Type of electrical breaker and their function

Here are the common types of electrical breakers and their functions:

  1. Molded Case Circuit Breaker (MCCB): A MCCB is a type of circuit breaker that uses a thermal-magnetic trip mechanism to detect overcurrent and overvoltage conditions. It is commonly used in industrial and commercial applications.
  2. Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB): An MCB is a type of circuit breaker that is designed for residential and commercial applications. It uses a thermal-magnetic trip mechanism to detect overcurrent and overvoltage conditions.
  3. Ground Fault Circuit Interrupter (GFCI): A GFCI is a type of circuit breaker that is designed to detect ground faults (i.e., electrical currents that flow to ground) and interrupt the circuit to prevent electrical shock.
  4. Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI): An AFCI is a type of circuit breaker that is designed to detect arcing faults (i.e., electrical discharges that occur between conductors) and interrupt the circuit to prevent electrical fires.
  5. Instantaneous Trip Circuit Breaker: An instantaneous trip circuit breaker is designed to trip immediately when an overcurrent condition is detected, without any delay.
  6. Time-Delay Trip Circuit Breaker: A time-delay trip circuit breaker is designed to trip after a short delay period (usually 1-5 seconds) when an overcurrent condition is detected.
  7. High-Speed Trip Circuit Breaker: A high-speed trip circuit breaker is designed to trip quickly (usually within 1-2 milliseconds) when an overcurrent condition is detected.
  8. Low-Voltage Power Circuit Breaker (LVP): An LVP is a type of circuit breaker that is designed for low-voltage applications (typically 600V or less) and is used to protect against overcurrent and overvoltage conditions.
  9. Medium-Voltage Power Circuit Breaker (MVP): An MVP is a type of circuit breaker that is designed for medium-voltage applications (typically 1-35kV) and is used to protect against overcurrent and overvoltage conditions.
  10. High-Voltage Power Circuit Breaker (HVP): An HVP is a type of circuit breaker that is designed for high-voltage applications (typically above 35kV) and is used to protect against overcurrent and overvoltage conditions.

Functions of electrical breakers:

  1. Overcurrent protection: Breakers detect and interrupt excessive currents that can cause damage to equipment or start a fire.
  2. Overvoltage protection: Breakers detect and interrupt excessive voltages that can cause damage to equipment or start a fire.
  3. Ground fault protection: Breakers detect and interrupt ground faults to prevent electrical shock.
  4. Arc fault protection: Breakers detect and interrupt arcing faults to prevent electrical fires.
  5. Short-circuit protection: Breakers detect and interrupt short circuits to prevent equipment damage or electrical fires.
  6. Overload protection: Breakers detect and interrupt excessive currents that can cause equipment damage or overheating.

In summary, electrical breakers are designed to detect and interrupt electrical faults or overloads to prevent equipment damage, electrical shock, or fires. They come in various types, each with its own specific function and application.