An overcurrent protection system which will give a rapid response to overcurrents which cause a reduction in the voltage across the load, e.g. a partial or complete short across the load, and which will preserve the trip endurance of a PTC device used in the protection system. The new system maintains the trip endurance of the PTC device by removing the source voltage from the PTC, while still keeping the circuit protection arrangement in a fault state, thereby continuing to protect the load.