Project Title:

Password based circuit breaker

2
By Rai Usman Haider
Email: [email protected]
1, 2
School of Electrical Engineering, University of
Faisalabad, Pakistan

Abstract:
A circuit breaker is an automatically operated electrical switch designed to protect an
electrical circuit from damage caused by overload or short circuit. Its basic function is to detect a
fault condition and interrupt current flow. Unlike a fuse, which operates once and then must be
replaced, a circuit breaker can be reset (either manually or automatically) to resume normal
operation. When operated manually we see fatal electrical accidents to the line man are
increasing during the electric line repair due to the lack of communication and coordination
between the maintenance staff and the electric substation staff. In order to avoid such accidents,
the breaker can be so designed such that only authorized person can operate it with a password.
Here, there is also a provision of changing the password. The system is fully controlled by the 8
bit microcontroller of 16f877A family. The password is stored in an EEPROM, interfaced to the
microcontroller and the password can be changed any time unlike a fixed one burnt permanently
on to the microcontroller. A keypad is used to enter the password and a relay to open or close
circuit breaker, which is indicated by a lamp. Any wrong attempt to open the breaker (by
entering the wrong password) an alert will be actuated, indicated by another lamp. Index terms:
Resistors, Capacitors, Diodes, Transistors, Voltage regulator, Rectifier, Microcontroller,
EEPROM, Relay, Relay Driver
Introduction:
Nowadays, electrical accidents to the line man are increasing, while repairing the electrical lines
due to the lack of communication between the electrical substation and maintenance staff. This
project gives a solution to this problem to ensure line man safety. In this proposed system the
control (ON/OFF) of the electrical lines lies with line man. This project is arranged in such a way
that maintenance staff or line man has to enter the password to ON/OFF the electrical line. Now
if there is any fault in electrical line then line man will switch off the power supply to the line by
entering password and comfortably repair the electrical line, and after coming to the substation
line man switch on the supply to the particular line by entering the password

Key Features:
• In this project we are easily break the load by keypad.

• This proposed system provides a solution, which can ensure the safety of the maintenance
staff e.g. line man.

• This system has an arrangement such that a password is required to operate the circuit
breaker (ON/OFF).

• Line man can turn off the supply and comfortably repair it, and return to the substation,
then turn on the line by entering the correct password

Study Required:
• Interfacing of PIC microcontroller

• Interfacing of LCD

• Interfacing of Relays

• Interfacing of Keypad

• MicroC

• Proteus
Hardware Requirement:
• Lm7805,7812

• Capacitors

• Crystal 4MHZ

• Pic16f877A

• Relays

• Led’s

• Buzzer

• Keypad-Phone 4x3

• 16 pins LCD

• Load (Appliance)

• Pushbutton

• Resistances 330,10k,4.7k

• Connectors connecting wires

Description:
RESISTORS:A resistor is a two-terminal electronic component designed to oppose and electric
current by producing a voltage drop between its terminals in proportion to the current, that is, in
accordance with Ohm's law: V = IR. Resistors are used as part of electrical networks and
electronic circuits. They are extremely common place in most electronic equipment. Practical
resistors can be made of various compounds and films, as well as resistance wire.

CAPACITOR: A capacitor or condenser is a passive electronic component consisting of a pair

of conductors separated by a dielectric. When a voltage potential difference exists between the
conductors, an electric field is present in the dielectric. This field stores energy and produces a
mechanical force between the plates. The effect is greatest between wide, flat, parallel, narrowly
separated conductors.

DIODES: Diodes are used to convert AC into DC these are used as half wave rectifier or full
wave rectifier. When used in its most common application, for conversion of an alternating
current (AC) input into a direct current (DC) output, it is known as a bridge rectifier. A bridge
rectifier provides full-wave rectification from a two-wire AC input, resulting in lower cost and
weight as compared to a rectifier with a 3-wire input from a transformer with a center-tapped
secondary winding

TRANSISTORS: A transistor is a semiconductor device used to amplify and switch electronic

signals and electric power. It is composed of semiconductor material with at least three terminals
for connection to an external circuit. A voltage or current applied to one pair of the transistor's
terminals changes the current through another pair of terminals. Because the controlled (output)
power can be higher than the controlling (input) power, a transistor can amplify a signal. Today,
some transistors are packaged individually, but many more are found embedded in integrated
circuits. The transistor is the fundamental building block of modern electronic devices, and is
ubiquitous in modern electronic systems.

VOLTAGE REGULATOR: 7805 is a voltage regulator integrated circuit. It is a member of

78xx series of fixed linear voltage regulator IC’S. The voltage source in a circuit may have fl
voltage output. The voltage regulator

IC maintains the output voltage at a constant value. The xx in 78xx indicates the fixed output
voltage it is designed to provide. 7805 provides +5V regulated power supply. Capacitors of
suitable values can be connected at input and output pins depending upon the respective voltage
levels.

RECTIFIER: A rectifier is an electrical device that converts alternating current (AC), which
periodically reverses direction, to direct current (DC), current that flows in only one direction, a
process known as rectification.

MICROCONTROLLER: A microcontroller (sometimes abbreviated μC, uC or MUC) is a

small computer on a single integrated circuit containing a processor core, memory, and
programmable input/output peripherals. Program memory in the form of Ferroelectric RAM,
NOR flash or OTP ROM is also often included on chip, as well as a typically small amount of
RAM. Microcontrollers are designed for embedded applications, in contrast to the
microprocessors used in personal computers or other general purpose applications

EEPROM: EEPROM (also written E2PROM and pronounced “e-e-prom”, “double-e prom”, “e-
squared”, or simply “e-prom”) stands for Electrically Erasable Program able Read Only Memory
and is a type of non-volatile memory used in computers and other electronic devices to store
small amounts of data that must be saved when power is removed, e.g., calibration tables or
device configuration. When larger amounts of static data are to be stored (such as in USB flash
drives) a specific type of EEPROM such as flash memory is more economical than traditional
EEPROM devices. EEPROMs are organized as arrays of floating gate transistors.

RELAY: A relay is an electrically operated switch. Many relays use an electromagnet to

mechanically operate a switch, but other operating principles are also used, such as solid state
relays. Relays are used where it is necessary to control a circuit by a low-power signal (with
complete electrical isolation between control and controlled circuits), or where several circuits
must be controlled by one signal. The first relays were used in long distance telegraph circuits as
amplifiers: they repeated the signal coming in from one circuit and re-transmitted it on another
circuit. Relays were used extensively in telephone exchanges and early computers to perform
logical operations

The main component in the circuit is 16f877A microcontroller.

In this project 4×3 keypad is used to enter the password. The password which is entered is
compared with the predefined password. If entered password is correct then the corresponding
electrical line is turned ON or OFF. In this project a separate password is provided to each
electrical line. Activation and deactivation of the line (circuit breaker) is indicated by the load.
Block Diagram:
Simulation and Working:
For the operation of circuit breaker through a password, program is written in MicroC software
and created into a .hex file that is further burnt onto the controller with the help of pickit2 The
programming c coding are here in the fig.
MICROCONTOLLER PIN CONFIGURATION: Microcontroller is interfaced with keypad,
EEPROM, relay driver, voltage regulator and C program. Out of four ports of microcontroller
pin configuration, the upper pins of port B, i.e., pin D0 to pin D3 of the microcontroller are
connected to the row lines of the keypad and lower pins (D3 to D7 ) are connected to the column
lines. These are connected in such a way that the column lines acts as input to the
microcontroller, and the row line as output lines. The input lines are pulled up internally. Here
16×2 LCD is connected to the port b0 and port b5 pins.

Operation:
For the operation of circuit breaker through a password, program is written in MicroC software
and created into a .hex file that is further burnt onto the controller with the help of pickit2.
Connections are given as per the circuit diagram. While giving the connections, it should be
made sure that there is no common connection between AC and DC supplies. 5V power supply
circuit is to be used to provide regulated 5V DC to the controller. Now both the AC and DC
supplies are switched on. Relay output pins gets 230V, so they should not be touched. LCD
displays “enter password”. Enter the password with the help of keypad, you can see ‘*’ for each
digit. Now if the password is correct then the circuit breaker state changes and displays status
line on the LCD screen. If the password is wrong then it displays “access denied”. Since this is a
user changeable one, to change the password click on ‘*’, ‘#’. It will display ‘enter password’.
Here the circuit is provided with a master code that is used to access the circuit by anyone. For
changing the password, this master code is to be entered. Then after entering the master code,
LCD displays, ‘new password’. Now any password of will can be entered. After that it displays
‘confirm password’ i.e., the new entered password is going to be stored and the person can
change the status of circuit breaker only by this new password

Result And Discussions:

This proposed system provides a solution, which can ensure the safety of the maintenance staff
e.g. line man. The control to turn ON/OFF the line lies with the line man only. This system has
an arrangement such that a password is required to operate the circuit breaker (ON/OFF). Line
man can turn off the supply and comfortably repair it, and return to the substation, then turn on
the line by entering the correct password. Since it has the provision of changing the password,
person can give any password of his will and have his work done safer.
Conclusions:
The project titled ‘ELECTRIC LINEMAN SAFETY BY USER CHANGEABLE PASSWORD
BASED CIRCUIT BREAKER’ gave the following conclusions.



It can work on a single given known password.
The password to operate can be changed and system can be operated efficiently with the


changed password.
No other person can reclose the breaker once the changed password is given into system


other than the person who had changed it.


It gives no scope of password stealing.


It is effective in providing safety to the working staff.


It is economical.
It can be easily installed.

References:
1. “The Microcontroller and Embedded systems” by Muhammad

Ali Mazidi and Janice Gillispie Mazidi, Pearson Education.

2. pic 16f877A Data Sheets.

3. Electrical Engineering Fundemantals” by VINCENT DEL TORO.

Websites:
www.microchip.com

www.beyondlogic.org

www.wikipedia.org

www.howstuffworks.com

www.alldatasheets.com

Authors profile:

1. Rai Usman Haider is completing

his Bachelors in Electronics Engineering from
The University of Faisalabad, Pakistan.