Industry Standards for Industrial Circuit Breakers

Industry standards are an important part of ensuring all products are safe and will function as expected. This is especially vital when it comes to products that manage and conduct electrical current and equipment.

Classifications of industrial circuit breakers

There are two main classifications of industrial circuit breakers; molded-case circuit breakers and low-voltage power Circuit Breakers. Each of these circuit breakers has different design characteristics and often has different application requirements. Industrial circuit breakers are tested according to UL Standards to ensure their safe use. The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the National Electric Code also have standards for safety and use of industrial circuit breakers.

Testing and Maintenance of Industrial Circuit Breakers

There are two specific time periods after installing industrial circuit breakers; acceptance testing, which should be performed before placing a circuit breaker into service and maintenance guidelines and best practices that should be followed after a circuit breaker is placed into service.

Acceptance testing and maintenance are both necessary to ensure the industrial circuit breakers will perform properly. Additionally, proper maintenance is required for continued, reliable operation.

On occasion, industrial circuit breakers may be damaged during shipment or may not function properly due to a manufacturing anomaly. This is why acceptance testing is important to complete prior to placing the unit into service. Maintenance procedures are critical as well to the safety of the overall system. Proper maintenance will provide confidence that the unit will operate properly if it is needed to prevent an overload or fault. From time to time, industrial circuit breakers will need to be replaced due to excessive use, lack of operation or pollutants in the atmosphere of the facility where the breaker is located. By performing regular maintenance, issues can be identified and repaired, or if needed, the circuit breaker replaced, so the industrial circuit breakers will not fail if they are called upon, which will keep both the employees and the facility safe.

By taking following some simple best practices both during and after installation of industrial circuit breakers, the equipment will stay in use and functioning properly for the foreseeable future.