Circuit breaker
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Figure 1: A diagram of a circuit breaker[1]
Circuit breakers are devices that protect circuits from overload current conditions. They do the same job as fuses, but they are not destroyed when activated. During overload conditions a circuit breaker will open the circuit to prevent overload, and potential damage, like fires. Circuit breakers contain a switch to return to the closed position after they have been flipped.
There are three main types of circuit breakers, they are listed in the table below.[2]
| Circuit breaker type | Description |
|---|---|
| Thermal | Will respond to the excessive heat generating during overload current conditions. |
| Magnetic | Will respond to the magnetic field generated during overload current conditions. |
| Thermo-magnetic | Will respond to both the heat and magnetic field generated during overload current conditions. This is the circuit breaker equivalent to the slow blow fuse. |
References
- ↑ http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/electric/bregnd.html
- ↑ R.T. Paynter, “Basic Electric Components and Meters,” in Introduction to Electricity, 1rst ed. NJ: Prentice-Hall, 2011, ch. 3, sec. 3.6, pp. 98-107.