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Circuit Breakers

Circuit breaker

• A circuit breaker is an automatically‐operated

electrical switch designed to protect an
electrical circuit from damage caused by
overload or short circuit.

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circuit breakers
All circuit breakers perform the following functions:
• SENSE when an overcurrent occurs.
• MEASURE the amount of overcurrent.
• ACT by tripping the circuit breaker in a time frame
necessary to prevent damage to itself and the
associated load cables.

Circuit Breakers As Switches

• A circuit breaker can control and protect an
electrical circuit and people operating the
utilization equipment. An electrical relay is an
example of an operating control; it opens and
closes the circuit. Circuit breakers are not
designed as replacements for operating
controls such as relays, contactors, or motor
starters.

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Miniature Circuit Breakers

Miniature Circuit Breakers

• MCBs are electromechanical devices which protect an
electrical circuit from an overcurrent.
• The overcurrent, in an electrical circuit, may result from short
circuit, overload or faulty design.
• An MCB is a better alternative to a Fuse since it does not
require replacement once an overload is detected.

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Miniature Circuit Breaker

• Electrical Distribution needs are continuously

evolving in residential, commercial and
industrial sectors. Improved operational
safety, continuity of service, greater
convenience and operating cost have assumed
a tremendous significance. Miniature Circuit
Breakers have been designed to continuously
adapt to these changing needs.

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Internal View of MCB

MCB

In event of overload or short‐circuit

MCBs, disconnect faulty circuit
from healthy circuit and protect
against damage.
MCBs are also easy to assemble
and install.

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Principal of operation
• An MCB functions by interrupting the continuity of
electrical flow through the circuit once a fault is
detected. In simple terms MCB is a switch which
automatically turns off when the current flowing
through it passes the maximum allowable limit.
Generally MCB are designed to protect against over
current and over temperature faults (over heating).

Principal of operation cont…

• There are two contacts one is fixed and the other
moveable. When the current exceeds the predefined
limit a solenoid forces the moveable contact to open
(i.e., disconnect from the fixed contact) and the MCB
turns off thereby stopping the current to flow in the
circuit. In order to restart the flow of current the
MCB is manually turned on. This mechanism is used
to protect from the faults arising due to over current
or over load.

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Principal of operation cont…

• To protect against fault arising due to over
heating or increase in temperature a bi‐
metallic strip is used. MCBs are generally
designed to trip within 2.5 millisecond when
an over current fault arises. In case of
temperature rise or over heating it may take 2
seconds to 2 minutes for the MCB to trip.

Thermal Trip Mechanism

1. It will protect a circuit against a small
overload that continues for a long
time.
2. MCB bimetal strip is connected in
series with the circuit load.
3. When normal current pass through
bimetallic strip, its temperature of
increases and length of bimetallic
expands is not push to trip bar.
4. As current of MCB increases beyond
overload current , it heats up
bimetallic strip by large amount and
thus bimetallic strip bends pushing
trip bar and close contact will be
open.

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Magnetic Trip Mechanism (Fast Trip)

1. In magnetic trip, an electromagnet(an
iron core with wire coil around it,
forming an electromagnet) is in series
with the circuit load.
2. With normal current, the electromagnet
will not have enough electromagnetic
field to attraction the trip bar and the
contacts will remain closed.
3. As high current (short circuit) current
through the coil increases the strength of
the magnetic field of the electromagnet.
4. As soon as the current in the circuit
becomes large enough, the trip bar is
pulled toward the magnetic element
(electromagnet), the contacts are
opened and the current stops.

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Construction 1. Housing
2. Top terminal
3. Arc Chamber
4. Electromagnet
5. Operating Knob
6. Fixed Contact
7. Moving Contact
8. Blow-out magnet
9. Bimetal
10. Bottom terminal
11. Din rail clip

Tripping mechanism of MCB

• The circuit breaker contacts and the position of the knob can
easily be seen in both, ON and OFF, state. In the ON state the
moveable contact touches the fixed contact as shown in the
image.

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The path of the current in the ON state

The path of the current in the ON state is shown in the image below. The live wire
is screwed at the input terminal. From the input terminal the current flows to the
fixed contact which is touching the input terminal. The current then moves to the
moving contact (since in the ON state it is touching the fixed contact). The moving
contact is connected to the electromagnetic coil of the solenoid by means of a
thick wire.

The current from the moving contacts

enters the electromagnetic coil. The
current from the coil goes to the bimetallic
strip by means of another thick wire and
finally to the output terminal where it is
collected by the neutral wire of the line.

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Connections of the coil

The following images clearly show the connection of the endpoints of the
coil with the other parts of the circuit and how the current enters and exits
the coil.

Switching or the tripping mechanism

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Role of Plunger

Mechanical Assembly

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Arc quenching

When an overcurrent is
interrupted by the circuit
breaker by opening its contacts,
current tries to bridge the gap.
In an attempt to maintain the
circuit, the air heats up and
becomes a conductor. As a
result an arc forms.
In general, when air and gases
are heated, they become
electric conductors. The hotter
they get, the better they
conduct.

Factors for quenching the arc

• Speed : When the contacts separate rapidly, there is less time

for the arc to form and maintain itself.
• Distance : When the distance between opened contacts is
more, the arc has to stretch more to maintain the current flow
which requires more voltage.
• Cooling : When the arc is forced against a cold material, it
absorbs and dissipates the heat.
• Dielectric Strength : When the arc is submerged in a medium
with higher dielectric strength than air (sulfur hexafluoride,
SF6), the insulating nature of the medium helps in quenching
the arc.

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Arc Chutes

The image below shows the arc chute used

in the MCB for arc quenching purposes.
The fixed contact is extended to the arc chute. This is
done so as to transfer the arc to the interior of the
breaker. The arc is broken into smaller arc by the arc
chute. These segmented smaller arc have a very small
potential and hence get naturally dissipated.

Mechanical structure and arrangement of

the arc chute

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Over heat protection

The bimetallic strip is made up
of two metals with different
temperature coefficients.
When the current flows through
the bimetallic strip, it gets
heated. The heating results in
bending of the bimetallic strip.
The more is the heating, the
more is the bending.

When the bimetallic strip bends it forces the metal strip to pull the plastic flap which in
turn triggers the tripping mechanism after certain allowed temperature limit for which
the bimetallic strip is designed.

APPLICATIONS

B Type: For protection of Resistive loads such as bulbs, heaters etc.

C type: For protection of Inductive loads such as motors, air conditioners
etc.
D type: For protection of Cables and highly inductive loads which have
high starting current such as transformers.

Range Execution
6A to 40A - ‘B’ Curve Single Pole (1P)
0.5A to 63A - ‘C’ Curve Single Pole & Neutral (1P+N)
0.5A to 63A - ‘D’ Curve Double Pole (2P)
Three Pole (3P)
0.5A to 63A for DC Application
Three Pole & Neutral (3P+N)
Four Pole (4P)

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CURRENT LIMITING DESIGN

MCB suitable for use with ring main

circuits

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Insulated enclosure
Pre‐assembled with 10 mcb's

Distribution Board DB

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Record Plus – Enhanced Selectivity and

Back up performance

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Distribution Systems

Safeline - Sheet steel

• SPN & TPN version in 4,8,12 ways

outgoing
• Single Door & Double Door.
• Plug & Socket DBs - 20A SPN, 30A TPN
• Suitable for use in industries and residential
complexes
• Liberal wiring space, adequate cable
glands
• Superior powder coated finish for better
protection against heat & dust.
• Detachable gland plates
• Complete with phase busbars, earthbars,
neutral bars & cable kit.

Distribution Systems
Convenience range Multitier DBs

2 Tier 28 way •3 Tier 42 way •4 Tier 56way

Single Door & Double Door.

• Suitable for use in industries and residential

complexes
• Liberal wiring space, adequate cable glands
• Superior powder coated finish for better
protection against heat & dust.
• Complete with phase busbars, earthbars,
neutral bars & cable kit.
• Insulated earthbar as optional for UPS
application
• Door reversible for left or right opening

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Time Switches

Time Switches are auto switching devices

meant for opening and closing of one or
more circuits based on the real time
programme.

These switches incorporate a clock & can

be easily programmed depending on the
application

Internal View of MCB

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Magnetic Operation

• In magnetic operation, large overloads or

short circuit current actuates a solenoid
causing a plunger to strike the latching
mechanism rapidly opening the main
contacts.

Thermal Operation

• The thermal operation provides protection

from moderate overloads. Under overload
condition, a thermo‐metallic element
(bimetallic strip) deflects until it operates a
latching mechanism allowing the main
contacts to open.

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THREE POLE (3P)

THREE POLE NEUTRAL (3P+N)

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Application Information

MCB Changeover switch

• MCB Changeover switch finds wide & varied applications in

industries as well as in domestic sphere for use in low
voltage distribution circuits, wherever continuity of supply
is necessary, for switching to an alternate source of supply
from main supply and vice ‐ versa.
• They are switch disconnections with independent manual
operation, capable of making, carrying and breaking
currents under normal circuit conditions, which may
include operating overload condition and also carry
currents under specified abnormal circuit conditions such
as those of short circuit for a specified time.

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CONNECTION DIAGRAMS / TERMINAL MARKING

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CONNECTION DIAGRAMS / TERMINAL MARKING

Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)

• Earth leakage is an electrical hazard and is

responsible for electrical shocks and fire risk.

• Earth leakage and its associated hazard can be

prevented by Residual Current Circuit Breaker
(RCCB), also popularly known as Earth Leakage
Circuit Breaker (ELCB).

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Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB)

Voltage operated protection − Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker

(ELCB)

Residual Current Circuit Breaker

(RCCB)
• The flow of current through electrical facilities always
involves risks. Poorly insulated equipment, faulty wires
and incorrect use of an electrical device cause currents
to flow through the wrong path (i.e. through the
insulation) to the earth. This current is called ‘Leakage
Current’.
• Earth leakage is an electrical hazard and is responsible
for electrical shocks and fire risk. Earth leakage and its
associated hazard can be prevented by Residual
Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB), also popularly known as
Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker (ELCB).

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Residual Current Circuit Breaker

(RCCB)
• Range
16A ‐ 63A

• Sensitivity
30mA, 100mA, 300mA, 500mA

• Execution
Double Pole (2P)
Four Pole (4P)

Residual Current Circuit Breaker (RCCB)

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WORKING PRINCIPLE

WIRING DIAGRAM (RCCB)

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WIRING DIAGRAM (RCCB)

WIRING DIAGRAM (RCCB)

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Distribution Board DB
• The electrical wiring is carried out to distribute current
from a single source of supply to various circuits, such
an arrangement is made inside an enclosure called
Distribution Board.

• The Distribution Board is not merely an enclosure but a

comprehensive system in itself, comprising of copper
bus bars, brass neutral links, earth links to facilitate
effective distribution of current. It incorporates safety
devices such as MCBs, ELCBs and Isolators, which
serves to protect the installation.

Distribution Board DB

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Distribution Board DB

Distribution Board DB

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PHASE SELECTOR VERTICAL DB

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