What is an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB) & Its Working

Early earth leakage circuit breakers are voltage detecting devices, which are now switched by current sensing devices (RCD/RCCB). Generally, the current sensing devices termed RCCB, and voltage detecting devices named Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB). Forty years ago, the first current ECLBs were introduced and about sixty years ago the first voltage ECLB was introduced. For several years, both the voltage and current operated ELCBs were both referred to as ELCBs due to their simple name to remember. But the applications of these two devices gave growth to the significant mix-up in the electrical industry.

What is an Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)?

An ECLB is one kind of safety device used for installing an electrical device with high earth impedance to avoid shock. These devices identify small stray voltages of the electrical device on the metal enclosures and intrude the circuit if a dangerous voltage is identified. The main purpose of the Earth leakage circuit breaker (ECLB) is to stop damage to humans & animals due to electric shock.

An ELCB is a specific type of latching relay that has a structure’s incoming mains power associated through its switching contacts so that the circuit breaker detaches the power in an unsafe condition. The ELCB notices fault currents of human or animal to the earth wire in the connection it guards. If ample voltage seems across the ELCB’s sense coil, it will turn off the power, and remain off until manually rearrange. A voltage sensing ELCB doesn’t detect fault currents from human or animal to the earth.

The ELCB notices fault currents of human or animal to the earth wire in the connection it guards. If ample voltage seems across the ELCB’s sense coil, it will turn off the power, and remain off until manually rearrange. A voltage sensing ELCB doesn’t detect fault currents from human or animal to the earth.

The ELCB notices fault currents of human or animal to the earth wire in the connection it guards. If ample voltage seems across the ELCB’s sense coil, it will turn off the power, and remain off until manually rearrange. A voltage sensing ELCB doesn’t detect fault currents from human or animal to the earth.

ELCB Function

The main function of an Earth-leakage circuit breaker or ELCB is to prevent shock while electrical installations through high Earth impedance because it is a safety device. This circuit breaker identifies tiny stray voltages on top of the electrical equipment with a metal enclosure & disrupts the circuit if a hazardous voltage is identified. The main purpose of ELCBs is to avoid harm to human beings as well as animals because of electric shock.

ELCB Operation
An electrical circuit breaker is a particular kind of latching relay and it has a mains supply of buildings that are connected throughout its switching contacts so that this circuit breaker will disconnect the power once earth leakage is identified. By using this, the fault current can be detected from life to the ground wire in the fitting it guards. If ample voltage comes out across the sense coil of the circuit breaker, then it will shut down the power & remain off until physically reset. An ELCB which is used for voltage-sensing does not detect fault currents.

How to Connect Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker

The earth circuit is adapted when an ELCB is used; the connection to the earth rod is accepted through the earth leakage circuit breaker by linking to its two earth terminals. One goes to the fitting earth circuit protective conductor (CPC), and the other to the earth rod or another kind of earth connection. Thus the earth circuit permits through the ELCB’s sense coil.

Advantages of Voltage Operated ELCB

ELCBs are less sensitive to fault conditions and have few nuisance trips.
While current and voltage on the ground line generally fault current from a live wire, this is not continuously the case, therefore there are conditions in which an ELCB can annoyance trip.
When an installation of the electrical instrument has two contacts to earth, a near high current lightning attack will root a voltage gradient in the earth, offering the ELCB sense coil with sufficient voltage to source it to a trip.
If either of the soil wires becomes detached from the ELCB, it will no longer install will frequently no longer be correctly earthed.
These ELCBs are the necessity for a second connection and the opportunity that any extra connection to ground on the threatened system can inactivate the detector.