UL 508A Industrial Control Panels: © 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved

UL 508A
Industrial Control Panels
© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved.

Objectives
 Who is UL?
 UL508A Origin
 Current emphasis on UL508A
 What is the UL 508A Standard?
 Implementation of the Standard
 Component Selection
 Short Circuit Current Ratings
 Q&A
© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 2

Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
On January 1, 2012, Underwriters Laboratories

transformed from a non-profit organization to a for-profit
company in the U.S.
A new subsidiary named simply UL LLC, a limited liability

corporation, took over Underwriters Laboratories’ product
testing and certification business.

UL Standards-Setting
Safety standards are written documents that outline the

process in which a product is tested to help mitigate risk,
injury or danger. UL is a standard-setting organization.
UL Standards development covers more than just

products; it also includes testing of systems and
services.

UL Standards-Setting
A standard is developed in cooperation with a Standards

Technical (STP).
An STP is a group of individuals, representing a variety

of interests, formed to review proposals related to UL
Standards for Safety. Members are manufacturers,
product representatives, consulting engineers, and
others who are interested in the standard; UL has one
member. Each member has one vote.
Standards are developed by consensus.

UL Testing
OSHA created and administers the NRTL program. UL is

a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL),
recognized under OSHA’s NRTL program.
UL tests products and methods to assure safety and

compatibility with a standard. Testing may be for UL
standards and for others, e.g., IEC.

UL508A Standard
 UL508A Origin, Title: Industrial Control Panels
First edition 2001
Latest: Second Edition, December 2013
 Current emphasis
NFPA 70, The National Electrical Code
(NEC), made reference to the UL508A
standard in the 2005 edition. The new Article
409, titled “Industrial Control Panels”, was introduced.
 UL508A definition:
“2.27 INDUSTRIAL CONTROL PANEL FOR GENERAL USE – A
control panel intended to be installed in accordance with the general
use requirements in Chapter 4 of the National Electrical Code,
ANSI/NFPA 70.”

NEC 2017 Definition
Industrial Control Panel. An assembly of two or more
components consisting of one of the following:
(1) power circuit components only, such as motor controllers,
overload relays, fused disconnect switches, and circuit
breakers;
(2) control circuit components only, such as push buttons, pilot
lights, selector switches, timers, switches, and control relays;
(3) a combination of power and control circuit components.
These components, with associated wiring and terminals, are

mounted on, or contained within, an enclosure or mounted on
a subpanel.
Source: NEC 2017

NEC 409.110 Marking
An industrial control panel shall be marked with the

following information that is plainly visible after
installation:
(1) Manufacturer's name, trademark, or other
descriptive marking by which the organization
responsible for the product can be identified.
(2) Supply voltage, number of phases, frequency, and
full-load current for each incoming supply circuit.
Source: NEC 2017

NEC 409.110 Marking (contd.)
(4) Short-circuit current rating of the industrial control
panel based on one of the following:
a. Short-circuit current rating of a listed and labeled
assembly
b. Short-circuit current rating established utilizing an
approved method
Informational Note: ANSI/UL 508A, Standard for
Industrial Control Panels, Supplement SB, is an
example of an approved method.
Exception to (4): Short-circuit current rating markings
are not required for industrial control panels containing
only control circuit components.
Source: NEC 2017

UL 508A
Industrial Control Panels are rated:
1000V or less
40C ambient
UL 508A Standard does not include:
Panels for Hazardous Locations “NRBX” which are
covered under UL698A
Panels Containing Intrinsic Safety Barriers and Intended
for Circuits in Hazardous Areas

UL 508A – The Standard
 The Standard Covers…
 Industrial Control Panel Assemblies which may contain:
 Motor controllers
 Overload relays
 Fused Disconnects / Circuit Breakers
 Buttons, Switches, Timers & Controllers
 Wiring
 Terminals
 Enclosures
 Four Parts
 Part 1 – General Use
 Part 2 – Specific Use
 Part 3 – Specific Component Requirements
 Part 4 – Short Circuit Current Ratings

How is equipment SCCR determined?
1. Short-circuit testing in high power laboratory

Tested and listed to UL product standard
2. Analysis methods (for device or apparatus)

Example: UL 508A Industrial Control Panel product
standard, Supplement SB

UL 508A – Circuit Type Definitions
PART 1 – GENERAL USE
INDUSTRIAL CONTROL PANELS SCCR applies to POWER
CIRCUIT devices, not
 2.38 POWER CIRCUIT – CONTROL CIRCUIT
Conductors and components of devices.
branch and feeder circuits.
Exception: SCCR also
• Supply LOADS - Motor, Lighting,
applies to the overcurrent
Heating, Appliances, etc. protective device
protecting the primary
side of the control
 2.11 CONTROL CIRCUIT – A transformer or power
circuit that carries the electric supply.
signals directing the performance
See SB3.2.1
of a controller, and which does not
carry the main power circuit. A
control circuit is, in most cases,
limited to 15 amperes.

UL 508A – Transformer Type Definitions
INDUSTRIAL CONTROL
PANELS
KEY QUESTION:
• 2.39 POWER TRANSFORMER –
Does the transformer feed a
A transformer whose secondary load outside the panel?
winding supplies power to loads or
a combination of loads and control ? If YES – Power
circuit devices operating at the Transformer, considered in
Panel SCCR
secondary voltage.
If NO – Control
Transformer, not considered
External
• 2.12 CONTROL TRANSFORMER Load
in Panel SCCR
– A transformer whose secondary

supplies power to control circuit
devices only (excluding loads).

UL 508A – Transformer Type Definitions
 Control Circuit vs. Power Circuit

UL 508A – Circuit Location Definitions
INDUSTRIAL CONTROL Fuses in
Disconnect Feeder
PANELS
• 2.18 FEEDER CIRCUIT – The
Power
conductors and circuitry on the Distribution Feeder
Block
supply side of the branch circuit
overcurrent protective device.
• 2.3 BRANCH CIRCUIT – The Circuit Branch
conductors and components Breakers
following the last overcurrent

protective device protecting a Motor
Controllers
Branch
load.
Load Load Load

Example Panel
Fuses on
Transformer
Primary
SCCR also applies to
Feeder theFuse
overcurrent
on
Transformer
Circuit protective
Secondary device
Breaker
protecting the primary
side of the control
Feeder
Power
transformer or power
Distribution supply.
Block
Branch Branch Branch Branch

Exception: Secondary
circuits operating at 24
vdc maximum and
Circuit
Breakers supplied from a source
with a maximum output
power of 100 VA, shall
be considered control
circuits.
Type F Self-
Protected
Starters
Soft Starters See SB3.2.1
Loads
Summary
Power circuit components are

evaluated when determining SCCR
for an industrial control panel:
Any device in the panel that is either
• in a circuit path that leads to an
external load, or
• any overcurrent protective device
on the transformer/power supply
primary

Component Ratings
Remember, the panel SCCR is determined

based on the rating of the components inside or
on the panel.
Which component ratings are used?

• For overcurrent protective devices: Interrupting rating
• For other devices: Component SCCR

Component SCCRs – Standard Fault
Component Standard Fault

• This is the minimum rating that
electrical components are required to
have attained when tested with an
OCPD.
• If standard fault ratings are
unknown, UL allows a default rating
to be used.
• Standard fault ratings can be used
when rating panels, but are often too
low for those who want to achieve an
adequate panel SCCR.
• Standard fault ratings are usually
found on the product label.

Component SCCRs – High Fault
SB2.2 HIGH FAULT SHORT CIRCUIT CURRENT RATING – Marked short circuit
current rating of a motor controller that is greater than the standard fault short circuit
current rating.
•High fault ratings will include a
maximum ampacity and may
include a specific type of OCPD
for the short circuit protective
device.
• High fault ratings can be found
either on the product or in
instructions (not on UL’s website).
• Procedures may have to be
modified to include the reference
high fault info.
Product Rating Label of XTCE012B Contactor

Combination Ratings – Motor Starter &
Contactor
Component High Fault

Component SCCR - PDBs
Component High Fault
PDBFS220 (4 – 14 Load Side

Conductors) – 100kA with 175A
Class J fuse or less
Note: If used in
feeder circuits,
power distribution
blocks must have
feeder circuit
spacing – typically
a Listed (not
Recognized) power
distribution block
is required.

UL 508A SB Method for Determining Panel SCCR
SB4.4
1. Determine the SCCR of each
branch circuit.
2. Determine the SCCR for each Feeder
feeder component.
3. Identify the interrupting rating for
each overcurrent protective Feeder
device.
4. The panel SCCR is the lowest
Primary
value from steps 1-3. Protection
Branch
Let’s take a closer look at step 1….
Branch

1. Determine the SCCR for each branch
circuit:
a) Identify the component SCCR of
each device in the branch circuit
(SB4.2) Feeder
b) Determine if branch component

SCCR can be effectively raised
using feeder components (SB4.3) Feeder
2. Determine the SCCR for each feeder
component.
Primary
3. Identify the interrupting rating for each Protection
4. The panel SCCR is the lowest value
Branch
from steps 1-3
Let’s take a closer look at step 1 a)…. Branch

SCCR of Individual Power Circuit Components
Short Circuit Current Ratings of Individual
Power Circuit (Feeder or Branch) Components
(SB4.2)
• The SCCR marked on the component or on
instructions.
• The SCCR determined by the voltage rating of the
component and the assumed short circuit current
from Table SB4.1. 22kA 100kA 100kA
or
• The short circuit current rating for a component that Previously only
indicated high fault
has been investigated in accordance with the ratings for motor
performance requirements, including short circuit test controllers (UL
requirements for standard fault currents or high fault 508) applied, now
can be any feeder or
currents specified in the associated product standard,
branch component.
and described in the manufacturer’s Procedure.

Short Circuit Current Ratings of Individual
Power Circuit Components (SB4.2)
SB4.2.3
• A high fault short circuit current rating for a
motor controller, an overload relay, or a
combination motor controller, as specified in
SB4.2.2 (a) or (c), shall only be used as the 22kA 100kA 100kA
short circuit current rating of the component

when the specified branch circuit protective
device is provided.

circuit:
a) Identify the component SCCR’s
of each device in the branch
circuit (SB4.2) Feeder

2. Determine the SCCR for each feeder
component.
Primary
Branch
from steps 1-3
Let’s take a closer look at step 1 b)…. Branch
100kA 100kA
22kA

Branch component SCCR can be
effectively raised by components in the
feeder by the following four methods
(SB4.3)
• SB4.3.1 Use of an upstream power Feeder
transformer in the feeder circuit.

• SB4.3.2 Use of an upstream current
limiting circuit breaker in the feeder Feeder
circuit.
Primary
limiting fuse in the feeder circuit. Protection
limiting breaker or fuse supplied in the
Branch
field when the panel is marked per
SB5.1.3.
Let’s take a closer look at each… Branch
100kA 100kA
22kA

SB4.3.1
• For feeder and branch components and overcurrent Primary
devices supplied by a power transformer with an isolated OCPD IR
secondary winding, the short circuit current rating on the

line side of the transformer shall be one of the following: Feeder
Fault Current Branch OCPD Branch RESULTING SCCR Fault

(Calculated or from Interrupting Component
Table SB4.3 or 4.4) Rating SCCR
Is the fault current Resulting SCCR equals Branch

Branch
less than or equal
to…
YES YES the interrupting rating of
the primary OCPD
IR
Is the fault current Resulting SCCR equals

less than or equal
to…
NO YES the interrupting rating of
the branch OCPD Component
Branch
SCCR
Is the fault current Resulting SCCR equals
less than or equal NO NO the lower branch OCPD or
to… component IR/SCCR
Not used in our panel
example…
Let’s look at an illustrated example on the next page…

200kA
Example…
• Downstream component SCCR = 5kA
• Primary side overcurrent protective device has an
IR:
interrupt rating of 200kA 200kA
• Single phase 3000VA transformer with 120V

secondary Fault:
1.2kA
• 5kA > 1.2kA, thus this circuit is considered 200kA.
IR:
10kA
SCCR:
5kA

SB4.3.3
• For branch circuits supplied by a Class CC, Feeder
IR
G, J, L, RK1, RK5, or T in the feeder circuit:
• Determine the “peak let-through current” at a
Feeder
given prospective fault current from Table
SB4.2 LT
• Compare the peak let-through to the
component SCCR, if the peak let-through is
less than the component SCCR, adjust to the Branch
IR/SCCR Branch
component SCCR to the prospective fault
current.
• Compare adjusted component SCCR to Branch
Component
IR/SCCR – lower of the two is the branch circuit SCCR
Branch
SCCR.

LPJ 100-600A
1200

Excerpt from Table SB4.2
Example: 100kA fault current, 200A class J feeder
Scenario 1 Scenario 2 Scenario 3
IR: IR: IR:

200kA 200kA 200kA
LT: LT: LT:

20kA 20kA 30kA
14kA 100kA 200kA
IR: IR: IR:

65kA 200kA 200kA
SCCR: SCCR: SCCR:

22kA 22kA 100kA
Ip at 200kA = 30kA
We will use Scenario 2 for our panel example…
circuit:
of each device in the branch

200kA
2. Determine the SCCR for each feeder 100kA
component.
Primary
Branch
from steps 1-3
Branch
© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 65kA 200kA 200kA

36
circuit:
of each device in the branch 200kA

200kA
using feeder components (SB4.3) 200kA
Feeder
component.
Primary
4. The panel SCCR is the lowest value 65kA
Branch
from steps 1-3 200kA 200kA
Branch

37
65kA
circuit:
of each device in the branch 200kA

200kA
using feeder components (SB4.3) 200kA
Feeder
component.
Primary
3. Identify the interrupt rating for each Protection
4. The panel SCCR is the lowest value 65kA
Branch
from steps 1-3 200kA 200kA
Branch

38
Applying External Current Limiting
Feeder
200kA Feeder
Machine XYZ
ABC Company Serial No: 1234567
65kA
123 Main St, City, ST 01234

Model: XZY123
Volts 480/277 Phase 3 Frequency 60Hz
200kA
Max HP 50 FLA 124
100kA Feeder
SCCR SYM: 65kA WHEN FED BY
200 AMP CLASS J FUSE.
Primary
UL Protection
65kA
200kA 200kA
Branch
100kA 100kA
22kA Branch
65kA 200kA 200kA

UL Link For Short-Circuit Ratings
https://industries.ul.com/industrial-systems-and-
components/industrial-control-products-and-
systems/short-circuit-current-ratings-for-combination-
motor-controller-components
Or
https://UL.com
Search: Short circuit ratings of industrial control panels

Component Description Combination Motor Controller Ratings
Database Current
Construction Type
Identification Number Rating, Enclosure
Component Type Complete Part Number of Full Load Number of FLA or Volume, cubic
Abbreviation Manufacturer Name Number Voltage, V Phases SCCR, kA Current, A Hp Rating Voltage, V Phases SCCR, kA FLA/LRA Hp Rating inches
MSP Eaton XTPR1P6BC1 600Y347 3 50 1.3 3/4
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 600 3 5 3.9 3
XTITF1 F 600Y347 3 35 1.3 3/4 257
ACC(ADAPTOR) Eaton XTPAXLSA 600 3 -- -- --

MSP Eaton XTPR1P6BC1 480Y277 3 50 1.6 3/4
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 480 3 5 4.8 3
XTITF2 F 480Y277 3 35 1.6 3/4 257

MSP Eaton XTPR2P5BC1 600Y347 3 50 2.4 1 1/2
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 600 3 5 3.9 3
XTITF3 F 600Y347 3 35 2.4 1 1/2 257

MSP Eaton XTPR2P5BC1 480Y277 3 50 2.1 1
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 480 3 5 4.8 3
XTITF4 F 480Y277 3 35 2.1 1 257

MSP Eaton XTPR2P5BC1 240 3 50 2.2 1/2
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 240 3 5 6 1 1/2
XTITF5 F 240 3 35 2.2 1/2 257

MSP Eaton XTPR2P5BC1 200 3 50 2.5 1/2
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 200 3 5 4.8 1
XTITF6 F 200 3 35 2.5 1/2 257

MSP
MC
Eaton
Eaton
XTPR004BC1
E111A06X3N
600Y347
600
3
3
50
5
3.9
3.9
3
3
ACC
XTITF7 F 600Y347 3 35 3.9 3 257

MSP Eaton XTPR004BC1 480Y277 3 50 3.4 2
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 480 3 5 4.8 3
XTITF8 F 480Y277 3 35 3.4 2 257
XTITF9 F
MSP
MC
Eaton
Eaton
XTPR004BC1
E111A06X3N
240
240
3
3
50
5
3.2
6
3/4
1 1/2 MSP
240 3 35 3.2 3/4 257

MSP Eaton XTPR004BC1 200 3 50 3.7 3/4
MC Eaton E111A06X3N 200 3 5 4.8 1
XTITF10 F 200 3 35 3.7 3/4 257
MC
Questions?
© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved.

David.Bredhold@cieng.com

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UL 508A

Industrial Control Panels

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved.

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 2

On January 1, 2012, Underwriters Laboratories

A new subsidiary named simply UL LLC, a limited liability

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 3

Safety standards are written documents that outline the

UL Standards development covers more than just

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 4

A standard is developed in cooperation with a Standards

An STP is a group of individuals, representing a variety

Standards are developed by consensus.

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 5

OSHA created and administers the NRTL program. UL is

UL tests products and methods to assure safety and

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 6

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 7

These components, with associated wiring and terminals, are

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 8

An industrial control panel shall be marked with the

Source: NEC 2017

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 9

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 10

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 11

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 12

1. Short-circuit testing in high power laboratory

2. Analysis methods (for device or apparatus)

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 13

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 14

– A transformer whose secondary

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 15

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 16

following the last overcurrent

Load Load Load

Branch Branch Branch Branch

Power circuit components are

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 19

Remember, the panel SCCR is determined

Which component ratings are used?

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 20

Component Standard Fault

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 21

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 22

Component High Fault

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 23

Component High Fault

PDBFS220 (4 – 14 Load Side

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 24

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 25

b) Determine if branch component

Let’s take a closer look at step 1 a)…. Branch

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 26

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 27

short circuit current rating of the component

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 28

b) Determine if branch component

Let’s take a closer look at step 1 b)…. Branch

© 2016 Eaton. All Rights Reserved. 29