What is CCR status?
What the regulator reports about itself — powered, ready, running, warning or tripped — shown at the CCR and in the control room, so the state of the equipment is known before anyone goes to the field.
CCR status is the operating state of the constant current regulator itself. The controller reads whether it has input power, whether the output is on, which intensity step is selected, whether the output current is at the value for that step, which control mode is active and whether a protection or alarm condition exists. From these it reports the CCR as off, standby, running, warning or tripped.
This is not the same as circuit status. Circuit status describes the series loop (open circuit, short circuit, earth fault); CCR status describes the regulator feeding it. A CCR can run normally into a faulty circuit, or be faulty while the circuit is healthy, so the control room needs both. Status also shows who is in control: in local mode tower commands are ignored, so a CCR left in local can look healthy yet not follow the tower.
- Read. The controller checks supply, output current, step, mode and protection.
- Classify. It assigns one state: off, standby, running, warning or tripped.
- Report. The state is shown on the CCR display and sent to the ALCMS by contacts or network.
- Act. A warning is recorded and planned for; a trip is investigated before any reset.
CCR Status Explorer
CCR state
Intensity step (when running)
Control mode
On the CCR LOCAL DISPLAY
At the tower ALCMS
Teaching simulation. Step currents are typical values for a 5-step, 6.6 A CCR, shown for illustration only. Indications, limits and wording vary by manufacturer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1What is CCR status?
The operating state of the constant current regulator itself: whether it has input power, whether its output is on, which intensity step is selected, whether the output current is correct, which control mode is active and whether any warning or trip is present.
Q2How is CCR status different from circuit status?
Circuit status describes the series loop the CCR feeds, such as normal, open circuit, short circuit or earth fault. CCR status describes the regulator. A CCR can run normally into a faulty circuit, or be faulty while the circuit is healthy, so the control room needs both.
Q3What states can a CCR report?
Typically off, standby (powered and ready), running, warning and tripped. The exact names, and how many states are reported, vary by manufacturer and model.
Q4What is the difference between a warning and a trip?
A warning means the CCR is still running but something is outside its normal range, such as a high temperature or a current near its tolerance. A trip means protection has shut the output down and the circuit is dark until the cause is found and the unit is reset.
Q5Why does the control room need to see local or remote mode?
In local mode the CCR ignores tower commands. A unit left in local can look perfectly healthy while it fails to follow the control system, so the mode must be part of the reported status.
Q6Should a tripped CCR just be reset?
No. Record the indication first, isolate and lock out the supply, and find the cause. A reset clears the evidence and can re-energise a circuit that still has the fault.
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