ELECTRICAL SERVICES

SWITCHBOARDS

1. TYPES OF LV SWITCHBOARD
The types of switchboard shall be as specified in the Bill of Quantities and / or Drawings and shall be of
the following types:-
 Self-Contained, floor mounted, flush fronted, metal-clad cubicle type suitable for front and rear
access
 Self-Contained, floor mounted, flush fronted, metal-clad cubicle type suitable for front access
 Pedestal, floor mounted, metal-clad type suitable for front access
 Wall mounted metal-clad type suitable for front access

Cubicle switchboard shall be heavy duty totally enclosed metal-clad and compartmented comprising the
various switchgears and necessary components as indicated in the drawings. All components of the
switchboard shall be tropicalized and rated at an operating voltage of 415/240 volts, 3-phase 4 wire, 50
Hz system with solidly earthed neutral. Unless otherwise specified elsewhere, the switchboards shall be
capable of withstanding fault condition of not less than 50kA at rated 415V for 1 second duration defined
in IEC 60439-1. The switchboards shall comply with IEC 60439-1 and outdoor switchboard shall also
comply with IEC 60439-5.

2. ENCLOSURES
The framework of the switchboard shall be fabricated from rolled steel sections of thickness not less than
2.5mm and shall be self-supporting when assembled, uniform in height and depth from front to back. The
rigid construction shall be designed without sagging, deformation during normal operating, maintenance
or maximum fault condition.

The switchboards shall be of Form 2B and comply with MS IEC 60439-1. The busbars shall be separated
from the switchgears and the incoming and outgoing terminals with rigid barriers / partitions. All
switchgears shall be mounted be mounted so as to give adequate clearance for cable and busbar
connections.

For industrial switchboards, busbar chambers shall be constructed of mild steel angle and sheet with
detachable screw-on covers at front and rear and detachable end covers. Busbar chambers shall be
extensible. A sheet steel screen shall be provided at the fron to protect the incoming and outgoing cables
when they rise from the trench.

The front shall be provided with covers / doors of box formation. The rear shall be provided with hinged
removeable doors of box formation. The top and sides shall be of removable panels.

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Cover plates with openings for cable entry shall be provided at the base of the switchboard. All panels,
covers and doors shall be fabricated from sheet steel of thickness not less than 2.0mm. The panels, covers
and front doors shall be secured to the enclosure by means of chromed type of screws with retaining clips.
The switchboard shall be dust and vermin proof. All covers and doors shall be provided with grommets
and dust seals to exclude dust and dirt. Ventilation vent with filter shall be provided at the sides and back
for adequate ventilation. All edges shall be rounded.

Switchgear shall be mounted on insulation runners where connected to busbars and on steel supports
where cable connection are made. Busbar shall extend the full length of the busbar chamber and shall
comprise of uniform cross sectional area, high conductivity, hard drawn copper bar. The busbar shall be
air insulated and supported rigidly in each unit with anti-tracking synthetic resin bonded laminated sheet
or other approved insulators. Interconnection between busbar and switchgears shall be of air insulated
hard drawn high conductivity copper rod, strip or cables. Bus bar markings and arrangements, connections
and grade of copper shall comply with BS 158, BS 159, BS 1433 and BS 1977.

The switchboard shall be provided with copper earthing terminal bar throughout its entire length of
minimum thickness 2.5mm x 25mm.

Each service shall be labelled as details on the drawings. Labels shall be of clear ‘Perspex’, reverse
engraved and flush filled with red filling. Labels shall be attached by means of machine screws and nuts
or machine screws driven into drilled tapped holes. All L.V switchboards and equipment shall be suitable
for a symmetrical fault rating of 31 MVA or 43kA at 415V, 3-phase, 50Hz for 1 second. All equipment
shall be type tested by an approved short circuit testing authority.

When surge protective device is specified, the device and its associate equipment shall be totally
compartmentalized with clear transparent cover at immediate lower subsection where incoming
switchgear is connected. A lockable tool compartment with keys and opening handle shall be provided.

3. BUSBAR
Busbar shall be of hard drawn high conductivity copper to BS 159. All joints in busbar shall be bolted or
clamped, with contact surfaces suitably prepared.

Busbar shall be painted with colors red, yellow, blue and black at appropriate points to distinguish the
phases and neutral. The design should preferably be such that the main busbars are arranged in a
horizontal plane, and in the order red, yellow, blue and neutral from back to front.

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An earthing busbar, of appropriate cross section, shall run the full length of main switchboards preferably
at the base of the switchboards.
The busbars shall be air insulated and rigidly supported so as to withstand any mechanical force to which
they may be subjected under the maximum fault conditions. Adequate connectors, droppers and links
shall be fitted to serve circuit breaker panels. Non hydroscopic non tracking supporting insulators shall
be used and spaced to withstand the stresses due to the maximum fault current.

Full neutral and earth busbar shall be provided with terminals, lugs and bolts with nuts and washers to
suit requirement. Each outgoing shall be provided with separate terminals.

The SESCo metering CT’s and sealing chambers shall be mounted in the rear section of the switchboards
and shall be segregated from the busbar etc by insulating panels.

Connections from busbars to circuit breakers, fuse switches shall be by means of copper bars securely
clamped to the busbars and identified by means of coloured plastic sleeve to indicate the phase color.

4. DISTRIBUTION BOARDS
All Distribution boards shall be installed at locations indicated in the drawings. Distribution boards shall
be fabricated from sheet steel, hinged cover, rustproof and finished stove enamel inside & outside. Doors
shall be fitted with gaskets and circuit schedule and be made removable to facilitate wiring. The free end
of the door shall be secured by captive knurled thumb screws. All distribution boards shall comply with
BS 214.

Each distribution board shall be complete with neutral bar for each single phase way on the board. For
conductors larger than 10mm2 cross sectional area, cable sockets shall be provided. An earthing bar for
protective (earth) conductor shall be provided and must be adequate to meet the number of circuits of the
distribution board.

Fuse carriers and bases called for in the drawings shall be of the molded or porcelain type and comply
with BS 88. The current rating should be higher than or equivalent to the rating of the fuse link it intends
to carry. The terminations shall be suitable to accept the size of cable it is intended to connect and
reduction of cable strands is prohibited. The molding material used shall be non-traking and has good
insulating properties. The base and carrier contacts shall be non-slip during insertion or withdrawal to
ensure proper alignment and self-cleaning. It should not deform after repeated withdrawal and continuous
use.

The live busbars shall be shielded once wiring is completed by means of a fiber board.

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Where indicated, an on-load isolator with quick make and slow break positive acting mechanism shall be
incorporated with the distribution board. All the contacts shall be shrouded.

Miniature and molded case circuit breakers called for in the drawing shall be of SP or TP with breaking
capacity of not less than 6kA or as indicated in the circuit diagram.

Distribution boards shall be wall mounted wherever practicable otherwise it shall be designed for floor
mounting with the permission from engineers.

5. FUSES AND LINKS

Fuses shall be of the interchangeable cartridge type having a rupturing capacity of not less than 31 MVA
at 380V to BS 88 for AC 46 category of duty and Class 1 fusing factor.

Rating shall be as indicated with 2A units being used for the protection of instrument and control circuits.

Fuse carriers, links, links carries and bases shall also comply with the requirement of BS 88.

6. OTHERS
All secondary wiring shall be of not less than 1.5mm2 section insulated with PVC and shall be fixed
securely without strain by cleats of the compression type. All screws, locknuts, washers, bolts etc. shall
be of copper alloy type.

Indicating lights shall be long life coloured LED type. All indicating lights shall be adequately ventilated
and easily replaced from the front of the panel without the use of extractors.

One number approved anti-condensation heater shall be installed for every two sections at the
switchboards. Each heater shall be complete with automatic thermostat control, ON-OFF switch and
indicating lamp.

7. CONTROL SWITCHES
All control switches shall be of the quick make and quick break type using double break contacts operated
by a common spindle.

The control switches shall be suitable for panel mounting and suitable for the load carrying current of the
circuit which the switch is controlling. Generally switches are to be used for controlling coils of straters
and relays etc. and the minimum rating of the control switch shall be 16A, 220V 50Hz.

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8. POWER CAPACITORS
The power capacitors shall conform to BS 1650. The impregnate and filling used in the capacitors shall
be non-flammable, non-explosive liquid, possessing excellent insulation and dielectric properties
including high insulation resistance and high dielectric constant. The material shall be chemically stable
and shall not be P.C.B. The electrodes shall be made of commercially pure aluminium foils free from all
rolling lubricants.

A continuously rated, low loss discharge device shall be incorporated in all capacitors. This shall ensure
that the capacitor is discharged from peak alternating voltage to a voltage not exceeding 50V, measured
at the capacitor terminals, 1 minute after disconnection from the supply.

The containers of power capacitors shall be fabricated from heavy tinplate or stainless steel and shall be
hermetically sealed to prevent leakage of filling or ingress of moisture. The containers shall be coated
with a zinc chromate primer and a heavy coat of enamel paint. The case temperature shall not rise more
than 15 degree Celcius when operated under rated conditions.

9. RATING PLATES
Small rating plates giving serial numbers and data in accordance with the relevant British Standards are
required on equipment supplied, namely:- Circuit Breakers, Fuse switches, Isolators, Current Transformer
etc.

10. PANEL IDENTIFICATION

Each switchgear panel shall be clearly identified and designated according to its function. The labels shall
be engraved and arranged as shown in the drawings submitted by the Electrical Contractor and approved
by Consulting Engineers.

11. TEST
Type tests certificates issued by recognized testing authorities shall be submitted for all switchgear to the
Consulting Engineers.

Routine & Factory Tests

The Electrical Contractor shall submit certified test sheets showing details of all routine tests conducted
during manufacture of switchboards and individual components thereof.
Delivery Test
After the equipment has been erected on site and before final connection to the supply, the Electrical
Contractor shall with his own instruments and expense carry out all tests necessary to demonstrate that

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the equipment complies with the requirements of this specification and to the satisfaction of the
Consulting Engineers.

The test to be conducted shall be as follows:-

 Demonstration that all equipment are installed and all wiring connected, so that the switchboard
functions as required.
 Insulation resistance between phases, between each phase and neutral, and between each phase,
neutral and earth with the breaker open and all equipment installed.
 Insulation resistance across breaks in all circuit breakers, with the breaker open and all equipment
installed.
 Setting of overcurrent and earth fault protection relays on circuit breaker in accordance with the
requirements of the Electricity Supply Authority.

Copies of test sheets, showing the results of all test carried out in accordance with this section of the
specification shall be submitted to the Consulting Engineers.

12. FLOOR MAT

The Electrical Contractor shall supply floor mats of rubber material without perforation of minimum
12mm thickness for each switchboard. These shall extend to the full length of the switchboard and shall
be minimum 12.m wide at the front and sides and 0.9m wide at the rear of the switchboard.

13. SIGNS, CHARTS AND DIAGRAMS

Detailed single line and control wiring drawings mounted on a wooden frame with a transparent
polyethylene cover shall be hung in a conspicuous location and within the cubicle covers for control
panels and distribution boards.

A first aid chart shall be provided for electrical shock within all switchboard rooms. A danger signs shall
also be provided on entry doors to switch rooms.

14. INTERLOCK
The breaker’s operating mechanism and the carriage on hinged panel shall be interlocked so that it is
not possible to withdraw the circuit breaker while it is in the closed position. It is also not possible for
the breaker to be closed while it is at any position between the service and isolated position. Provisions
shall be made so that it is possible to operate the breaker’s mechanism if required for inspection and
testing purposes when the breaker is in the isolated position.

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