connector blocks

[pepparz]

does anybody know if electrical connector blocks (the strip type) have a BS number or a fault current rating?

 

[Beavstro]

A picture speaks a thousand words here.....

But if you mean the ones I think you do, I don't think they do.
and do they not have the amp rating on them?
5amp, 15amp, 30amp....?

 

[pepparz]

I'm aware they have a current rating stamped on them, what i'm after is if they would withstand a prospective fault current of say 24Kamp.

 

[Octopus]

I'm aware they have a current rating stamped on them, what i'm after is if they would withstand a prospective fault current of say 24Kamp.

What on earth are you trying to join together?

 

[pepparz]

its in a industrial premises, there are loads of connectors used in pre built motor control panels and they are used to wire additional remote stop/start buttons. i know its not best practice to use these but i want to know if they are designed to take large fault currents on a site with a Ze >0.01. been told they are fine in domestic situ with a smaller prospective fault currents but not on the site in question.

 

[SPARTYKUS]

I would hazard a guess that the answer is no, but what other protective devices are there further upstream?

surely theres something heftier that would deal with your large Pfc?

 

[pepparz]

there are suitable protective devices installed, but all equipment installed in any circuit must be able to withstand any likley fault currents, so i want to know if connectors are designed to take such currents and if so what are the values?

 

[Marvo]

If the connector has equal or greater CSA value than the wire it's fitted to then prospective fault current shouldn't be an issue. PFC itself is determined by the wiring size (and length) which is the limiting factor, not the other way around.

 

[pepparz]

Ipf=v/Ze+Zs quite right

 

[Guest111]

A lot of these connector blocks lately have a habit of splitting down the back when you tighten them.

 

[44ALLAN]

its in a industrial premises, there are loads of connectors used in pre built motor control panels and they are used to wire additional remote stop/start buttons. i know its not best practice to use these but i want to know if they are designed to take large fault currents on a site with a Ze >0.01. been told they are fine in domestic situ with a smaller prospective fault currents but not on the site in question.

Would it matter if it was 24Ka or 10Ka Pfc?
Your cpd would be tripping long before the cable or the connector would get a chance to be damaged surely!
As long as the connector is rated correctly for the circuit design current of course
All IMHO.

 

[pepparz]

think the size of pfc does matter as all equipment installed must be able to withstand this. what if the cpd was faulty and didnt trip?

 

[44ALLAN]

think the size of pfc does matter as all equipment installed must be able to withstand this. what if the cpd was faulty and didnt trip?

Then the 24Ka would melt your cables mate !

 

[Engineer54]

its in a industrial premises, there are loads of connectors used in pre built motor control panels and they are used to wire additional remote stop/start buttons. i know its not best practice to use these but i want to know if they are designed to take large fault currents on a site with a Ze >0.01. been told they are fine in domestic situ with a smaller prospective fault currents but not on the site in question.

Are you telling us that the control wiring of these motor control panels, are not fused down by BS 88 of a suitable current rating??

 

[44ALLAN]

I'm aware they have a current rating stamped on them, what i'm after is if they would withstand a prospective fault current of say 24Kamp.

A pfc of 24Ka would be close to your main incomer so doubt you would be wanting to use chocky block in there lol.
The further you get away from the mains the pfc will drop and will be nowhere near that figure inside a control panel or similar.

 

[pepparz]

ive got chocky blocks in db's with pfc of 20k.people are missing the point of the question which is do connector blocks have or/are tested to any withstand any fault current?

 

[SPARTYKUS]

Yes, and very likely you also have bits of cable in said DB that are tiny skinny little things and are not capable if taking 24kA (note capitals!). Are you saying these cables have no place there?

 

[pepparz]

never mind i'll find the answer somewhere else

 

[DPG]

Good luck

 

[Edd]

As people above have already said, the PFC is more to do with the breaking capacity of the protective device and as connectors don't make and break circuits then they wont have a rating.

When an MCB Fuse or any circuit protective device breaks an arc develops. The breaking capacity (normally in kA) is there to tell us that the device under fault conditions is capable of containing this arc.