Instruction Sheet 465-501
June 1, 2020
© S&C Electric Company 2020, all rights reserved
VacuFuse™ Self-Resetting Interrupter—Quick Operation Guide
Outdoor Distribution (5 kV, 15 kV, and 25 kV)
Opening and Closing the VacuFuse Interrupter
The VacuFuse interrupter can be open or closed using the yellow OPEN/CLOSE lever. See
Figure 2. The VacuFuse interrupter will not drop out of the cutout mounting when in the
Open
position. It will remain upright until removed manually. Read and understand the
WARNING message in the “If the VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupter is Found Open”
section.
To Open
Push the notched side of the yellow OPEN/CLOSE lever up fi rmly using the straight
prong of the Talon tool or a distribution prong. The vacuum interrupter inside the
VacuFuse interrupter will open, and the green position indicator will display. See Figures
2 and 6.
To Close
Pull the ring of the yellow OPEN/CLOSE lever down fi rmly using the straight prong of
the Talon tool or a distribution prong. The vacuum interrupter inside the VacuFuse
interrupter will close, and the red position indicator will display. See Figures 2 and 5.
If the VacuFuse interrupter is closed into a fault, it will trip open independently of any
force still applied to the OPEN/CLOSE lever.
To Reset the OPEN/CLOSE lever after Manually Closing into Fault Current
If the VacuFuse interrupter is manually closed into fault current, it will trip open, leaving
the lever in the
Closed
position and the vacuum interrupter in the
Open
position. The
lever can be reset by operating it into the
Open
position. Then, if desired, close the
VacuFuse interrupter by pulling down on the OPEN/CLOSE lever.
Setting the MODE SELECTOR Lever
Before leaving the VacuFuse interrupter, verify the MODE SELECTOR lever is in the
desired position for the installation. The MODE SELECTOR lever has two positions.
When the lever is up, it is in
Auto
mode. When the lever is down, it in
NR
(Non-Reclose)
mode. To set the MODE SELECTOR lever, rotate it to the desired position with the straight
prong of a Talon tool or distribution prong.
Auto Mode
In
Auto
mode, the VacuFuse interrupter will respond to fault current in accordance with
its preset TCC curve. The VacuFuse interrupter will perform one
Reclosing
operation
(two
Trip
operations total) to lock open. The open interval between operations is a
user-specifi ed time between 0.5 and 5 seconds. The protection sequence reset time is a
user-specifi ed interval between 30 seconds and 15 minutes. If a fault persists to the end
of the protection sequence, the VacuFuse interrupter will remain in the
Open
position
until manually closed. The VacuFuse interrupter will not drop out and will remain
upright in the cutout mounting. The interrupter is in
Auto
mode when the curved label
on the MODE SELECTOR lever side of the housing is fully covered and when the label on
the base of the lever matches with the label on the bottom of the housing. See Figure 6.
NR Mode
In
NR
(Non-Reclose) mode, the VacuFuse interrupter will operate using the instantaneous
curve.
The VacuFuse interrupter will open and lock open and not attempt to reclose. The
VacuFuse interrupter is in
NR
mode when the red curved line on the side of the housing
is visible and the amber NR LED on the base of the interrupter is blinking at a 2-second
interval. See Figures 1 and 5 and the “Understanding the LED Indicators and Position
Indicators” section.
WARNING
VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupters must be installed, operated, and maintained
by qualified persons who are knowledgeable in overhead electric power distribution
equipment and the associated hazards. This guide is not a replacement for
adequate training and experience in safety procedures for this product. Read S&C
Instruction Sheet 465-500 thoroughly and carefully before installing or operating
your VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupter.
DANGER
VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupters may be energized from either side and in any
position. Always consider all parts live until de-energized, tested, and grounded.
If the VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupter is Found Open
WARNING
The VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupter is designed to protect distribution
transformers from internal and external fault current. A VacuFuse interrupter found
in the
Open position should not be closed using the OPEN/CLOSE lever until
the cause of the fault current has been determined and repaired. Closing without
repairing the fault could result in equipment damage, injury, or death.
After responding to an overcurrent event, in either the
Auto
or the
NR
mode, the
VacuFuse interrupter’s vacuum interrupter will open and the position indicator will
show a green target. See Figure 6. Opening the vacuum interrupter disconnects the
VacuFuse interrupter’s sensing and display functions from line power, and all LEDs
will be inoperative after one minute. If the VacuFuse interrupter is found in the
Open
position:
STEP 1.
Open and drop open, or remove the VacuFuse interrupter from its mounting if
required by utility practice, following the steps in “Installing and Removing a
VacuFuse Interrupter from the Cutout Mounting” section.
STEP 2.
Determine and resolve the cause of the fault.
STEP 3.
After determining the cause for the fault and making necessary repairs, install
the VacuFuse interrupter into its mounting as described in the “Closing the
VacuFuse Interrupter into the Cutout Mounting” section.
If Maintenance is to be Performed on the Transformer
STEP 1.
Open the VacuFuse interrupter by pushing up on the OPEN/CLOSE lever using
the straight prong of a Talon™ Handling Tool.
STEP 2.
Open and drop open or remove the VacuFuse interrupter from its mounting, if
required by utility practice, following the steps in “Installing and Removing
the VacuFuse Interrupter from the Cutout Mounting” section. This creates an
open gap. Depending on your utility’s standard practices, additional testing
or grounds may be required.
STEP 3.
Follow the utility’s standard practice for performing transformer maintenance.
After maintenance has been completed, install the VacuFuse interrupter into its
mounting following the steps in “Installing and Removing a VacuFuse Interrupter from
the Cutout Mounting” section.
Figure 1. The VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupter—MODE SELECTOR lever side
Figure 2. The VacuFuse Self-Resetting Interrupter—OPEN/CLOSE lever side.
Pull-ring
Jaw-end
contact
Hinge-end
contact
Trunnion
Hand grip
To open, push the
OPEN/ CLOSE lever up
until the green indicator
displays.
To close, pull the
ring down until the red
indicator displays.
MODE SELECTOR
Lever in NR mode
OPEN/CLOSE lever
(Open shown)
