Current Transformer Burden Ammeter

Current Transformer Burden Ammeter is a rugged, portable instrument, designed to field-test current transformer installations for:
_ short-circuited secondary turns
_ short-circuited primary turns
_ short-circuited secondary wiring
_ high-resistance connections in the secondary circuit
_ grounding of secondary winding when mounted on a grounded structure
_ grounding of a normally ungrounded wire

APPLICATIONS
Within the accuracy limits of the CT, a good current transformer should not have a noticeable change in ratio when a secondary burden is added. This is because the primary effect of additional burden on a good CT is a rise in the secondary voltage.

However, if one or more turns of a CT are shorted, a substantial amount of the total available ampere-turns is diverted into the shunt path created by the short. Thus, the current to the circuit connected to the CT is less than
the CT’s total secondary current.

Therefore, when the proper burden within the ammeter is added in series with the circuit connected to a good CT, the current indicated by the ammeter should only decrease a few percent.

However, in a bad CT, the additional burden will cause even more current to be diverted into the shorted turn(s). This will cause the current indicated on the ammeter to decrease significantly. This sudden and large decrease in the ammeter reading will be seen immediately whenever the burden is added by using the switch.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

_ Multi range ammeter incorporating switch-selected burdens

_ The burdens are normally shorted out, but can be put in series with the ammeter by a spring-loaded momentary switch

_ Designed to ensure that the secondary of the CT under test will not be accidentally opened; make-before-break construction used for ammeter range and burden selector switches

_ The instrument is housed in a rugged, moulded-plastic case. All leads extend away from the user to prevent contact with live components.

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