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MCB Breaker

10/10/2010 10:35 AM

how can I reduce the rating of mcb (low voltage circuit breaker) from 500 A to 300 A without replacing with a new one?

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Guru
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#1

Re: mcb breaker

10/10/2010 11:21 AM

If it's adjustable then read the instructions, although you'll be lucky to lower it to 60%. The lowest I've seen was 80%. If it's not then I'm afraid it's time to get the chequebook out.

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Guru
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#2

Re: MCB Breaker

10/10/2010 11:42 AM

Just to preempt all those who are thinking of flaming you...

MCB in North America is a designation meaning Main Circuit Breaker, usually associated with a Panelboard or Motor Control Center. 500A would be an MCCB (Molded Case Circuit Breaker) as far as the design goes.

MCB in the rest of the world means Miniature Circuit Breaker, a small device that is 100A and below. I said this because people have a tendency to jump all over perceived errors in here, I think this is just regional semantics.

Your use of the term MCB to mean a large breaker makes me think you are in North America somewhere. That being the case, adjustable trips on standard breakers are not allowed here, only electronic circuit breakers are permitted to have this, and they are uncommon in that size range on panelboards and MCCs.

But some MCCBs in the 300-500A range have what are called "interchangeable trips" meaning there is an entire replaceable block on the bottom half of the breaker that can be removed and exchanged for one of a different trip rating at or below the frame size of the breaker. So if you have a 600A frame breaker with a 500A trip module, you may be able to exchange that with a 300A trip module. But without knowing exactly what you have, we have no way of advising you further. If you breaker is not of the interchangeable trip design, you must replace the whole thing. So like TonyS said, "Get your cheque (check) book out".

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Guru
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#4
In reply to #2

Re: MCB Breaker

10/10/2010 11:56 AM

Just to clear one other thing up for me, to me MCC = Motor Control Centre (or Marylebone Cricket Club)

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#5
In reply to #2

Re: MCB Breaker

10/10/2010 12:12 PM

PS don't ask me what SMO (Silly Mid Off) is the answer is rather long and boring, rather like cricket!

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#3

Re: MCB Breaker

10/10/2010 11:47 AM

By the way, if you would fill out your profile to include your location, we can have a better contextual relation to your questions.

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#8
In reply to #3

Re: MCB Breaker

03/21/2011 10:27 PM

I am from Singapore. The project for Marina Bay Sand's casino project.

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Guru
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#6

Re: MCB Breaker

10/10/2010 12:26 PM

MCB in IEC countries usually means "miniature circuit breaker". Mostly single pole, small current rating .... max 63A.

You mention 500A. "MCCB" is more appropriate. If so, the rating can be "changed" .... "Set" is more appropriate, if the MCCB has adjustable thermal and magnetic trip settings. SC level is of course unchangeble, but doesn't matter anyway for you.

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#7

Re: MCB Breaker

10/11/2010 2:28 AM

In the circuit breaker trip unit there is a trip level setting or an overload trip setting which can be varied from 0.7 to 1 times the rated current......in your case i don think the breaker trip setting could be reduced to 300A.......recently Terasaki have introduced MCCB with trip level of .63 which means Overload protection is adjustable between 63% and 100% of the rating. Also Short-circuit protection is adjustable on all thermal magnetic models. u could try tht...

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