Advantages of Miniature Circuit Breakers in Installations

Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCBs) are a vital component in any electrical system providing protection against overcurrent and short-circuit conditions. These small devices are designed to automatically disconnect power to an electrical circuit in the event of an abnormal condition such as a surge in current or a short circuit. MCBs offer several advantages over traditional fuse-based protection systems including improved safety, ease of use and cost-effectiveness. In this article, we will explore the key advantages of miniature circuit breakers in electrical systems and how they can help protect your equipment and property from damage.

Advantages of Miniature Circuit Breakers

The advantages of miniature circuit breakers are:

1. Variety

An MCB switches off the electrical current during abnormal conditions such as overload and short circuits. But overloads and short circuits have different characteristics due to the type of load. That’s why there are many MCB types to make better protection. B, C, D, K and Z-type MCBs can be used in different applications.

Also, MCBs have different breaking capacities to be able to cut the maximum current in the circuit.

MCB has lots of model option — *MCB models*

2. Quick response time

Overcurrent protection devices ensure the efficiency of appliances over their planned lifetime by switching off quickly preventing damage to the appliance and providing the highest possible reliability of installations. The miniature circuit breaker achieves this outstandingly!

3. Readiness

Reduced downtime for connected electrical consumers. Technicians can easily identify the miniature circuit breaker and replace it accordingly during maintenance services. The operator increases his profits due to minimized downtimes and a safe installation with low recurring costs.

4. Universal and compact size

MCBs have both circuit protection and disconnector functions. Overcurrent protection and isolation operations are carried out in one unit.

The dimensions of the MCBs are compact. You can save space in your installation by mounting them side by side to a Din Rail.

MCB is universal and compact — *Sizes of MCBs*

5. Safety and long lifetime

A miniature circuit breaker guarantees years of consistent efficiency. Each pole is secured individually; in case of faults, it switches all poles off and all trigger features remain reliable throughout. Over its entire lifetime. Besides, MCBs generate low arc energy at the fault point with no or very little damage. If a fault occurs arc mechanism extinguishes the arc quickly. This minimizes the risk of fire and maximizes the life of the equipment.

6. System availability

Miniature circuit breakers are switched on by switching the handle in the direction of the nameplate. If an MCB trips, probably due to overload, it can be switched on again. A simple switching mechanism provides immediate system availability after a fault.

7. Trip-free mechanism

The MCB trips under overload, or short circuit, even if the operating lever is maintained in the ON position. This feature is a great protection function if the handle is broken or defective.

Moreover, this safety feature makes it impossible to manually hold the contacts closed during overcurrent or fault conditions.

8. Low power loss

The power (watt) loss is calculated based on the voltage drop across the main terminals measured at the rated current of the device. MCBs have low power loss in the terminals.

MCB has a low power loss — *Power loss values of ABB MCBs*

9. Good for the environment

With the latest generation of halogen-free thermoplastics for MCBs, it is possible to recycle the MCBs completely which reduces environmental pollution.

10. Upper and lower side energization

An incoming supply can be connected to both the upper and lower side of MCB without compromising the breaking capacity and isolation.

MCB can be energized from both sides — *Upper and lower energization*

11. High ingress protection

MCBs are touch-safe. A rating of “IP20” denotes protection from solid objects approximately 12mm in size, such as adult fingers.

12. Sealable handle option

Sealing is a safe and effective method for locking out MCBs in ON and OFF positions. This enables the user to securely lock the breaker, control the supply, prevent tampering and perform safe maintenance of end equipment.

MCB has a sealable handle — *Selable handle*

13. Auxiliary contact mountability

Machine and system builders are confronted with continually expanded and stricter safety conditions today. Following the claim to protect people, machines and the environment, the safety of machines and systems must be optimally realized by “state-of-the-art technology”. In this case, complex control and monitoring functions are generally assumed by programmable controllers (PLCs). To protect these control circuits, it is advisable to use MCBs with attached auxiliary contacts. This provides the operator of this type of system with a display of the failed circuit on the control panel and eliminates long searches for the fault.

Auxiliary contacts can be mounted to MCBs — *Auxiliary contact mounting*

14. Peak current protection

Peak currents frequently occur when switching on or off transformers, motors, capacitors or lamp groups. These applications do not only exist in the industrial sector but also in home installations, like the switching on of angle grinders or lamps with electronic ballast. Here nuisance tripping frequently occurs with the MCBs in characteristics B and C usually used in domestic installations. Therefore, to protect these circuits, the MCBs with the tripping characteristic K specially designed for this purpose should be provided.

15. Power semiconductor protection

Power semiconductors can easily be overloaded in case of a short circuit, as they only withstand low let-through energy (I²t). To protect components of this kind, special circuit breakers are used with a magnetic operating range that is considerably reduced compared to ordinary circuit breakers. This achieves faster tripping when a short circuit occurs which leads to a reduction of the let-through energy. Circuit-breakers with the tripping characteristic Z meet this requirement and are used to protect control current and voltage transformer circuits as well as when using long cables.

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