of a short circuit between the

surge protective device disconnector and the upstream
circuit breaker
What is cascading?
Cascading means using the circuit breakers' limiting power, which
allows circuit breakers of lower performance to be installed
downstream.

The upstream circuit breakers then act as a barrier for major

short-circuit currents. They thus enable circuit breakers of
breaking capacity lower than the presumed short-circuit current (at
their point of installation) to be loaded in their normal breaking
conditions.

Since current limiting takes place all along the circuit controlled by
the upstream current-limiting circuit breaker, cascading concerns
all the devices located downstream of that circuit breaker.

It is not restricted to two consecutive devices.

Case 1
Disconnect circuit breaker not integrated into
the surge protective device.
For this type of study, refer to the existing coordination tables.
see 557F4200 catalogue module.

MCCB / MCB

MCB

SPD

MCCB = Molded-case circuit breaker.

MCB = Modular circuit breaker.
SPD = Surge protective device.

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Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

Isc (kA)
Case 2
50
Disconnect circuit breaker
integrated into the surge
NG125L C25 A NG125L C63 A NG125L C63 A
protective device.
iQuick iQuick iQuick
PRD 8r PRD 20r PRD 40r

MCCB / MCB 36

NG125H C25 A NG125H C63 A NG125H C63 A

iQuick iQuick iQuick

SPD PRD 8r PRD 20r PRD 40r

25

MCCB = Molded-case circuit breaker.

MCB = Modular circuit breaker.
SPD = Surge protective device.

15

NG125H C20 A

iQuick PF 10

iQuick iQuick iQuick

10 PRD 8r PRD 20r PRD 40r

iC60N C20 A

iQuick PF 10

iQuick PF 10

Imax 8 kA 10 kA 20 kA 40 kA
In 2.5 kA 5 kA 5 kA 15 kA
Type 3 (1)
Type 2
(1) Uoc: 10 kV. Low risk Medium risk

CA903014E Version : 1.0 26/05/2015 9


Schneider Electric Industries SAS
35, rue Joseph Monier
CS 30323
F- 92506 Rueil Malmaison Cedex
www.schneider-electric.com
CA903014E
© 2015 - Schneider Electric - All rights reserved.
As standards, specifications and designs change from time to time, please ask for confirmation of
the information given in this publication.
Printed on ecological paper
Publication: Schneider Electric
Photos: Schneider Electric
Printing:
05-2015
Protection Surge protective device
Load protection
coordination (cont.)

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Indice Date Modification Name

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