Otis Singleton
AIC, or Ampere Interrupting Capacity, is a rating that applies to protective interrupting devices such as circuit breakers and fuses. It indicates the maximum fault current that the device can safely interrupt without causing damage to equipment or personnel. This rating is important because it ensures that electrical equipment can withstand high fault currents without failing or causing unsafe conditions. When purchasing or using electrical equipment, it is crucial to consider the AIC rating to ensure it matches the specific application's requirements. This consideration helps prevent equipment damage and potential safety hazards.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What it means | A product with an AIC rating includes circuit protection |
| Products with AIC ratings | Meter mains, meter sockets |
| AIC rating range | 5K to 200K AIC |
| What AIC rating describes | The maximum fault current that the protective device can clear safely without welding closed or causing damage to equipment or personnel |
| AIC rating measurement | Amps RMS Symmetrical |
| Example | A device rated 10K AIC will interrupt current up to 10,000 Amps without shorting to ground or exposing live parts |
| SCCR rating | Applies to the product as a whole and what it can withstand |
| Metering products with no internal means of disconnect | May have an SCCR but will not have an AIC rating |
| AIC referred to as | Available Interrupting Current or Ampere Interrupting Rating |
| AIC application | Protective interrupting devices such as circuit breakers and fuses |
| Residential rating | Usually 10,000 amps due to utility rules |
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What You'll Learn
- AIC ratings are for protective devices like circuit breakers and fuses
- The rating indicates the maximum fault current the device can safely clear
- A higher AIC rating does not always mean a device is better
- A product's AIC rating is usually measured using Amps RMS Symmetrical
- SCCR and AIC are different but related concepts
AIC ratings are for protective devices like circuit breakers and fuses
AIC stands for Ampere Interrupting Capacity, also referred to as Available Interrupting Current or Ampere Interrupting Rating. It is a rating that applies to protective interrupting devices such as circuit breakers and fuses.
A product with an AIC rating includes circuit protection. For example, a meter main can have an AIC rating due to the breaker it houses. Products with an AIC rating typically range from 5k to 200k AIC. The AIC rating describes the maximum fault current that the protective device can clear safely without welding closed or causing damage to equipment or personnel. AIC ratings are measured using Amps RMS Symmetrical. For instance, a device rated 10k AIC will interrupt a current of up to 10,000 Amps without shorting to ground or exposing live parts.
Metering products that do not have an internal means of disconnect like a breaker or a fuse may have a Short-Circuit Current Rating (SCCR) but will not have an AIC rating. A Milbank U7040-XL-TG meter socket, for example, has been tested to a 30k peak but has no internal disconnect, and therefore no AIC rating.
The AIC rating should not be confused with the SCCR. While the AIC rating applies to the means of disconnect inside the product, the SCCR applies to the product as a whole and what it can withstand. A Milbank meter main, for instance, may have an AIC rating that applies to the breaker inside the meter main, while the SCCR applies to the entire meter main. The circuit breaker may have an AIC rating higher than the overall SCCR, but the SCCR cannot be higher than the circuit breaker AIC rating.
In residential areas, the AIC rating is usually 10,000 amps, but it can be 22,000 amps in cases where 10kA would cause too much voltage drop or parasitic loss.
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The rating indicates the maximum fault current the device can safely clear
AIC stands for Ampere Interrupting Capacity, also referred to as Available Interrupting Current or Ampere Interrupting Rating. It applies to protective interrupting devices such as circuit breakers and fuses.
The AIC rating indicates the maximum fault current that a device can safely clear. A product with an AIC rating includes circuit protection. For example, a meter main can have an AIC rating due to the breaker it houses. AIC ratings are measured using Amps RMS Symmetrical. A device rated 10K AIC will interrupt the current up to 10,000 Amps without shorting to ground or exposing live parts.
The AIC rating is important because it ensures that protective devices can handle the maximum fault current without failing. If the AIC rating is too low, the device may not function correctly, leading to equipment failure, fire risks, or arc flashes. In residential areas, the AIC rating is usually 10,000 amps, but it can be up to 22,000 amps in some cases.
It's important to note that the AIC rating is different from the Short-Circuit Current Rating (SCCR), which applies to the product as a whole and what it can withstand. A product may have both an SCCR and an AIC rating, with the AIC rating being higher. This means that the product can safely withstand a surge of up to the rated amperage, but the breaker will interrupt the current before it reaches that level to prevent damage to the device.
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A higher AIC rating does not always mean a device is better
AIC stands for Ampere Interrupting Capacity, also referred to as Ampere Interruption Rating or Available Interrupting Current. It is a rating given to protective interrupting devices such as circuit breakers and fuses. A product with an AIC rating includes circuit protection and can safely clear a certain maximum fault current without causing damage to equipment or personnel.
A higher AIC rating means that the device can handle a larger fault current without damage. However, this does not always mean that a device with a higher AIC rating is better. The AIC rating needs to be appropriate for the specific application and the level of fault current that needs to be interrupted.
For example, in residential applications, the AIC rating is typically 10,000 amps due to utility rules. A higher AIC rating, such as 22,000 amps, may be used in cases where 10,000 amps would cause too much voltage drop or parasitic loss. However, a higher AIC rating is not always necessary and may result in unnecessary costs.
Additionally, metering products that do not have an internal means of disconnect, such as a breaker or fuse, will not have an AIC rating. Instead, they will have a Short-Circuit Current Rating (SCCR) that applies to the product as a whole and what it can withstand. The SCCR of a product is separate from the AIC rating of the internal protective device, and it is important to consider both when selecting electrical equipment.
In summary, while a higher AIC rating indicates a higher capacity for interrupting fault currents, it is important to select a device with an appropriate AIC rating for the specific application. Other factors, such as cost and the presence of internal disconnects, also play a role in determining the best device for a given situation.
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A product's AIC rating is usually measured using Amps RMS Symmetrical
AIC stands for Ampere Interrupting Capacity, also referred to as Available Interrupting Current or Ampere Interrupting Rating. A product with an AIC rating includes circuit protection, such as a circuit breaker or fuse. This means that the AIC rating describes the maximum fault current that the protective device can clear safely without welding closed or causing damage to equipment or personnel.
Metering products that do not have an internal means of disconnect like a breaker or fuse may have a Short-Circuit Current Rating (SCCR) but will not have an AIC rating. A product with an AIC rating will typically range from 5k to 200k AIC.
It is important to note that the AIC rating applies to the means of disconnect inside the product, while SCCR looks at the product as a whole and what it can withstand. For example, a Milbank meter main may have an AIC rating on the breaker inside the meter main, while the SCCR applies to the entire meter main.
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SCCR and AIC are different but related concepts
Short-Circuit Current Rating (SCCR) and Ampere Interrupting Capacity (AIC) are two different concepts often used interchangeably, causing confusion. SCCR and AIC are indeed related, but they are not the same thing.
SCCR and AIC are both technical terms used in the context of electrical equipment, specifically metering products like meter mains and meter sockets. SCCR refers to the Short-Circuit Current Rating of a product, which means it considers the product as a whole and what it can withstand. In other words, SCCR describes the maximum fault current that a product can safely withstand without breaking down or causing immediate danger. For example, a meter socket with an SCCR of 10K should be able to withstand a three-cycle (1/20 of a second) surge of up to 10,000 Amps without failing.
On the other hand, AIC refers to Ampere Interrupting Capacity or Available Interrupting Current. AIC is a rating given to protective interrupting devices such as circuit breakers and fuses. A product with an AIC rating includes circuit protection. The AIC rating describes the maximum fault current that the protective device can safely interrupt or disconnect without causing damage to equipment or personnel. For instance, a device with a 10K AIC rating will interrupt the current flow when it reaches 10,000 Amps to prevent damage to the device.
To illustrate the difference, consider a Milbank meter main with an AIC rating of 10K and an SCCR of 10K. The AIC rating refers to the breaker inside the meter main, while the SCCR refers to the entire meter main. In this case, the breaker will interrupt the current when it reaches 10,000 Amps to protect the device, and the meter main as a whole can safely withstand a surge of up to 10,000 Amps.
It is important to note that metering products without an internal means of disconnect, such as a breaker or fuse, may have an SCCR but will not have an AIC rating.
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Frequently asked questions
AIC stands for Ampere Interrupting Capacity, also referred to as Available Interrupting Current or Ampere Interrupting Rating.
An AIC rating describes the maximum fault current that a protective device can clear without causing damage to equipment or personnel.
Electrical equipment that have internal means of disconnect like circuit breakers, fuses, and disconnects have an AIC rating.
