15 amp GE breaker tripped and wil not reset.

[hockeyoligist2]

I had a 15 amp 480 volt GE breaker trip and won't reset in an MCC while the pump was turned off. The only thing that it was powering was the transformer for 120 volt control power. It also blew the secondary fuse on the transformer, 8/10 amp fuse. I found a loose connection in a JB and hopefully fixed that.

Assuming that the loose connection caused the problem, why would it trip the 15 amp main and damage it? The boss wants to know what happened and I can't explain.

I was in that JB the day before with another problem, a receptacle was tied in to a photo cell and would turn off when the sun came up. So the fingers are being pointed at me. Close to the end of the fiscal year and the budget didn't have $650 for a replacement.

I can't find any recalls or problems associated with this breaker. According to the operators this breaker has never tripped before.

 

[wirenut1980]

I had a 15 amp 480 volt GE breaker trip and won't reset in an MCC while the pump was turned off. The only thing that it was powering was the transformer for 120 volt control power. It also blew the secondary fuse on the transformer, 8/10 amp fuse. I found a loose connection in a JB and hopefully fixed that.

Assuming that the loose connection caused the problem, why would it trip the 15 amp main and damage it? The boss wants to know what happened and I can't explain.

I was in that JB the day before with another problem, a receptacle was tied in to a photo cell and would turn off when the sun came up. So the fingers are being pointed at me. Close to the end of the fiscal year and the budget didn't have $650 for a replacement.

I can't find any recalls or problems associated with this breaker. According to the operators this breaker has never tripped before.

Was this loose connection on the line or load side of the control transformer?

 

[jmellc]

Well, we are talking GE here, not much better than Federal Pacific or Zinnsco. The breaker may have had all it could take when it tripped.

Do an ohm reading on the breaker leads and see what kind of load you read. May be a dead short somewhere in that circuit. Was that loose connection causing a dead short or just an open splice?

When you redid the receptacle, could you have accidentally spliced up a dead short? It can happen, even when we are supposed to know better.

 

[ceb58]

Remove the load side wire from the breaker and see if it will reset or not.

 

[templdl]

Not wanting to overlook the obvious are there any accessories in the breaker such as an undevoltage release? If there is the UVR must be energized before attempting to latch and close the breaker. This is a long shot.
Otherwise, it is possible for a breaker to go into the "trip free" mode where you can't latch it. As such I see a replacement breaker being installed.

 

[masterinbama]

This wouldn't happen to be a GE 7700 series MCC would it?
The round breaker actuators are notorious for not being very reliable.


http://www.rebuiltmcc.com/General-Electric-MCC/index.html

 

[hockeyoligist2]

Was this loose connection on the line or load side of the control transformer?

Load side.

 

[hockeyoligist2]

Remove the load side wire from the breaker and see if it will reset or not.

Tried that first. I removed the breaker and replaced it because it will not reset. Well it will appear to reset, but trips as soon as you try to flip it back on.

The only thing that I could have done is bumped the wire while I was in the JB.

The new breaker is doing fine and there are no shorts that I can find.

 

[hockeyoligist2]

This wouldn't happen to be a GE 7700 series MCC would it?
The round breaker actuators are notorious for not being very reliable.


http://www.rebuiltmcc.com/General-Electric-MCC/index.html

Nope

 

[petersonra]

I was in that JB the day before with another problem, a receptacle was tied in to a photo cell and would turn off when the sun came up. So the fingers are being pointed at me. Close to the end of the fiscal year and the budget didn't have $650 for a replacement.

It is not illogical to suspect that because you were in there messing around with the circuit that it may have had something to do with the trip.

I am astounded that a 15A CB costs $650. Just for my own edification what Pn is it?

 

[Strife]

I had a 15 amp 480 volt GE breaker trip and won't reset in an MCC while the pump was turned off. The only thing that it was powering was the transformer for 120 volt control power. It also blew the secondary fuse on the transformer, 8/10 amp fuse. I found a loose connection in a JB and hopefully fixed that.

Assuming that the loose connection caused the problem, why would it trip the 15 amp main and damage it? The boss wants to know what happened and I can't explain.

I was in that JB the day before with another problem, a receptacle was tied in to a photo cell and would turn off when the sun came up. So the fingers are being pointed at me. Close to the end of the fiscal year and the budget didn't have $650 for a replacement.

I can't find any recalls or problems associated with this breaker. According to the operators this breaker has never tripped before.

Breakers go bad sometimes, I can see where it could trip it, but going bad....? from ONE trip????

 

[zog]

Breakers go bad sometimes, I can see where it could trip it, but going bad....? from ONE trip????

Well UL 489 only requires MCCB's to interupt a short ciruit (@rated AIC) two times, so that is not too far fetched. And if the fault current exceed the AIC rating of the breaker all bets are off.

 

[templdl]

Well UL 489 only requires MCCB's to interupt a short ciruit (@rated AIC) two times, so that is not too far fetched. And if the fault current exceed the AIC rating of the breaker all bets are off.

See the minimum required by UL489 and then the high interrupting rating test with is limited to (2) times. But how often is a breaker subjected to a fault at its rated kaic rating which is pretty brutal? And to think this all has to be done in such a small space within the breaker which to me is phenomenal to say the least.And how many short circuits will a fuse interrupt?

 

[zog]

See the minimum required by UL489 and then the high interrupting rating test with is limited to (2) times. But how often is a breaker subjected to a fault at its rated kaic rating which is pretty brutal? And to think this all has to be done in such a small space within the breaker which to me is phenomenal to say the least.And how many short circuits will a fuse interrupt?

Not that often, problem is usually you don't know what the fault current was. My point was a failure after one (As far as we know) fault interuption is not that far fetched. Just another reason breakers shoud be tested, otherwise you don't know if they will still function properly.

(Fuse=1)

 

[sparky59]

Sometimes you can turn a large breaker off and it will never reset. I have had that happen several times.

 

[templdl]

Sometimes you can turn a large breaker off and it will never reset. I have had that happen several times.

That's one good reason for exercising breakers. Exercising them allows the for the lubication of the mechanical parts as well as allowing the moving contacts to contacts to rub against the stationary contacts which assures a better contact. The moving contacts don't simply close againt the stationary contacts but they actually rub slightly.
A breakers that is not exercised is more likely to not latch and reclose because the latch and mechanism is sluggish.
But, how ofter are breakers exercised? Most never unless you need to turn them off or they trip.

 

[zog]

That's one good reason for exercising breakers. Exercising them allows the for the lubication of the mechanical parts as well as allowing the moving contacts to contacts to rub against the stationary contacts which assures a better contact. The moving contacts don't simply close againt the stationary contacts but they actually rub slightly.

Exactly, but if they are power breakers they need to be maintained per the OEM's recommendations.

A breakers that is not exercised is more likely to not latch and reclose because the latch and mechanism is sluggish.
But, how ofter are breakers exercised? Most never unless you need to turn them off or they trip.

Not often for non critical systems but the new maintenence requirements in 70E should make that more common.

 

[Fulthrotl]

Exactly, but if they are power breakers they need to be maintained per the OEM's recommendations.
Not often for non critical systems but the new maintenance requirements in 70E should make that more common.

you might consider making an exercise video for breakers?

i can see the infomercial now......

Zog is the new Billy Blanks..... TeBow for QO's.....

for $29.95, they get a video, and a practice breaker....

 

[hockeyoligist2]

I took the old one to a breaker repair service that we use on the really expensive breakers. They called me today and said it would cost $150 to repair, much cheaper than new and we need a spare. The person I talked to, a salesperson, didn't know what the problem was. The boss said have it fixed.

I called them back and gave them the PO and the go ahead. I also told them I wanted a report on the actual repair parts, ETC. and any problems that they have noticed or have been notified about with this type breaker. They said that they would be happy to provide the info. I love this shop, they have helped me out so many times when I'm in a jam!

 

[cadpoint]

I just found out about this place.

Southland Electrical.

Please note their statement at the bottom of the page.