Solar Lattice

Concept

Current transformer operation

ID
concept:current-transformer-operation
IRI
https://solarlattice.org/kb/concept/current-transformer-operation
Status
active
Also known as
CT ratio, how CTs work, current transformer, CT, CTR, Current transformer ratio
Category
Monitoring
Concept kind
electrical

A current transformer (CT) scales a large conductor current down to a small current that an instrument can safely measure. For example, 1,000 A on the primary side can be measured as 5 A in the secondary circuit. When a CT is placed around a live wire, the current in that wire induces a current in the CT's secondary winding. This secondary current is proportional to the primary current, and the meter calculates its measurements from it. The turns ratio is the scale factor that links the measured secondary current to the actual conductor current. Some CTs have taps so the ratio can be matched to the operating current. The meter or controller must be set to the ratio of the CT that is actually installed. On one export power manager, a 1000:5 A CT is entered as 200:1. Gateways in PV and battery systems use CT readings to report energy production and consumption. If the CT ratio setting is wrong, the readings are wrong, and protective relays can raise a bad-CT-ratio alarm. How well a CT performs depends on the burden on its secondary, which is set by the wiring, the connected impedances and the relay or meter. In transformer differential protection, CTs are often connected in delta on the transformer's wye side and in wye on its delta side, so the CT currents match the transformer's phase shift.

<!-- review notes

Claims

explains

c2 drafted · lead Meter CT ratio misconfiguration

The device must be set to the CT ratio actually installed. A relay alarm flags a CT ratio setting that may be wrong.

review note: support check: partial - Passages give a CT ratio setting and a BAD.CT.RATIO alarm, but the 'meter' misconfiguration link and that device must match installed CT are only loosely implied.

related_to

c3 drafted · lead Current sensor

c4 drafted · lead Consumption metering proposed

The gateway uses CT readings to report consumption.

c5 drafted · lead PV production metering proposed

The gateway uses CT readings to report production.

c6 drafted · lead Solis Export Power Manager

Has a CT ratio setting from 20:1 to 9900:1.

review note: support check: partial - The CT ratio range 20:1 to 9900:1 is stated for a meter setting, but the passage doesn't name the Solis Export Power Manager.

Referenced by

Data