Enclosed Circuit Breakers – Why They’re So Important

Enclosed circuit breakers are major power system circuit breakers. These are very heavy duty, high power Circuit Breakers, designed to manage power fluctuations in major power systems.

As the name suggests, they are enclosed, typically in secure cabinets, and they manage entire power systems. They’re too important to the power system to leave out in the open. They need to be protected against accidental impacts, malicious use, and atmospheric issues. Some enclosed circuit breakers even have combination locks, and can also be found in larger, protected cabinets.

If these circuit breakers don’t work, any power system can cause major damage. Fires, data loss, and deaths are some of the types of damage power system failures and accidents can cause.

Some industrial power systems carry colossal amounts of electricity. These circuit breakers manage all that power. They’re highly sensitive, because they have to be. The circuit breakers have a fraction of a second to do their job, in the event of a power surge. (Many are connected to system fault and environmental sensors, for the same reasons.)

The business side of enclosed circuit breakers

These very high power circuit breakers are real business issues. They’re the difference between a working power system and a business in ashes. The big enclosed circuit breakers are insurance against power system problems, too, isolating and literally shutting down risks.

High power systems don’t give much margin for error. A cascade of crashes in a power system can be a horror story Stephen King would be proud to write about, particularly financially.

The theory of circuit breakers is all about preventing massive, catastrophic power surges. If a power surge occurs in one part of the system, the “isolation” approach prevents that surge from developing. That part of the system is automatically shut down, and the rest of the system isn’t affected.

This is the rocket science version of a fuse box circuit breaker, in a much more advanced form. If any power system goes over capacity, the power may well destroy the systems to which it’s connected.

Consider what’s connected to your power system:

  • Your business systems
  • Your plant and equipment
  • Lighting, air conditioning, and other building systems
  • Your people and yourself, maybe even customers using systems
  • Your building wiring

All these connections are at risk, if the power system overloads. If that sounds rather bloodcurdling, also “connected” are all the legal liabilities. Your enclosed circuit breakers are a barrier between your business and major liability costs.

Something as simple and common as a bolt of lightning can cause a power system overload. Much more common, however, is too much demand. The old jokes about one extra appliance causing a blackout aren’t totally incorrect.

The likely cause of a serious power issue, however, won’t be someone plugging in a toaster, but a combination of high power usage operations on a power system that isn’t designed to cope with the demand.

One of the reasons the enclosed circuit breakers are included in all good power system designs is simply to manage any possible risks of this kind.

If you’re wondering about your power system- Typically, older systems are the most at risk. Check out your system and get professional advice about system requirements, particularly power management system safety.

It will be worth it.