Protection Settings Editor User Flows

This document captures the intended user workflows for the protection settings editor. It is a product/reference guide for future implementation and hardening work.

Core Model

The editor supports two related surfaces:

1. SLD edit-panel flow: fast per-device setup while drawing or reviewing the one-line.
2. Protection settings workspace flow: deeper coordination review, TCC curves, catalog details, overrides, and audit-style editing.

Both surfaces must use the same underlying persistence and validation rules. A setting should never look saved unless the server can prove it is valid for the mounted catalog, SKU, and rating at that moment.

1. First-Time Device Setup

Trigger: the user selects a breaker, fuse, relay, or switch on the SLD.

Flow:

1. Open the protection device in the edit panel.
2. Show basic device fields first: device type, rated current, voltage, interrupting rating, and poles.
3. User opens the protection settings section.
4. System detects the device family:

• LV breaker
• thermal-magnetic breaker
• fuse
• HV breaker and relay
• switch or other non-OCPD device

1. User selects a catalog model or chooses a generic/manual path.
2. For LV breakers, user selects breaker frame, compatible trip unit or thermal-magnetic package, and SKU/rating when available.
3. Editor shows only settings valid for the mounted model.
4. User changes settings.
5. Save status is visible: Saving, Saved, Could not save, or Model changed.

Required states:

• No catalog selected: show setup prompt.
• Catalog selected but missing SKU/rating: explain that rated current is required.
• Incompatible trip unit: block selection or explain why it cannot be mounted.
• Stale catalog/model during save: reject the save and ask the user to reload or reselect.

2. Thermal-Magnetic Breaker Flow

Trigger: the selected device is a thermal-magnetic LV breaker or mounted thermal-magnetic trip package.

Flow:

1. Show breaker frame/SKU and rated current In.
2. Show valid thermal dial options.
3. Show valid magnetic pickup options.
4. Show manual override fields only when supported.
5. User picks a thermal dial, for example 0.8 x In.
6. User picks magnetic pickup, for example 6 x In.
7. UI shows computed values:

• Thermal pickup: 80 A
• Magnetic pickup: 600 A

1. TCC preview updates immediately.
2. Server persists only values matching mounted catalog detents/options.

Failure and recovery:

• User enters 6.3 x In: block or reject with the required increment/options.
• Breaker rating changes from 100 A to 125 A: revalidate saved settings against the new rating.
• Saved value no longer exists in catalog: show an orphan warning and let the user choose a valid replacement.

3. Electronic Trip Unit Flow

Trigger: the selected LV breaker uses an electronic trip unit.

Flow:

1. Show settings grouped by protection function:

• Frame and sensor
• Long time
• Short time
• Instantaneous
• Ground fault
• ZSI and maintenance mode

1. User edits pickup and delay settings.
2. Disabled functions collapse or hide dependent fields.
3. TCC preview updates by function.
4. Server validates catalog ranges/options before persistence.

UX requirements:

• If Ground Fault is off, hide or disable GF settings while preserving previous values.
• If Instantaneous is off, preserve old INST values but do not plot the active INST curve.
• Show pickup as entered value and calculated amps wherever possible.

4. Fuse Flow

Trigger: the selected device is a fuse.

Flow:

1. Show fuse catalog/model selector.
2. User selects fuse class, type, and ampere rating.
3. If no catalog model exists, user can still choose fuse class and amp rating manually.
4. TCC uses catalog curve data when available.
5. If no curve exists, show a clear curve-unavailable state.
6. Save updates the fuse settings layer, not generic protection-device fields.

Important rule:

Fuse-specific fields are split across persistence layers. fuseClass belongs under device_components plus fuse_settings, not the generic protection_devices path.

5. Relay And HV Breaker Flow

Trigger: the selected device is an HV breaker with protective relay settings.

Flow:

1. Show two related blocks:

• Breaker mechanical/electrical ratings
• Protective relay settings

1. User selects relay model.
2. User configures overcurrent elements:

• Phase pickup
• Ground pickup
• Curve standard/type
• Time dial
• Instantaneous
• Directional or reclose settings when supported

1. TCC preview shows relay curves.
2. Breaker clearing time is shown as part of total clearing context.

UX requirements:

• Make it clear which settings belong to the relay versus the breaker.
• Do not present relay settings as breaker nameplate data.

6. TCC Review Flow

Trigger: the user opens the full protection settings workspace from the SLD, selected device, or project sidebar.

Flow:

1. Left side shows protection device list or hierarchy.
2. Middle area shows selected device identity and settings.
3. Right side shows sticky TCC preview.
4. User changes a setting.
5. TCC updates and labels curve provenance:

• Catalog/manufacturer
• Digitized reference
• Generated from settings
• Overridden

1. User compares upstream and downstream devices.
2. User saves or accepts changes.
3. Missing, stale, or generated curve data remains visible.

Useful actions:

• Open selected device on SLD.
• Show upstream/downstream devices.
• Reset setting to catalog default.
• View source/catalog evidence.
• Override curve.
• Replace or dismiss orphaned setting after correction.

7. Catalog Change Or Re-Mount Flow

Trigger: user changes breaker frame, trip unit, fuse model, SKU, or mounted protection component.

Flow:

1. System checks existing saved settings against the new mounted model.
2. If compatible, keep valid settings and recompute effective amps.
3. If invalid, mark settings as orphaned.
4. Show old value and valid replacement choices.
5. User confirms replacement or resets to catalog default.
6. TCC refreshes after both settings and component queries settle.

Rule:

Do not silently discard settings unless the user explicitly confirms replacement or reset.

8. Manual Or Generic Device Flow

Trigger: user chooses a manual/generic model because a catalog entry is unavailable.

Flow:

1. Expose minimal required settings:

• Rated current
• Voltage rating
• Interrupting rating
• Device type
• Pickup/delay values when relevant

1. Label curves as generated/manual.
2. User can later attach a catalog model.
3. System attempts to map manual settings to catalog options and flags mismatches.

9. Error And Stale-State Flow

Every save should have a visible recovery path.

Cases:

• Save failed: keep edited value locally and show retry.
• Server rejected value: show exact validation reason.
• Model changed during editing: block save and reload current model/settings.
• Query refresh returns older data briefly: suppress false stale warnings while refresh is in flight.
• Catalog deleted or inactive: keep mounted component readable, but require replacement before editing.

Recommended Editor Shape

SLD edit panel:

1. Basic Protection Device
2. Catalog / Model
3. Settings
4. Effective Pickups / Ratings
5. Sizing Status
6. Mini TCC / Open Full Protection Review

Full protection settings page:

1. Device tree
2. Selected device identity
3. Function settings
4. TCC chart
5. Curve/source details
6. Validation/audit panel

Product Rule

The protection settings editor must not rely on browser-only validation. Any setting save path must validate against the currently mounted component model, catalog, SKU, rating, and available setting controls on the server before persistence.