Molded Case Circuit Breakers (M Frame)
Square D by Schneider Electric’s PowerPact Multistandard circuit breakers are equipped with dual-break rotating contacts that reduce the amount of peak current during a short-circuit fault. They feature an over-center toggle mechanism providing quick-make, quick-break operation. Internal cross-bars provide common opening and closing of all poles with a single handle. The circuit breaker handle can assume any of three positions, ON, tripped or OFF. The center tripped position provides positive visual indication that the circuit breaker has tripped.
PowerPact M-frame circuit breakers are designed to protect electrical systems from damage caused by short-circuits and overloads. They are equipped with an electronic trip unit which simulates the function of a thermal magnetic trip unit, but provides precise tripping and is not sensitive to temperature changes. They are available in an adjustable amperage trip unit capable of 300 to 800 A settings, or a fixed amperage device rated at 400 or 600 A. PowerPact M-frame circuit breakers come in 2 and 3 pole designs with unit-mount and I-line constructions.
Products
What is a Circuit Breaker?
There are two different types of technologies that are commonly used in circuit breakers.
Magnetic Breakers
Magnetic Breakers are designed to react to short circuits or sharp spikes in voltage and current. The more current that passes through the breaker’s electromagnet, the stronger the magnet becomes. When the current exceeds the rating for that particular breaker, the magnetic force becomes strong enough that it will pull the contact back and disconnect it from the other contact, disconnecting power from the device.
Thermal Protection Breakers
Thermal Protection Breakers protect against a sustained overcurrent, or a higher current, for a longer period of time. Thermal protection uses a Bimetal strip that will bend the contacts away from each other to disconnect power. Thermal Magnetic Breakers are the most common type of circuit breakers. They combine magnetic technology to protect against short circuits or sharp spikes and thermal technology that protects against sustained overcurrent for a long period of time.