What type of fault does a reclosure lock out on?

A reclosure lockout is designed to respond to a specific type of fault condition in the electrical system. The correct choice indicates that the lockout activates in response to a permanent fault.

Permanent faults are those conditions where the circuitry has been damaged or broken in such a way that normal operation cannot continue until the fault is cleared and repairs have been made. This may result from a short circuit due to downed lines, equipment failure, or other permanent damage to the system components.

The function of the reclosure lockout is to prevent a device from attempting to re-energize the circuit after a fault has been detected, ensuring safety and preventing further damage. Temporary or transient faults, on the other hand, can be momentary disturbances that may resolve without the need for intervention, allowing systems to reset or restore on their own. A reclosure mechanism may reset in the case of these types of faults, which is why it is essential to distinguish between fault types.

In summary, the reclosure lockout mechanism operates specifically on permanent faults to ensure that the system is not re-energized until the fault condition that caused the disruption has been resolved.