Fundamentals #4: How to Test Voltage Elements Inside IEDs/Relays Online Seminar (16 NETA CTDs)

The How to Test Voltage Protection in IEDS/Relays Online Training Seminar shows you how to connect, understand, and test Over- and Under-Voltage elements in IEDs/Relays with Wye, Open-Delta, and Broken Delta connections.

This is the last seminar in our Relay Testing Fundamentals Online Training series, which sets you up to test more advanced element tests with detailed information about three-phase, phase-to-phase, and phase-to-ground faults and symmetrical components.

How it Works:

This online seminar contains over 13 hours of videos (usually less than 15 minutes each) that you can watch at your own pace in any order with an internet connection. You have unlimited, 24/7 access to all the videos with no expiration date. Each video has closed captioning, fast-forward/rewind/play speed controls, and you can revisit the videos whenever you wish. You can learn how to use these features by clicking the Get Help menu at the top of every page.

We try to follow a “Show, Don’t Tell” philosophy in all our videos and use realistic conditions as much as possible. You can watch the instructor test different relays with different test-sets and explain what he is doing every step of the way. We didn’t cut out the mistakes he made while testing and creating the settings, so you will also see how to troubleshoot problems when they happen.

We encourage you to ask questions in the comments below each video. If you are asking about something specific in the video, please add the timestamp in the video where your question came from so that we can get you answers more quickly.

You will receive a certificate of achievement when you complete all of the topics and lessons in the seminar that you may use for continuing education credits with your organization. Please let us know if you need any help getting accreditation with your organization. We will do the best we can to help you.

We have applied for 16 NETA Continuing Technical Development Credits (CTDs) from the International Electrical Testing Association (NETA). We have no control over NETA and their approval process, but they have approved all of our previous classes for pre-approved credits. The approval process usually takes six to nine months. You can still use the certificate for your CTDs, but they will need to be approved by NETA on a case by case basis and approval is not guaranteed.

What’s in this Seminar?

You can expand the lessons below to see a detailed list of all topics with a little more detail in each section below:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Voltage Transformers (PTs or VTs)

This seminar starts with an introduction to VTs, PTs, and CVTs; like we did in the Fundamentals 2: How to Test Overcurrent Relays: An Introduction to Protective Relaying online seminar. Then we start digging into how phasor measurements are made in the power system so that you can understand what a phasor designation like VAB measures on the power system, which will help you test higher level protective elements like directional overcurrent. Then we show you how to simulate proper three-phase, phase-phase, and phase-ground fault voltages so that you can build test plans that modern IEDs/relays will recognize so they operate correctly during your element tests…without changing settings!

Lesson 2: How to Test OverVoltage (59-Element) Protection Inside an IED/Relay

As usual, we start with the theory behind OverVoltage (59) elements, why they are applied, what their settings look like, and the logic behind the relay elements. Then we show you how to apply all four fundamental tests to 59-Elements inside IEDs/Relays. (Linear Ramp, Pulse Ramp, Timing Test, and Dynamic Pickup/Timing Test)

Lesson 3: Symmetrical Components for Relay Testers

All modern digital relays measure Positive, Negative, and/or Zero sequence components to determine what kind of fault is occurring so it can respond correctly. Most sequence component lessons focus on fault calculations, but relay testers don’t need to know how to calculate faults. So we focus on the symmetrical component patterns that occur during faults and how to recognize them. You can’t calculate sequence components without knowing how to add and multiply phasors, so we show you how to perform basic phasor math in this lesson as well. The rest of the lesson includes a quick history of symmetrical components, why they exist (or do they?), how to calculate them, and multiple ways to test positive, negative, and zero sequence OverVoltage elements inside IEDs. This lesson also sets you up for success in future element-testing seminars like directional overcurrent and impedance.

Lesson 4: How to Test UnderVoltage Elements (27)

This lesson starts with the theory behind UnderVoltage (27) elements, why they are applied, what their settings look like, and the logic behind the relay elements. Then we show you how to apply all four fundamental tests to 27-Elements inside IEDs/Relays. (Linear Ramp, Pulse Ramp, Timing Test, andDynamic Pickup/Timing Test)

Lesson 5: How to Test IEDs/Relays With Delta PT Connections

Open Delta VTs allow equipment owners to get a good idea about what’s happening on the power system for two-thirds the cost of a standard wye VT configuration, which means they are probably the most popular VT configurations outside of substations. Weirdly, there’s not that much information about them out there…and most relay testers I have in my in-person classes don’t notice that the phasors on an open-delta connected relay meter test should look very different. We take a deep dive into open-delta VTs in this lesson and:

• see how they are connected,
• what phasors should look like if they are connected correctly (and incorrectly),
• how to simulate this configuration correctly with a modern test-set (hint: you use all THREE voltage channels, not two), and
• how to test the 59- and 27-elements inside IEDs/relays connected to open-delta VTs.

We also show you the caveman test-set connections that will let you simulate a balanced three-phase power system with two voltage channels, and a three-phase balanced power system and single-phase synch input with three voltage channels.

Lesson 6: How to Test IEDs/Relays With Wye/Broken-Delta VT Connections

Wye/Broken-Delta connected VTs (or Open-Corner Delta PTs) allow protection and control devices to detect ground faults on delta power systems. In this lesson, we explain why that’s important, what happens during a phase-ground fault on a delta power system, how to make sure the VTs and relay are rated properly for the application, and how to test the 59N relays or elements inside IEDs/relays connected to broken-delta VTs.

Continuing Education Credits

You will get a certificate of achievement when you complete all of the topics and lessons in the seminar that you can use for continuing education credits with your organization. Please let us know if you need any help getting accreditation with your organization. We will do the best we can to help you.

This course is eligible for 16 NETA Continuing Technical Development Credits (CTDs). NETA Certified Technicians (Level III and Level IV) are required to earn a minimum of 48 CTDs every three years to maintain their certification. For more information about the CTD program and requirements, please contact the NETA office at neta@netaworld.org or 888-300-6382.

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