University of Technology

Department of Electrical Engineering

Division of Electrical Engineering
Fourth Class - Electrical Design Engineering
2019-2020

Lecture 8
Motor Branch Circuit
Lecturer
Dr. Rashid H. Al-Rubayi
Dr. Mohammed Kdair Abd
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 Motor Branch Circuit
Motor Loads vary widely in size and electrical characteristics, but all
motor circuits require careful wiring and protection of conductors and
equipment to assure safe and reliable operation. When a motor is connected to
a branch circuit, five basic elements ( as shown in figure) are specified by
most international electrical codes for the designer to consider :

Element No.1 represents Disconnecting Means, intended to require disconnecting

means capable of disconnecting motors and controllers from the
circuit.

Element No.2 represents the Motor Branch Circuit Short-Circuit and Ground-Fault
Protection device, protects the motor from these fault currents.
The size of protection device depended on type of starter , can
determine size from table 2 or table 3 .

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Element No.3 represents Controller ,each motor is required to have its own controller, except under
certain conditions. This controller can be a contactor/starter, circuit breaker, etc. that
performs the following functions :
• Must start, stop, and interrupt motor current.
• Have adequate ratings for the application, unless it falls under an allowable exception.

Element No.4 represents the Motor Overload Protection device, protects the motor and branch-circuit
conductors from excessive overloads during motor operation and in the event the motor
has trouble starting.
Motor overload devices do not respond immediately to the over current conditions from
typical motor operation, short overload conditions, or motor start up when inrush current
can be anywhere from 6-8 times the full load current. The overloads are typically sized
115% or 125% of the nameplate full-load rating of the motor

Element No.5 represents the Motor Branch-Circuit Conductors, shall have a current-carrying capacity of
not less than 125 % of the motor full-load current rating, for a single motor used in a
continuous duty application .

Quite often, more than one of these elements are combined in a single device. For all the above
elements, the motor full load current must be found by calculations or from the available tables. 3
 ……..(1)

…………….……………..(2)

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………………..(3)

…………….…..(4)

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 Feeders supplying Several Motors
1. The current carrying capacity of a feeder supplying several motors must have
a capacity at least equal to 125% of the full load current of the largest motor
plus the sum of the full load currents of other motors connected to the
feeder. This rule applies when no diversity is specified.
Feeder current = 1.25xIFL of the largest motor + The sum of full load currents
of all other motors.

2. The current carrying capacity of a feeder supplying several motors must

have a capacity at least equal to 125% of the full load current of the largest
motor plus the sum of the full load currents of other motors connected to the
feeder divided by the diversity factor. This rule applies when a diversity is
specified.
Feeder current = 1.25xIFL of the largest motor + (The sum of full load
currents of all other motors) ÷ diversity factor
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3. The current carrying capacity of a feeder supplying a motor load as well
as lighting and/or other appliances should be determined in the
following way:

a) Find the motor load as described in 1 & 2 above ( in previous slide).

b) Find the lighting and/or other appliances load including diversity.
c) Combine the results obtained in (a) & (b) to determine the feeder total
load. In performing this task no additional diversity is allowed.

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Direct-On-Line Start

Q1 – Fused Switch
F2 – Thermal Overload Relay (or Thermal
Magnetic Relay)
KM1 – Mains Contactor
The size of Q1, F2, and KM1 in accordance
with motor line current.

Control Circuit
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 Direct-On-Line Reversing Start

Q1 – Fused Switch
F2 – Thermal Overload Relay ( or Thermal
Magnetic Relay )
KM1 & KM2 Mains Forward and Reverse
Contactor
The size of Q1, F2, KM1 and KM2 in
accordance with motor line current.

Power Circuit Control Circuit 14

 Star-Delta Starter

Q1 - Fused Switch
F2 – Thermal Overload Relay (or
Thermal Magnetic Relay)
KM1 - Star Contactor;
KM2 - Mains Contactor;
KM3 - Delta Contactor;
KA1 – Time Relay.
Size of KM1 = Motor line current/3
Size of KM2 , KM3, and F2 = Motor line
current / 3
Size of Q1 = Motor line current

Power Circuit Control Circuit 15

Example: Four squirrel-cage induction motors of 3-phase, 415 V type are to be installed
in a factory. Motor sizes and distances are as shown in Fig.1. Assume that all cables are
to be installed in ground with a maximum ground temperature of 35o C
a) Select the sizes of PVC- insulated power cables required for supplying individual motors.
b) Select the required fuse sizes for protecting both motors .
c) Select the required sizes of the thermal over-load relays for providing motor running
over-current protection.
d) Select the size of the main incoming cable required for supplying all motors.
FS CS
TOR
100m 75 kW
M1
Star-Delta
FS CS
TOR
100m

50 m 75 kW
M2
Star-Delta
FS CS
TOR
150m
M3
11 kW Fig.1
D.O.L
FS CS
TOR
150 11 kW
M4
D.O.L

TOR - Thermal Overload Relay; CS - Contactor Starter ; FS - Fused Switch 16

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d)

Current for selecting main incoming cable:

ITOT = 1.25 x 135 + 135 + 21 + 21 = 345.75 Amp

ITOT with temperature effect = 345.75 ÷ 0.79 = 437.7 Amp.

From the table we select a cable size of (3x240) mm2

For the selected cable ΔV per amp per meter = 0.21 mV

Total full load current of motors =135+135+21+21= 312 A

Total voltage drop = 0.21 x 100 x 312 x 10-3 = 6.55 Volt ;

6.55𝑥100
ΔV% = = 1.58% OK
415

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Example:
Four squirrel-cage induction motors of 3-phase, 380 V type, and load of
lighting and sockets of 3-phase, 380 V are to be installed in a factory. Motor sizes,
distances, and load of lighting and sockets are as shown in Figure below. Assume
that all cables are to be installed in ground with a maximum ground temperature of
35o C.
a) Select the required fuse sizes for protecting all motors .
b) Select the sizes of PVC-insulated power cables required for supplying
individual motors.
c) Select the size of the main incoming cable required for supplying MDB.
d) Select the required size of 11/0.4 kV transformer for the factory with the
suitable size of fuses to be installed at both sides of transformer.
e) Draw details of Main distribution board (MDB) with the required sizes of
circuit breakers.
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a&b

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e) The details of Main distribution board (MDB) is:

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 Thanks
‫رابط المحاضرة‬
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Go9bC2QrslM