Never knew they made these.

hbiss

hbiss

EC, New York NEC: 2017
Location
Little Falls, New York NEC: 2017
Occupation
EC
Came up in an audio forum. Somebody was looking for a way to switch a 240V amp from a power sequencer that only outputted 120V. They were running a long extension cord which was getting tiresome. Someone suggested a 2 pole contactor with a 120V coil. Sounded good to me. Then someone suggested looking at Lyntec who is a manufacturer of power sequencing panels for audio and lighting. I haven't been to their site in a long time, and I see that they have some really neat stuff based on Square D QO panels and breakers. Really overkill for what this guy needed but there was something that caught my eye, something that I never knew existed.

Square D makes a motorized QO breaker in 1,2 and 3 pole. Motorized NOT shunt trip. Turns on and off with 24V. About the size of a GFCI breaker. There are other ones that are direct data controlled too like DANTE. I figured I would post this here because besides their original use by this manufacturer, these breakers will fit any QO panel and are nice to keep in mind for applications that might come up. (It was alluded to that Square D makes their own control systems using these breakers.)

Take a look at this video that explains it all.


-Hal
 
Those are pretty pricey, but wow they would be pretty handy in numerous applications. First time I'm hearing about them, but will definitely have to remember these.
 
Haven’t seen them in the QO style, but Square D has been making them in the QOB style for a long time. The first ones I’ve installed were the NEHB style back in the mid eighties. Then they started doing it with the QOB’s. Very common in Walmart and Home Depot. Walmart went to CH, and those use solenoids, instead of motors. They both would require a com rail though.
 
Square D introduced their QO(B) motorized breaker back in the early mid 80's. This was intended for onsie twosie type installs. Our sample was powered off of a battery pack that used 2 9V batteries.
Eventually the offering was expanded to full panelboards as part of their PowerLogic offering.
 
jim dungar said:
Square D introduced their QO(B) motorized breaker back in the early mid 80's. This was intended for onsie twosie type installs. Our sample was powered off of a battery pack that used 2 9V batteries.
Eventually the offering was expanded to full panelboards as part of their PowerLogic offering.
Click to expand...
The first one I done was NEHB breakers in a Sam’s Club in Florida. It was around 1982-3. They initially had problems, as the plastic worm drive would wear out, and cause the breakers to fail. I think they changed to metal or a different kind of plastic. I replaced the entire panels full of breakers in less than a year, but I think it solved the problem. The ones Lowes uses now have a molded plug that the breaker plugs into a rail. They added a mechanical override in the newer one's, where a small screwdriver is inserted to release the contact. Home Depot had a plastic wedge insert to prevent the store employees from easily using the override. EMS would go into alarm, and would lockout automatic control of the breaker even if the manual override was reset.
 
hillbilly1 said:
The ones Lowes uses now have a molded plug that the breaker plugs into a rail.
Click to expand...
Those sound like the ones for their PowerLogic style energy management panels. The original motorized breakers did not have the switches that let you select their behavior. I remember when the mechanism was 'upgraded'.
 
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