Temperature Rise Certification
The second most important test certification, yes the panel Test Certification, the test you go witness at the Factory is Third, Yes Third. It's because you can witness them.
SCC & TRC Certifications are ones you can't witness so ensure they are correct, compliant and in place. It's a Switchboard MUST.
Temperature Rise, remember I^2R Losses. Yes, good. We have mainly Copper, Breakers and Cable Connections, so what do we get? Heat & yes lots of it.
So what do we need? Temperature Rise Certification to prove it can run at those Current Ratings specified within the temperature limits of the equipment, simples. A must surely?
Ensure your manufacturer, has them, I bet you 90% don't. Yes that's 90%
Here's how to wise up:
TRC - Your Full Switchboard Checklist
You will see an example of a Certificate as shown below, this is what we need to look for:
1 - Who Tested it, google the certifier ensure they exist
Examples are KEEMA, ASTA, there are many others, also bare in mind manufacturers may well have their own in-house test station
2 - Busbar Sizing, this will vary but you have to ensure all the Main Busbars (Horizontals & Droppers) meet the detailed test certification, ensure it matches your panels mains busbar. That also you need to ensure the manufacturer's product on the certificate matches your panel.
Example's - Current Rating, 630A, 800A, 1250A, 1600A, 2000A, etc, all the way up to 6300A, typically.
3 - Incomers and Outgoing Devices - This doesn't have to be on one certificate it can be more than one, but this is what you need from the certificate(s)
Mains Incomers - Essentially it must match your incomer values with the busbar rating of your requirements
Outgoing ways (Individual) - Each outgoing way must be tested individually to its maximum current value within its compartment
Outgoing Ways (Tier of Various) - The manufacturer should have chosen the worst case scenario for an example of outgoing ways that suit a full tier or stack of their switchboard arrangements this will demonstrate a variant of breakers in a tier or in a switchboard and is a typed tested solution, hence the trying to offer worst case on the test.
The certification is essential, why? Because these panels are essentially giant heaters, therefore I^2R losses are high which is down to the switchboard manufacturer to prove it doesn't overheat beyond manufacturers limits, both copper and breakers. I have been to switchboards you can't touch with your hand and just because the breaker says 100A or 4000A, doesn't mean in all cases it will achieve this deliverance, all breakers and busbar have temperature limits which must be adhered to and tested within the manufacturer's enclosure. Just check out what Schneider can get out of their small 4000A ACB, its just over 3600A? How does that make sense? I have tested breakers big and small, I have achieved 4000A where Schneider haven't, it literally took months of testing, but it proved the importance of Temperature Rise Testing
Temperature Rise is hugely overlooked and it's massively important.
This isn't just ElecSpec Compliant this is British Standard & European Norm compliant.