• The Transactions of the Korean Institute of Electrical Engineers P
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• v.59 no.4
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• pp.456-461
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• 2010

This study compares the criteria of earth leakage breakers (ELB) and analyzes the characteristics of an Igc-free ELB operated by an active component which is not misoperated by capacitive current. Even for the same ELB, the earth leakage current flowing through the human body is estimated to be differ greatly depending on the power source, voltage, location and status of contact, contact time duration, etc. Earth leakage breakers are classified based on the rated voltage, rated sensing current, rated operating time etc. Mounting and demounting of the existing equipment can be performed easily since an $I_{gc}$-free ELB is manufactured with the same structure as a conventional ELB. The rated operating current of a conventional and an $I_{gc}$-free ELB is 30mA, the sensing current is 25mA and the rated non-operating current is 15mA. In the analysis of non-operating current characteristics, the rated non-operating current of 15mA was satisfied up to a 20mA charging current in the conventional ELB, but does not satisfy the rated non-operating current as it operates when the resistive leakage current is lower than 15mA for a charging current exceeding 20mA. Also, the ELB is misoperated without a resistive leakage current when the charging current exceeded 25mA. However, the newly developed $I_{gc}$-free ELB satisfied the rated non-operating current even when the charging current was 60mA. Also, in comparison to the interrupting characteristics, it was confirmed that the charging current satisfying the rated non-operating current of the $I_{gc}$-free ELB was three times higher than that of the conventional ELB.