Simplifying electrical design compliance
August 2026
Electrical Power & Protection
Electrical safety and compliance are becoming increasingly important in industrial environments across Africa, especially as operations expand and electrical systems become more complex. One area that is often overlooked is short-circuit current rating (SCCR): the maximum fault current an electrical system can safely withstand without catastrophic failure. Choosing the wrong SCCR can result in equipment damage, safety risks, costly downtime and non-compliance with global standards.
Determining SCCR for an entire system can be complex and time-consuming. It requires assessing multiple components with different ratings, while recognising that the overall system rating is limited by the lowest-rated component.
Adrian van Wyk, managing director of Referro Systems.
Rockwell Automation’s Global SCCR Tool is a web-based solution designed to simplify this process. Engineers can enter application details such as motor control category, starter combination type, motor voltage, circuit protection type, motor protection and short-circuit coordination level requirements. The tool then identifies tested equipment combinations that meet the required power range, from as low as 0,25 kW to 1 500 kW, up to 690 V AC and with fault levels as high as 100 kA at 50 Hz/60 Hz.
For more information contact Referro Systems, +27 12 349 1297, [email protected], www.referro.co.za
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