Surge Protective Devices In TN

Systems (Guide For Low Voltage

Electricians)
Fault conditions
For “protection against electric shock under fault conditions“ in TN systems, overcurrent and residual current
devices have been approved. For the use of surge protective devices (SPDs) this means that these protective
devices may only be arranged downstream of the devices for “protection against electric shock under fault
conditions” in order to ensure that the measure to protect against life hazards also operates in the event of a failure
of an SPD (surge protective device).

Surge Protective Devices In TN Systems (Guide

For Low Voltage Electricians); photo credit: ienergytech.com.au

If a Type 1 or 2 surge protective device (SPD) is installed downstream of a residual current device, it has to be
expected that, because of the discharged impulse current to PE, this process will be interpreted as residual current
by a residual current device (RCD), and it interrupts the circuit.
Equivalents for SPD classifications
(In the following lines we will use the designation SPD Type 1,SPD Type 2, SPD Type 3)

  Definition Definition
acc. to IEC acc.
61643 to EN
61643
SPDs which withstand the partial lightning SPD class I SPD Type 1
current with a typical waveform 10/350
μs require a corresponding impulse test
current Iimp
The suitable test current Iimp is defined in the Class I test procedure of IEC 61643-1

SPDs which withstand induced surge SPD class II SPD Type 2

currents with a typical waveform 8/20
μs require a corresponding impulse test
current In
The suitable test current In is defined in the Class II test procedure of IEC 61643-1

SPDs that withstand induced surge SPD class III SPD Type 3

currents with a typical waveform 8/20
μs and require a corresponding impulse test
current Isc
The suitable combination wave test is defined in the Class III test procedure of IEC
61643-1

Moreover, if an SPD Type 1 is loaded with partial  lightning currents  it must be assumed that the high dynamics of
the lightning current will cause mechanical damage on the residual current device (Figure 1 below).

This would override the protective measure “protection against electric shock under fault conditions”.
 Figure 1 – RCD destroyed by lightning impulse
current

Of course, this must be avoided.  Therefore both lightning current arresters Type 1 and SPDs Type 2 should be
used upstream of the residual current device. Hence, for SPDs Type 1 and 2, the only possible measure for
“protection against electric shock under fault conditions” is using overcurrent protective devices.
The use of SPDs must therefore always be considered in conjunction with a fuse as the overcurrent protective
device. Whether or not a supplementary separate backup fuse must be designated for the arrester branch,
depends on the size of the next upstream supply fuse and the backup fuse approved for the SPD.

The following maximum continuous voltages apply to SPDs Type 1, 2 and 3 when used in TN systems
(Figures 2 and 3 A to B):

Figure 2 –
“3-0” circuit in TN-C systems
 Figure 3A
– “4-0” circuit in TN-S systems

Figure 3B
– “3+1” circuit in TN-S systems
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TN-C-S systems
Figure 4 illustrates an example of the connections for use of lightning current arresters and surge protective
devices in TN-C-S systems.
 Figure 4 –
Use of SPDs in TN-C-S systems

It can be seen that SPDs Type 3 are used downstream of the residual current device (RCD). In this context, please
note the following:

As a result of the frequency of switching surges in the terminal circuits, SPDs Type 3 are primarily employed to
protect against differential mode voltages. These surges generally arise between L and N.

A surge limitation between L and N means that no impulse current is discharged to PE. Thus, this process can
also not be interpreted as residual current by the RCD. In all other cases, SPDs Type 3 are designed for a nominal
discharge capacity of 1.5 kA. These values are sufficient in the sense that upstream protective stages of SPDs
Type 1 and 2 take over the discharge of high energy impulses. When using an RCD capable of withstanding
impulse currents, these impulse currents are not able to trip the RCD or cause mechanical damage.

TN-S systems
The Figures 5 to 9 illustrate the use of SPDs as part of the lightning protection zones concept, and the
required lightning and surge protective measures for a TN-C-S system.

Use of SPDs in TN-S systems // Example

 Figure 5 – Use of
SPDs in TN-S systems
SPDs used in TN systems // Examples
Example 1 //  Office Building – Separation of the PEN in the main distribution board
 Figure 6 –
SPDs used in TN systems – Example: Office Building – Separation of the PEN in the main distribution board
Example 2 //  Office Building – Separation of the PEN in the subdistribution board
 Exampl
e: Office Building – Separation of the PEN in the subdistribution board
Example 3 //  Industry – Separation of the PEN in the subdistribution board
 Figur
e 8 – SPDs used in TN systems – Example: Industry – Separation of the PEN in the subdistribution board
Example 4 //  Residential building
 Figure 9 – SPDs used in
TN systems – Example: Residential building