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A circuit breaker is a device that interrupts the flow of current when there’s a fault in the supply. The fault could be a short circuit or overloading. The purpose of a circuit breaker is to protect the wiring of electrical systems as well as appliances that are plugged in against damage that high electrical currents could potentially cause. The traditional circuit breakers have a fuse while automatic ones have a switch. However, the purpose of both circuit breakers is the same.

Why are automatic circuit breakers preferred?

Traditional circuit breakers have a fuse which consists of a strip or wire of copper. When an electric fault like a short circuit or overloading occurs, this fuse can blow up. Therefore, this fuse needs to be replaced each time it blows. With automatic circuit breakers, you don’t have to worry about replacing the fuse.

The automatic circuit breakers consist of two elements:

• Magnetic circuit breaker: This device cuts off the electricity supply in case of short circuits;
• Thermal circuit breaker: In case of overloading, this device shuts the power supply to the circuit where the fault has occurred.

Whenever there is an electrical fault, the circuit breaker trips. All you have to do is simply reset it back to its original position. There will be an interruption in the power supply till you reset it. But you don’t have to replace the fuse each time. This is why automatic circuit breakers are preferred over the ones with fuses.

What happens to the residual current?

While an automatic circuit breaker protects the electrical system against short circuits and overloading, but not against the residual current (earth leakage). Earth leakage can be dangerous as it can cause electrocution and electric fire. To protect people and prevent fire, along with automatic circuit breakers, you need to install another type of circuit breaker that is designed to interrupt the circuit if a dangerous voltage is detected. An earth-leakage circuit breaker is also commonly called the residual-current devices (RCDs, RCCBs or GFCIs). They consist of a single compact housing.

As a leading switchgear company, we, at RR Switchgear, offer MCBs, MCCBs, RCCBs, isolators and changeover switches that play an important role in preventing electrical hazards and breakdowns. They provide optimal protection in case of high voltage fluctuation, electrical leakages. Designed to meet international safety and quality standards, our switchgears are reliable and ROHS-compliant. They are used across residential, commercial and industrial sectors across the world.