Please explain the charging prior to engaging the breaker and the discharge of breaker
It's the charged spring that drives the contacts closed.
With the spring in the discharged position the breaker is open and can not be closed. As such charge the spring and then you can push the close button to close the breaker and then it can be opened. The spring must be charged again to close the breaker.
No if you charge the spring and close the breaker. You can charge the spring with the breaker in its closed position. In doing so you are able to open the breaker, close it again and then open it again.
By charging the breaker while it?s in the open position you get a close and open.
Should you charge the sping again after closing it you get an open-close-open.
Simply, the charging has a single objective; to always have sufficient stored energy to OPEN the breaker.
Please explain the charging prior to engaging the breaker and the discharge of breaker
So it closes by magic?
I would say you need to charge the spring for the breaker to open or close.
To Zog's point, the Closing process charges a spring that has sufficient mechanical power to CLOSE the breaker fast enough and hard enough to avoid contact bounce, PLUS charge the spring that OPENS the breaker. The Opening spring needs less energy, but you do NOT need to re-charge the spring with the crank to be able to Open the breaker. The Opening spring is ALWAYS available to open the breaker if it is closed. That's the nature of a breaker.
If there is not enough energy to "open" the breaker's then you didn't have enough energy to close it in the first place. You have to overcome the force of springs that are inherently in place to open the breaker, during the closing operation. If the breaker is closed and the mechanical operation characteristics of the breaker have not failed, (springs, bearings, trip paddles etc.) then the breaker, always has enough stored energy to open for its rated AIC, even gravity works toward opening. It is like the normally open contacts of an electrically held contactor. Remove electricity and the contacts are open, period.You CAN'T close the breaker, even if it has sufficient stored energy for that purpose, if after closing there is insufficient stored energy remaining to OPEN the breaker. In other words the stored amount needs to be sufficient to close AND open.
Right, and you can see the difference,the grey springs are closing springs, the smaller zinc springs on the far left and right of the photo are the trip springs.
View attachment 7486
Is that a GE breaker?
I asked because GE had that 2 closing spring design where most of the others had a single spring except the 6400A frame size breaker.
I asked because GE had that 2 closing spring design where most of the others had a single spring except the 6400A frame size breaker.