Phoenix Contact Miniature Circuit Breakers

Phoenix Contact miniature circuit breakers are designed to protect devices from short circuit or overload situations. Device circuit breakers selectively shut down the faulty circuit while all other system parts remain in operation. There are three different types of device circuit breakers. They are: electronic, thermomagnetic and thermal device circuit breakers. The difference lies in their tripping techniques and behavior.

Electronic device circuit breakers trip within a few milliseconds, the shortest possible time. Thermomagnetic device circuit breakers have a tripping time that depends on the type of overload, and thermal device circuit breakers trip more quickly as the overload increases. 

Device circuit breakers are used in assembly machines and production systems, in order to selectively protect the most varied of loads from short circuit and overload situations. Not every circuit breaker is suited to all applications. In order to select the right device circuit breaker for an application, the starting current and the nominal current of the load must be taken into account.

Electronic device circuit breakers are ideal for protecting PLCs, sensors, actuators, motors, valves and relays. Thermomagnetic device circuit breakers are ideal for protecting PLCs, frequency inverters, motors and valves. Thermal device circuit breakers provide protection for inductive loads against overload in power distribution systems, manufacturing systems and control cabinet engineering.