December 2, 2025 • 25 mins
Faults don’t wait for a convenient time, so it's important to design panels that are ready when they arrive. We start with the core of electrical safety inside an industrial control panel—overcurrent protection—and make the difference between short circuits and overloads crystal clear. From there, we break down where fast-acting fuses shine, where adjustable circuit breakers win, and how to coordinate both so you protect sensitive electronics, ride through inrush, and isolate power safely for maintenance.
Then we turn to motors, the real workhorses on your floor. You’ll hear how a contactor and overload relay form the backbone of a motor starter, why thermal overloads have served for decades, and where they fall short when you need answers, not just a tripped flag. We unpack intelligent electronic overload relays that monitor current, voltage, phase balance, temperature, and even system conditions like dry-run or jams. With real-time data, trip histories, start counts, and programmable thresholds, these smart relays help you prevent damage, cut unplanned downtime, and extend motor life.
Finally, we share practical ways to bring this intelligence into your plant without tearing everything out. Learn retrofit strategies that add diagnostics to legacy panels, how to align setpoints with your process, and how to publish data to SCADA and OEE dashboards for better energy tracking and continuous improvement. If you care about safety, reliability, and getting ahead of problems, this is a roadmap to designing for faults before they happen and turning your panel into a source of insight, not mystery.
Keep Asking Why...
Read our latest article on Industrial Manufacturing here
https://eecoonline.com/inspire/panels_102
Online Account Registration:
Video Explanation of Registering for an Account
Register for an Account
Other Resources to help with your journey:
Installed Asset Analysis Support
System Planning Support
Schedule your Visit to a Lab in North or South Carolina
Schedule your Visit to a Lab in Virginia
Submit your questions and feedback to: podcast@eecoaskwhy.com
Follow EECO on LinkedIn
Host: Chris Grainger
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to Eco Ask Why, a podcast that dives into
industrial manufacturing topicsand spotlights the heroes that
keep America running.
I'm your host, Chris Granger,and on this podcast, we do not
cover the latest features andbenefits on products that come
to market.
Instead, we focused on adviceand insight from the top minds
of industry because people andideas will be how America
(00:24):
remains number one inmanufacturing in the world.
Welcome to Eco Ask Why.
I'm your host, Chris Granger,and I'm looking forward to
spending some time with youtoday.
And we're continuing our lookinto the heart of industrial
manufacturing.
And for us, that's theindustrial control panel itself.
(00:45):
So we're really the lastepisode, we took a kind of
one-on-one overview, if youwill, of what's inside an
industrial control panel, whatto look at, what are the primary
components.
And we're and for thisconversation today, what we're
going to try to do is take itone step further.
Because we really want you tofeel extremely comfortable when
(01:06):
you walk up to an industrialcontrol panel.
And for this, let's focus onsafety through overcurrent and
motor protection.
Okay, so when you think aboutindustrial control panel design,
electrical safety and long-termreliability depend on effective
(01:28):
protection strategies.
That's what it said.
And two of the most criticalareas to think about in terms of
protection are overcurrentsafety and motor protection.
Because these are so essentialfor preventing damage, to
prevent downtime, and to keeppeople safe from the hazards
that exist within industrialmanufacturing.
(01:48):
So we're going to explore howtraditional protective methods
have evolved into nowintelligent systems that enhance
both safety and operationalinsights.
And I think that's what you'regoing to find most interesting
as we dive into this is like howcan we start learning data and
using data from our from ourcontrol systems to make better
(02:09):
decisions?
Okay.
So again, at ElectricalEquipment Company, we're
passionate here, okay, abouthelping manufacturers, OEMs, and
maintenance teams, all of that.
Understand these concepts.
So again, if you're designingyour first panel, hey, this
could be great for you.
Or if you're just refining acomplex automation system, some
(02:30):
of this may be good reminders aswell, because our focus is
always on helping you make themost informed decisions and
ultimately prioritize safety andperformance within your
facility.
Okay, so let's start thinkingabout overcurrent safety really
around two areas fuses andcircuit breakers.
(02:51):
Okay.
Now, just as a reminder,overcurrent that really happens
when electrical current exceedsthe rated capacity of the
equipment or the conductors thatit's working with, right?
And what does excessive currentdo?
Well, it generates heat.
Uh, it can increase the risk offire.
Uh equipment can be can fail.
(03:13):
Excessive current can evencreate personal injuries.
So fuses and circuit breakers,they are the first line of
defense, if you will, againstthese conditions.
And they're going to interruptthat current before damage can
occur.
And that's the whole key withall this, right?
So inside in a typicalindustrial control panel,
(03:35):
incoming power is routed througha main disconnect.
Okay.
And that disconnect is justreally doing that.
It's disconnecting the line fromthe rest of the panel.
That's what it does.
Then from there, the power isrouted through fuses and circuit
breakers.
And this arrangement allowspower to safely be isolated.
(03:55):
So, like if you're performingmaintenance, you want to be able
to do that without a risk ofgetting hurt, right?
So this is what this does.
And it also, when designedcorrectly, gives you protection
against short circuit.
We're going to talk about that.
And overload conditions.
So there are two separateconditions right there.
You have short circuit andoverload.
(04:16):
So now what's what's thedifference between the two?
Well, a short circuit conditionoccurs when current traveling
along an unintended path of verylow resistance, right?
So really what happens here isyou have a surge of current, and
that can instantly damage, and Imean damage lots of stuff.
Conductors, components, you cansee wires just getting blown up,
(04:38):
you can see break all sorts ofthings getting damaged.
So you have productive devicesin line, like fuses and circuit
breakers, to respond when thiscondition occurs to break that
current and prevent theextensive damage that's there.
So that's that that's a shortcircuit.
Now, overload is a little bitdifferent.
(04:59):
Overload occurs when theequipment is operating above its
rated current.
Here's the difference for anextended period of time.
Because think about a shortshort is pretty instantaneously,
like it's going to surge rightnow.
Overloads build gradually, andquite often it builds heat
gradually.
So overload devices use aninverse time response, and
(05:23):
they're allowing short bursts ofcurrent of starting up, but
tripping the condition, trip,but tripping if the condition
persists long enough to hurt theequipment.
So there's a difference there.
So you got to figure out if yougot both of those conditions
that you're trying to protectagainst, what's the best
mechanism and way in order to dothat?
(05:43):
Well, that's when you have tostart making decisions between
fuses and circuit breakers.
And it's not a one versus theother, quite often, it's a both
and situation.
Because fuses and circuitbreakers, they essentially serve
the same purpose.
They want to interrupt thecurrent.
That's it.
They want to interrupt it whenthat condition exists.
But the way they function incertain situations, they they're
(06:06):
different and they servedifferently.
And understanding thisdistinction is the key to
designing safe and reliablecontrol panels.
So fuses at the basicfundamental level use a thin
filament enclosed in aninsulated material.
And when it's exposed toexcessive current, those
(06:29):
filaments heat up and they melt.
That's why when a fuse blows,what do you have to do?
You don't go and reset a fuse,you pull a fuse out and put a
new fuse in, right?
That's how it works because it'sa permanent disconnect.
And the advantages of a fuse,quite often they're less
(06:50):
expensive, and they react toextremely fast fall conditions.
So if you're thinking abouttrying to protect sensitive
electronics or circuits thatreally require this level of
precise, fast acting decisionmaking on overcurrent, fuses are
where you want to go.
(07:11):
Now, there's with with withevery you know one one decision,
you have another uh type ofimplication as well.
So what it is, well, onelimitation with fuses is they
are really a single-use device.
You're not going to reuse afuse, right?
Once it's blown, it's blown.
It has to be replaced.
And at the wrong replacement,you know, like maybe if you have
(07:33):
the wrong uh fuse type or thelong the wrong class installed,
then you could be settingyourself up for damage because
at that point, you know, you'veyou've you've you've
circumvented the purpose of thefuse.
Okay.
And conversely, if you don't putthe right, maybe you put too low
rate rating in, you may beblowing fuses more frequently,
(07:55):
right?
And then this this is somethingto consider.
So you have to be carefulbecause fuses can also blow
frequently if you have a lot ofhigh end rush or or or startups
uh on the circuit.
So you not that you can't usethem, but it needs to be taken
into mind when designing theright type of fuse, right?
And that and that's a wholethat's a whole podcast on itself
(08:18):
on fuse selection, but thisgives you a high-level overview.
And for you, circuit breakers,think of that as more as the the
mechanical device.
Okay, so the circuit breaker isusing a magnet and thermal
elements.
Often it's a it's a solenoid oror bimetallic strip.
And really, what is it trying todo?
Interrupt the circuit.
That's it.
(08:38):
It literally is the name is andthe naming convention, circuit
breaker, right?
So when excessive current flows,the the strip bends and it
triggers a solenoid, and nextthing you know, that breaker
trips.
And the advantage of a circuitbreaker is pretty simple when
you think about it.
Breakers can be reset.
Think about when a circuitbreaker trips at your house.
(09:00):
What do you do?
You don't just you know panicand never and never have power
again.
No, you reset the breaker,right?
You don't have to pull in, pullit out or anything like that.
You can just literally go andreset it.
So this avoids the need forquite often replacements.
And you can adjust thesebreakers for different trip
curves and time delays.
So they can help you when you'redesigning system that systems
(09:24):
that experience high in rushcurrents, like a motor circuit.
This is very suitable herebecause the breaker can be
adjusted to handle and to notinterrupt that in rush current.
And they also include lots ofadditional features that you can
get on circuit breakers thesedays for arc fault or ground
fault protection.
You maybe heard like like uhground fault protection
(09:46):
receptacles in your home, butyou can have ground fault type
of breakers as well.
So uh again, with with everypro, there's a there's a uh
associated con, right?
And I guess the only limitation,well the primary limitation to
consider when you look at thecircuit breakers, is they
generally respond slower thanfuses will.
(10:06):
Okay, they can also be moreexpensive.
A breaker is more expensive thana fuse.
So just have to keep that inmind.
So if you're looking for stuffthat needs a fast response,
circuit breaker, you may need tohave uh some some fuse types of
engineering in that process aswell.
But their reusability andflexibility, man, that that
(10:26):
they're really it often offsetsthe how the higher initial cost
when you're thinking aboutlong-term applications.
So selecting between the tworeally comes down to considering
the application sensitivity andthe operating profile of what
you're up of what's installed,right?
So if you have systems withdelicate electronics or fast
(10:49):
reacting components, you maywant to consider having the
right fuses design for that uhapplication for precision and
quick response.
If you have systems or circuitswith high-end rush currents
requiring frequent resets, youmay want to consider a circuit
breaker there.
And ultimately, the correctselection ensures that
(11:11):
overcurrent protection operatesas intended because you want to
preserve the equipment, you wantto maintain the uptime, right?
You want to keep everybody safeand and operating there
correctly, right?
So again, eco right here is ifthis is where we step in and we
help.
We have engineers that regularlyhave these conversations to help
(11:32):
you navigate these trade-offsand to start thinking about uh
the right protection method foryour specific application.
And obviously, you have to takein consideration cost and
maintenance and long-termreliability.
So if we're looking at a singlecontrol panel to a full plant
monitorization, we always aretrying to help you make the safe
(11:53):
decision, the smart decision,and one that's sustainable as
well.
Okay, so that that kind of givesus a breakdown between uh
overload, short circuitprotection, and fuses and
circuit breakers.
Now, let's transition.
Let's now think about the coreof motor protection.
Okay, and you're gonna hear thisquite often.
You'll go to an industrialcontrol panel, you open up,
(12:13):
you'll see overload relays.
Because at the end of the day,it's quite often electric motors
are the backbone of industrialoperations.
They just are, and so you wantto safeguard them, right?
And this is a big part of mycareer for a long time with Eco,
which is we when we were doingmotor service, was understanding
(12:34):
the motor circuits.
This is something that's I'veseen come for just so far, so
fast, and it's incredible to seethe advancements in technology.
These overload relays areincredible.
And a motor starter, we justwant to think about a motor
starter, you really have twoprimary components of a motor
starter.
You have a contactor, okay, andthat's used for switching, and
(12:55):
then you have an overload relay,and that's used for protection.
And without the rope, the relay,the motor starter can't protect
the equipment, right?
At that point, whatever happens,that motor that's at the end of
that line is is open andsusceptible to whatever
conditions that have come acrossthat that motor circuit, and
(13:16):
that can be very damaging.
It could cost you a lot, a lotof downtime, okay?
So let's just think about whenit when we think when we open up
a lot of control panels,particularly in older
manufacturing, you're gonna seetraditional overall relays, and
typically they're probablythermal, okay?
So you'll see them as like uhthey're called thermal overall
relays, usually has like abimetallic design, and they've
(13:40):
been used for a long time.
Why?
Because they're simple andthey're effective.
They are right, and they're alsovery cost effective, they
respond to heat generated bywhat?
The excessive current, and theytrip the circuit to prevent the
motor from overheating.
So when you start thinking aboutthis a little bit deeper,
(14:03):
they're reliable for basicprotection for sure.
They definitely are, but theyhave their limits.
Let's just be honest.
Quite often they can be respondafter a fault occurs.
Okay, so it's not giving youthat immediate, you know, short
circuit the way that wetypically would think.
Uh, so it doesn't give you a lotof uh a standard thermal relay,
(14:24):
it's not gonna give you any typeof predictability, right?
They lack diagnostic capabilityas well, because they're not
gonna tell you why, they're justgonna tell you that it trip,
that's it.
So advanced motor control mustbe handled externally.
So this is gonna requireadditional hardware or equipment
or programming or things likethat to give you that insight.
(14:45):
So the industry recognized thatthis was a gap, like it worked
for a long time, and thesethings are still out there,
y'all.
I mean, don't think that there'sno you know uh biometallic
overloads out there, they stthey still exist, but we
recognized there was a need forevolution, okay, and this
evolution took us tointelligent, or you may even
(15:06):
call uh may even hear themcalled smart overload relays,
okay?
Because we recognized thatindustry was trending towards
connectivity, huge, hugecomponent, and predictability.
Like the predictive maintenanceis a big deal.
So a lot of that, uh thoseefforts along those those lanes
(15:29):
led to intelligent electronicoverload relays.
Okay, so these devices combinethe protection that we're
looking for along withcommunication and analytics in
one package.
So it's really cool when youstart thinking about it because
predictive and diagnosticcapabilities are huge.
And smart motor, uh smartoverload relays, what they can
(15:52):
do is detect abnormal operationconditions early on.
Okay, that's that's pretty cool.
It does that with phase whenit's by monitoring phase
imbalance or ground faults orsustained overloads, and those
items account for nearly half ofall motor failures.
They just do.
(16:13):
So they monitor voltage,current, temperature.
They can even have relays outthere now, different types of
relays and points that canmonitor vibration, and they can
give you real-time insight intoyour motor health.
So start thinking about stuffthat you can could can get out
of this these devices.
You can look at trip causes andevent history, go back and look
(16:37):
at that catalog.
You can look at how often areyou operating the equipment and
how often are you starting itup?
So operation hours and startcounts, right?
You can see what the faultswere.
Like what were the last fivefaults for this piece of
equipment?
Was it under voltage?
Did something jam up on it?
Was it an overload, right?
(16:57):
And it gives you early alertsfor elect for mechanical issues,
like as a low load or dry pumpconditions.
I'm telling you, these thingsare incredible.
And this visibility allows yourmaintenance team to identify,
and here's the important partcorrect issues before they
escalate so you can minimizethat unplanned downtime and
(17:20):
exceed that motor life.
Really cool stuff.
Okay, so now let's talk abouthow we can enhance motor
protection uh with these relays.
Because these relays ofteninclude programmable alarm
thresholds and automated restartlogic as well as load
monitoring.
So think about it this way: these capabilities help you and (17:40):
undefined
the operators manage multiplemotors efficiently and hopefully
prevent some unnecessary trips.
There's nothing worse thanhaving to go restart a motor for
and you're not sure why, right?
So let's prevent that and let'slet's start balancing these
systems overall to have betterperformance.
(18:03):
And then when you have systemslike uh, or applications rather,
like pumping systems with theright type of smart overload
relay, you can detect lowcurrent uh in these areas, which
is really uh valuable because itcould help you prevent
conditions like dry running ordeadheading your pumps that can
(18:25):
cause severe mechanical damage,right?
So these early alerts will giveyou and your maintenance teams
time to intervene before thatthing fails.
And I mean, once it fails, youknow, at that point the work has
to be done.
Down downtime, and it becomes areality, and you have to move
into it.
Okay.
So another kind of cool partwith these smart motor overload
(18:48):
relays is the real-time data andintegration that it comes with.
So through network connectivity,we've talked about the
importance of that on EcoSY fora long time.
These intelligent relays cangive you operating data up to
your systems that you're up thatyou're executing your your
manufacturing plan in.
(19:10):
And this allows you and yourplant personnel to monitor
performance.
Maybe you want to look at yourenergy usage as well.
And here's the trick in realtime.
We're not just looking back,like we're looking at what's
happening now, and you can startforecasting forward.
And when you start doing thatand you integrate to with your
(19:32):
modern automation systems, youcan really start enhancing
remote diagnostics, continuousimprovement, and energy
efficiency initiatives outthere.
So when you start leveragingthis side of data and this and
these components within theindustrial control panel, you
can start strengthening safety,you can have better performance,
(19:54):
and really, at the end of theday, increase your overall
equipment effectiveness.
We're talking about OEE all thetime, right?
You can do all this withoutsacrificing any reliability.
So I'm telling you, this stuff'sout there now.
It's absolutely unbelievable.
It's pretty cool.
And at the end of the day, werecognize at Eco that you are
(20:15):
continuing to modernize, you'recontinuing to prioritize safety,
and you're continuing to lookforward to how you can be more
predictive in nature, right?
Because they they cannot be uhgoals that we're not focusing
on.
They have to we have to focus onthem to remain competitive in
the markets that we serve.
So when we focus on reliableovercurrent protection and we
(20:39):
get that right, like we get thebreakers and the and the fuses
designed correctly, you'rereally building a strong
foundation.
Okay, a strong foundation toensure that you're protecting
your assets.
And then when you startintegrating intelligent motor
protection systems, man, you'retaking it to the next level.
Because then you're starting tobring foresight and diagnostics
and smarter control to theforefront of your design.
(21:03):
So we're not just talking aboutnew installation here as well.
This could be retrofits.
We do it all the time.
So it could be existingequipment as well as new
equipment and bring this newtechnology together because it's
all about prioritizingprotection to really, it's not
only about compliance anduptime, but it's also think
(21:27):
about the long-term health ofthe equipment that you're
counting on to keep yourproduction running.
And we recognize that's a bigdeal.
I mean, as someone who worked inthe service industry for a long
time, I know how uh stressfulunplanned downtime can be to any
organization.
So if we can do things on thefront end to prevent that in
(21:49):
areas that we can control, wewant to do that.
And that's what this is allabout.
And we love at ElectricalEquipment Company talking
control panels.
We just do.
I'm saying from the novice tothe expert.
We are we will meet you whereyou are.
We'll offer as much insight aswe possibly can to help you
along the way, whether it'sdesign guidance or technical
(22:09):
expertise.
We're here to make that processso much uh easier for you.
Okay, so look, reach out to us.
There will be links in the shownotes and all that stuff for
ways to reach out to us toconnect with us.
Again, we have our labs and allour geography.
So if you want to come talkdirectly or test some
technology, we'd love to dothat.
(22:30):
If you'd like for us just tocome take a look at your
industrial control panels andunderstand what your current
install base is so we can helpyou make more informed decisions
on particular areas of high riskor or areas that that you just
really need to put as muchemphasis on as possible to do
everything that you can toreduce that downtime, we're here
(22:51):
to help.
We have experts, we have just awonderful team.
So again, if you're listening toEco AskY and you're in our our
service area, reach out.
We would love to talk to youabout this and see how we can
come alongside you to identifyareas that we can help improve
in the and particularly when itcomes on the motor circuit and
(23:12):
protecting your industrialcontrol panels.
So we hopefully you guys areenjoying these.
We're really we enjoy puttingthis together because we
recognize everybody's atdifferent stages in their
journey, right?
They just are.
So, yeah, industrial controlpanels are such a key component.
We don't just want to fly by it.
We want to take the time tounpack these at length to give
(23:32):
you the insight so that you canbuild your confidence when
you're walking it through yourfacility up to an industrial
control panel to betterunderstand what you're looking
at, to to and and to ultimatelydo it in a safe manner.
All right.
So again, thank you so much forlistening to Eco Ask Why.
If you wouldn't mind, just sharethis stuff out with others,
(23:54):
particularly others that arethat you think they're that are
in their journey that would beinterested in these topics.
We know this is not foreverybody, but for the ones that
find interest here, we're we'rereally hopeful that we're
bringing you value and helpingyou just build your confidence
and your skill sets up uh sothat you can just do more in the
industry.
Again, if you have questions orwant to talk further, reach out
(24:17):
to us.
We'd love to hear from you.
So, all that's you can find usat ecoonline.com.
That's how you connect with usthere.
Obviously, we have the podcast,we have all our resources, we
have our shopping, all the stufffrom the online shopping
experience.
So you can even go look at someof these overloads and start
comparing them side by side.
We'll have links to all thatstuff as well.
So check it out, all right?
So I hope you guys have a greatday.
(24:37):
Thank you so much for listening,for hanging out with us, and
just remember to keep askingwhy.
Thank you for listening to EcoAsk Why.
This show is supported ad-freeby Electrical Equipment Company.
EECO is redefining theexpectations of an electrical
distributor by placing peopleand ideas before products.
(24:58):
Please subscribe and share withyour colleagues and friends.
Also leave comments, feedback,and any new topics that you'd
like to hear.
To learn more and to share yourinsights, visit ecosy.com dash E
C O.
A S A S W H Y dot com.
Welcome to Eco Ask Why, a podcast that dives into
industrial manufacturing topicsand spotlights the heroes that
keep America running.
I'm your host, Chris Granger,and on this podcast, we do not
cover the latest features andbenefits on products that come
to market.
Instead, we focused on adviceand insight from the top minds
of industry because people andideas will be how America
(00:24):
remains number one inmanufacturing in the world.
Welcome to Eco Ask Why.
I'm your host, Chris Granger,and I'm looking forward to
spending some time with youtoday.
And we're continuing our lookinto the heart of industrial
manufacturing.
And for us, that's theindustrial control panel itself.
(00:45):
So we're really the lastepisode, we took a kind of
one-on-one overview, if youwill, of what's inside an
industrial control panel, whatto look at, what are the primary
components.
And we're and for thisconversation today, what we're
going to try to do is take itone step further.
Because we really want you tofeel extremely comfortable when
(01:06):
you walk up to an industrialcontrol panel.
And for this, let's focus onsafety through overcurrent and
motor protection.
Okay, so when you think aboutindustrial control panel design,
electrical safety and long-termreliability depend on effective
(01:28):
protection strategies.
That's what it said.
And two of the most criticalareas to think about in terms of
protection are overcurrentsafety and motor protection.
Because these are so essentialfor preventing damage, to
prevent downtime, and to keeppeople safe from the hazards
that exist within industrialmanufacturing.
(01:48):
So we're going to explore howtraditional protective methods
have evolved into nowintelligent systems that enhance
both safety and operationalinsights.
And I think that's what you'regoing to find most interesting
as we dive into this is like howcan we start learning data and
using data from our from ourcontrol systems to make better
(02:09):
decisions?
Okay.
So again, at ElectricalEquipment Company, we're
passionate here, okay, abouthelping manufacturers, OEMs, and
maintenance teams, all of that.
Understand these concepts.
So again, if you're designingyour first panel, hey, this
could be great for you.
Or if you're just refining acomplex automation system, some
(02:30):
of this may be good reminders aswell, because our focus is
always on helping you make themost informed decisions and
ultimately prioritize safety andperformance within your
facility.
Okay, so let's start thinkingabout overcurrent safety really
around two areas fuses andcircuit breakers.
(02:51):
Okay.
Now, just as a reminder,overcurrent that really happens
when electrical current exceedsthe rated capacity of the
equipment or the conductors thatit's working with, right?
And what does excessive currentdo?
Well, it generates heat.
Uh, it can increase the risk offire.
Uh equipment can be can fail.
(03:13):
Excessive current can evencreate personal injuries.
So fuses and circuit breakers,they are the first line of
defense, if you will, againstthese conditions.
And they're going to interruptthat current before damage can
occur.
And that's the whole key withall this, right?
So inside in a typicalindustrial control panel,
(03:35):
incoming power is routed througha main disconnect.
Okay.
And that disconnect is justreally doing that.
It's disconnecting the line fromthe rest of the panel.
That's what it does.
Then from there, the power isrouted through fuses and circuit
breakers.
And this arrangement allowspower to safely be isolated.
(03:55):
So, like if you're performingmaintenance, you want to be able
to do that without a risk ofgetting hurt, right?
So this is what this does.
And it also, when designedcorrectly, gives you protection
against short circuit.
We're going to talk about that.
And overload conditions.
So there are two separateconditions right there.
You have short circuit andoverload.
(04:16):
So now what's what's thedifference between the two?
Well, a short circuit conditionoccurs when current traveling
along an unintended path of verylow resistance, right?
So really what happens here isyou have a surge of current, and
that can instantly damage, and Imean damage lots of stuff.
Conductors, components, you cansee wires just getting blown up,
(04:38):
you can see break all sorts ofthings getting damaged.
So you have productive devicesin line, like fuses and circuit
breakers, to respond when thiscondition occurs to break that
current and prevent theextensive damage that's there.
So that's that that's a shortcircuit.
Now, overload is a little bitdifferent.
(04:59):
Overload occurs when theequipment is operating above its
rated current.
Here's the difference for anextended period of time.
Because think about a shortshort is pretty instantaneously,
like it's going to surge rightnow.
Overloads build gradually, andquite often it builds heat
gradually.
So overload devices use aninverse time response, and
(05:23):
they're allowing short bursts ofcurrent of starting up, but
tripping the condition, trip,but tripping if the condition
persists long enough to hurt theequipment.
So there's a difference there.
So you got to figure out if yougot both of those conditions
that you're trying to protectagainst, what's the best
mechanism and way in order to dothat?
(05:43):
Well, that's when you have tostart making decisions between
fuses and circuit breakers.
And it's not a one versus theother, quite often, it's a both
and situation.
Because fuses and circuitbreakers, they essentially serve
the same purpose.
They want to interrupt thecurrent.
That's it.
They want to interrupt it whenthat condition exists.
But the way they function incertain situations, they they're
(06:06):
different and they servedifferently.
And understanding thisdistinction is the key to
designing safe and reliablecontrol panels.
So fuses at the basicfundamental level use a thin
filament enclosed in aninsulated material.
And when it's exposed toexcessive current, those
(06:29):
filaments heat up and they melt.
That's why when a fuse blows,what do you have to do?
You don't go and reset a fuse,you pull a fuse out and put a
new fuse in, right?
That's how it works because it'sa permanent disconnect.
And the advantages of a fuse,quite often they're less
(06:50):
expensive, and they react toextremely fast fall conditions.
So if you're thinking abouttrying to protect sensitive
electronics or circuits thatreally require this level of
precise, fast acting decisionmaking on overcurrent, fuses are
where you want to go.
(07:11):
Now, there's with with withevery you know one one decision,
you have another uh type ofimplication as well.
So what it is, well, onelimitation with fuses is they
are really a single-use device.
You're not going to reuse afuse, right?
Once it's blown, it's blown.
It has to be replaced.
And at the wrong replacement,you know, like maybe if you have
(07:33):
the wrong uh fuse type or thelong the wrong class installed,
then you could be settingyourself up for damage because
at that point, you know, you'veyou've you've you've
circumvented the purpose of thefuse.
Okay.
And conversely, if you don't putthe right, maybe you put too low
rate rating in, you may beblowing fuses more frequently,
(07:55):
right?
And then this this is somethingto consider.
So you have to be carefulbecause fuses can also blow
frequently if you have a lot ofhigh end rush or or or startups
uh on the circuit.
So you not that you can't usethem, but it needs to be taken
into mind when designing theright type of fuse, right?
And that and that's a wholethat's a whole podcast on itself
(08:18):
on fuse selection, but thisgives you a high-level overview.
And for you, circuit breakers,think of that as more as the the
mechanical device.
Okay, so the circuit breaker isusing a magnet and thermal
elements.
Often it's a it's a solenoid oror bimetallic strip.
And really, what is it trying todo?
Interrupt the circuit.
That's it.
(08:38):
It literally is the name is andthe naming convention, circuit
breaker, right?
So when excessive current flows,the the strip bends and it
triggers a solenoid, and nextthing you know, that breaker
trips.
And the advantage of a circuitbreaker is pretty simple when
you think about it.
Breakers can be reset.
Think about when a circuitbreaker trips at your house.
(09:00):
What do you do?
You don't just you know panicand never and never have power
again.
No, you reset the breaker,right?
You don't have to pull in, pullit out or anything like that.
You can just literally go andreset it.
So this avoids the need forquite often replacements.
And you can adjust thesebreakers for different trip
curves and time delays.
So they can help you when you'redesigning system that systems
(09:24):
that experience high in rushcurrents, like a motor circuit.
This is very suitable herebecause the breaker can be
adjusted to handle and to notinterrupt that in rush current.
And they also include lots ofadditional features that you can
get on circuit breakers thesedays for arc fault or ground
fault protection.
You maybe heard like like uhground fault protection
(09:46):
receptacles in your home, butyou can have ground fault type
of breakers as well.
So uh again, with with everypro, there's a there's a uh
associated con, right?
And I guess the only limitation,well the primary limitation to
consider when you look at thecircuit breakers, is they
generally respond slower thanfuses will.
(10:06):
Okay, they can also be moreexpensive.
A breaker is more expensive thana fuse.
So just have to keep that inmind.
So if you're looking for stuffthat needs a fast response,
circuit breaker, you may need tohave uh some some fuse types of
engineering in that process aswell.
But their reusability andflexibility, man, that that
(10:26):
they're really it often offsetsthe how the higher initial cost
when you're thinking aboutlong-term applications.
So selecting between the tworeally comes down to considering
the application sensitivity andthe operating profile of what
you're up of what's installed,right?
So if you have systems withdelicate electronics or fast
(10:49):
reacting components, you maywant to consider having the
right fuses design for that uhapplication for precision and
quick response.
If you have systems or circuitswith high-end rush currents
requiring frequent resets, youmay want to consider a circuit
breaker there.
And ultimately, the correctselection ensures that
(11:11):
overcurrent protection operatesas intended because you want to
preserve the equipment, you wantto maintain the uptime, right?
You want to keep everybody safeand and operating there
correctly, right?
So again, eco right here is ifthis is where we step in and we
help.
We have engineers that regularlyhave these conversations to help
(11:32):
you navigate these trade-offsand to start thinking about uh
the right protection method foryour specific application.
And obviously, you have to takein consideration cost and
maintenance and long-termreliability.
So if we're looking at a singlecontrol panel to a full plant
monitorization, we always aretrying to help you make the safe
(11:53):
decision, the smart decision,and one that's sustainable as
well.
Okay, so that that kind of givesus a breakdown between uh
overload, short circuitprotection, and fuses and
circuit breakers.
Now, let's transition.
Let's now think about the coreof motor protection.
Okay, and you're gonna hear thisquite often.
You'll go to an industrialcontrol panel, you open up,
(12:13):
you'll see overload relays.
Because at the end of the day,it's quite often electric motors
are the backbone of industrialoperations.
They just are, and so you wantto safeguard them, right?
And this is a big part of mycareer for a long time with Eco,
which is we when we were doingmotor service, was understanding
(12:34):
the motor circuits.
This is something that's I'veseen come for just so far, so
fast, and it's incredible to seethe advancements in technology.
These overload relays areincredible.
And a motor starter, we justwant to think about a motor
starter, you really have twoprimary components of a motor
starter.
You have a contactor, okay, andthat's used for switching, and
(12:55):
then you have an overload relay,and that's used for protection.
And without the rope, the relay,the motor starter can't protect
the equipment, right?
At that point, whatever happens,that motor that's at the end of
that line is is open andsusceptible to whatever
conditions that have come acrossthat that motor circuit, and
(13:16):
that can be very damaging.
It could cost you a lot, a lotof downtime, okay?
So let's just think about whenit when we think when we open up
a lot of control panels,particularly in older
manufacturing, you're gonna seetraditional overall relays, and
typically they're probablythermal, okay?
So you'll see them as like uhthey're called thermal overall
relays, usually has like abimetallic design, and they've
(13:40):
been used for a long time.
Why?
Because they're simple andthey're effective.
They are right, and they're alsovery cost effective, they
respond to heat generated bywhat?
The excessive current, and theytrip the circuit to prevent the
motor from overheating.
So when you start thinking aboutthis a little bit deeper,
(14:03):
they're reliable for basicprotection for sure.
They definitely are, but theyhave their limits.
Let's just be honest.
Quite often they can be respondafter a fault occurs.
Okay, so it's not giving youthat immediate, you know, short
circuit the way that wetypically would think.
Uh, so it doesn't give you a lotof uh a standard thermal relay,
(14:24):
it's not gonna give you any typeof predictability, right?
They lack diagnostic capabilityas well, because they're not
gonna tell you why, they're justgonna tell you that it trip,
that's it.
So advanced motor control mustbe handled externally.
So this is gonna requireadditional hardware or equipment
or programming or things likethat to give you that insight.
(14:45):
So the industry recognized thatthis was a gap, like it worked
for a long time, and thesethings are still out there,
y'all.
I mean, don't think that there'sno you know uh biometallic
overloads out there, they stthey still exist, but we
recognized there was a need forevolution, okay, and this
evolution took us tointelligent, or you may even
(15:06):
call uh may even hear themcalled smart overload relays,
okay?
Because we recognized thatindustry was trending towards
connectivity, huge, hugecomponent, and predictability.
Like the predictive maintenanceis a big deal.
So a lot of that, uh thoseefforts along those those lanes
(15:29):
led to intelligent electronicoverload relays.
Okay, so these devices combinethe protection that we're
looking for along withcommunication and analytics in
one package.
So it's really cool when youstart thinking about it because
predictive and diagnosticcapabilities are huge.
And smart motor, uh smartoverload relays, what they can
(15:52):
do is detect abnormal operationconditions early on.
Okay, that's that's pretty cool.
It does that with phase whenit's by monitoring phase
imbalance or ground faults orsustained overloads, and those
items account for nearly half ofall motor failures.
They just do.
(16:13):
So they monitor voltage,current, temperature.
They can even have relays outthere now, different types of
relays and points that canmonitor vibration, and they can
give you real-time insight intoyour motor health.
So start thinking about stuffthat you can could can get out
of this these devices.
You can look at trip causes andevent history, go back and look
(16:37):
at that catalog.
You can look at how often areyou operating the equipment and
how often are you starting itup?
So operation hours and startcounts, right?
You can see what the faultswere.
Like what were the last fivefaults for this piece of
equipment?
Was it under voltage?
Did something jam up on it?
Was it an overload, right?
(16:57):
And it gives you early alertsfor elect for mechanical issues,
like as a low load or dry pumpconditions.
I'm telling you, these thingsare incredible.
And this visibility allows yourmaintenance team to identify,
and here's the important partcorrect issues before they
escalate so you can minimizethat unplanned downtime and
(17:20):
exceed that motor life.
Really cool stuff.
Okay, so now let's talk abouthow we can enhance motor
protection uh with these relays.
Because these relays ofteninclude programmable alarm
thresholds and automated restartlogic as well as load
monitoring.
So think about it this way: these capabilities help you and (17:40):
undefined
the operators manage multiplemotors efficiently and hopefully
prevent some unnecessary trips.
There's nothing worse thanhaving to go restart a motor for
and you're not sure why, right?
So let's prevent that and let'slet's start balancing these
systems overall to have betterperformance.
(18:03):
And then when you have systemslike uh, or applications rather,
like pumping systems with theright type of smart overload
relay, you can detect lowcurrent uh in these areas, which
is really uh valuable because itcould help you prevent
conditions like dry running ordeadheading your pumps that can
(18:25):
cause severe mechanical damage,right?
So these early alerts will giveyou and your maintenance teams
time to intervene before thatthing fails.
And I mean, once it fails, youknow, at that point the work has
to be done.
Down downtime, and it becomes areality, and you have to move
into it.
Okay.
So another kind of cool partwith these smart motor overload
(18:48):
relays is the real-time data andintegration that it comes with.
So through network connectivity,we've talked about the
importance of that on EcoSY fora long time.
These intelligent relays cangive you operating data up to
your systems that you're up thatyou're executing your your
manufacturing plan in.
(19:10):
And this allows you and yourplant personnel to monitor
performance.
Maybe you want to look at yourenergy usage as well.
And here's the trick in realtime.
We're not just looking back,like we're looking at what's
happening now, and you can startforecasting forward.
And when you start doing thatand you integrate to with your
(19:32):
modern automation systems, youcan really start enhancing
remote diagnostics, continuousimprovement, and energy
efficiency initiatives outthere.
So when you start leveragingthis side of data and this and
these components within theindustrial control panel, you
can start strengthening safety,you can have better performance,
(19:54):
and really, at the end of theday, increase your overall
equipment effectiveness.
We're talking about OEE all thetime, right?
You can do all this withoutsacrificing any reliability.
So I'm telling you, this stuff'sout there now.
It's absolutely unbelievable.
It's pretty cool.
And at the end of the day, werecognize at Eco that you are
(20:15):
continuing to modernize, you'recontinuing to prioritize safety,
and you're continuing to lookforward to how you can be more
predictive in nature, right?
Because they they cannot be uhgoals that we're not focusing
on.
They have to we have to focus onthem to remain competitive in
the markets that we serve.
So when we focus on reliableovercurrent protection and we
(20:39):
get that right, like we get thebreakers and the and the fuses
designed correctly, you'rereally building a strong
foundation.
Okay, a strong foundation toensure that you're protecting
your assets.
And then when you startintegrating intelligent motor
protection systems, man, you'retaking it to the next level.
Because then you're starting tobring foresight and diagnostics
and smarter control to theforefront of your design.
(21:03):
So we're not just talking aboutnew installation here as well.
This could be retrofits.
We do it all the time.
So it could be existingequipment as well as new
equipment and bring this newtechnology together because it's
all about prioritizingprotection to really, it's not
only about compliance anduptime, but it's also think
(21:27):
about the long-term health ofthe equipment that you're
counting on to keep yourproduction running.
And we recognize that's a bigdeal.
I mean, as someone who worked inthe service industry for a long
time, I know how uh stressfulunplanned downtime can be to any
organization.
So if we can do things on thefront end to prevent that in
(21:49):
areas that we can control, wewant to do that.
And that's what this is allabout.
And we love at ElectricalEquipment Company talking
control panels.
We just do.
I'm saying from the novice tothe expert.
We are we will meet you whereyou are.
We'll offer as much insight aswe possibly can to help you
along the way, whether it'sdesign guidance or technical
(22:09):
expertise.
We're here to make that processso much uh easier for you.
Okay, so look, reach out to us.
There will be links in the shownotes and all that stuff for
ways to reach out to us toconnect with us.
Again, we have our labs and allour geography.
So if you want to come talkdirectly or test some
technology, we'd love to dothat.
(22:30):
If you'd like for us just tocome take a look at your
industrial control panels andunderstand what your current
install base is so we can helpyou make more informed decisions
on particular areas of high riskor or areas that that you just
really need to put as muchemphasis on as possible to do
everything that you can toreduce that downtime, we're here
(22:51):
to help.
We have experts, we have just awonderful team.
So again, if you're listening toEco AskY and you're in our our
service area, reach out.
We would love to talk to youabout this and see how we can
come alongside you to identifyareas that we can help improve
in the and particularly when itcomes on the motor circuit and
(23:12):
protecting your industrialcontrol panels.
So we hopefully you guys areenjoying these.
We're really we enjoy puttingthis together because we
recognize everybody's atdifferent stages in their
journey, right?
They just are.
So, yeah, industrial controlpanels are such a key component.
We don't just want to fly by it.
We want to take the time tounpack these at length to give
(23:32):
you the insight so that you canbuild your confidence when
you're walking it through yourfacility up to an industrial
control panel to betterunderstand what you're looking
at, to to and and to ultimatelydo it in a safe manner.
All right.
So again, thank you so much forlistening to Eco Ask Why.
If you wouldn't mind, just sharethis stuff out with others,
(23:54):
particularly others that arethat you think they're that are
in their journey that would beinterested in these topics.
We know this is not foreverybody, but for the ones that
find interest here, we're we'rereally hopeful that we're
bringing you value and helpingyou just build your confidence
and your skill sets up uh sothat you can just do more in the
industry.
Again, if you have questions orwant to talk further, reach out
(24:17):
to us.
We'd love to hear from you.
So, all that's you can find usat ecoonline.com.
That's how you connect with usthere.
Obviously, we have the podcast,we have all our resources, we
have our shopping, all the stufffrom the online shopping
experience.
So you can even go look at someof these overloads and start
comparing them side by side.
We'll have links to all thatstuff as well.
So check it out, all right?
So I hope you guys have a greatday.
(24:37):
Thank you so much for listening,for hanging out with us, and
just remember to keep askingwhy.
Thank you for listening to EcoAsk Why.
This show is supported ad-freeby Electrical Equipment Company.
EECO is redefining theexpectations of an electrical
distributor by placing peopleand ideas before products.
(24:58):
Please subscribe and share withyour colleagues and friends.
Also leave comments, feedback,and any new topics that you'd
like to hear.
To learn more and to share yourinsights, visit ecosy.com dash E
C O.
A S A S W H Y dot com.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
My Favorite Murder with Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
My Favorite Murder is a true crime comedy podcast hosted by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark. Each week, Karen and Georgia share compelling true crimes and hometown stories from friends and listeners. Since MFM launched in January of 2016, Karen and Georgia have shared their lifelong interest in true crime and have covered stories of infamous serial killers like the Night Stalker, mysterious cold cases, captivating cults, incredible survivor stories and important events from history like the Tulsa race massacre of 1921. My Favorite Murder is part of the Exactly Right podcast network that provides a platform for bold, creative voices to bring to life provocative, entertaining and relatable stories for audiences everywhere. The Exactly Right roster of podcasts covers a variety of topics including historic true crime, comedic interviews and news, science, pop culture and more. Podcasts on the network include Buried Bones with Kate Winkler Dawson and Paul Holes, That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast, This Podcast Will Kill You, Bananas and more.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com