What is Cascading and to which IEC standard it conforms to.

Cascading is the use of the current limiting capacity of circuit breakers at a given point to permit installation of lower-rated and therefore lower-cost circuit breakers downstream.

The upstream compact circuit breakers acts as a barrier against short-circuit currents. In this way, downstream circuit breakers with lower breaking capacities than the prospective short-circuit (at their point of installation) operate under their normal breaking conditions.

Since the current is limited throughout the circuit controlled by the limiting circuit breaker, cascading applies to all switchgear downstream. It is not restricted to two consecutive devices.

The combination of two circuit breakers in cascading configuration is covered by the IEC 60947-2 standard.

Released for:Schneider Electric India