# 3 Phase Short Circuit Current Vs. 3 Phase Fault Current



## katag (Oct 23, 2012)

I understand that 3 phase faults are balanced faults and that when analyzing you can reduce to single phase. One NCEES 132 we use the equivalent impedance and the phase voltage to find the 3 phase fault current. On NCEES 513 and 530 we are asked for 3 phase short circuit current and use per unit or MVA method to find the answer. I guess my question is am I ok to assume that fault current and short circuit current are the same thing? Is the reason that we solve the first question using I=V/R and the second two using MVA/Per Unit is because of the way the impedances and information is given? Getting close to test time and feel like I am starting to over-think and over-analyze everything, even semantics. I just want to make sure that when I see either of those phrases on the test I know which method to use.

Thanks! Good luck to all!


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## Flyer_PE (Oct 24, 2012)

Typically, short circuit and fault are interchangeable terms.


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