Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
(OP)
We have an 800A, 480V circuit breaker inside of piece of equipment that we are purchasing. According to the arc flash data this breaker will be an arc flash hazard to operate. We're considering installing an electrically operated breaker.
First off is the "electrical operation" referred to the racking in to the bus bar, as opposed to a manual circuit breaker that you manually reset by brute force?. Like how reliable are these? Are there drawbacks to this type of breaker? Are there limit switches or something that assure its made contact?
First off is the "electrical operation" referred to the racking in to the bus bar, as opposed to a manual circuit breaker that you manually reset by brute force?. Like how reliable are these? Are there drawbacks to this type of breaker? Are there limit switches or something that assure its made contact?






RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
The breaker will have auxiliary contacts to indicate breaker position (open or closed).
It does not refer to racking in the breaker - that is a different matter. Remote racking devices are available for this function to reduce arc-flash hazards.
David Castor
www.cvoes.com
RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
I'm not really following you there...why would the remote location necessarily be inside the arc flash boundary, if it's a remote location? Are you saying we hook up some kind of a wired remote to the front of the breaker, head off some 20 or 30 feet to trip it? Seems like we could mount a permanent pushbutton station outside of the arc flash zone. Is this ever done?
RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!
RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
Your idea of mounting a remote push button has been done many times. In many intallations I have seen they make a small breaker control room that is separate from the room that houses the breakers where the breakers can all be operated remotely well outside of the arc flash boundary.
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If it is broken, fix it. If it isn't broken, I'll soon fix that.
RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
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If it is broken, fix it. If it isn't broken, I'll soon fix that.
RE: Electrically vs. Manually operated circuit breaker and arc flash
Or you can use a remote switching device, see attached. You can use this on any breaker, switch, MCC< etc that you want to operate from outside the arc flash boundary without modifing your existing equipment. It won EC&M's product of the year.