Shunt trip voids UL mark?

[mdshunk]

I was just looking over the installation sheet for a GE shunt trip accessory. I was surprised to find that it says:

NOTE: Any work requiring cover removal of a sealed
breaker voids UL Listing. The UL label must be de-
stroyed.



Never really noticed that before. I think the lion's share of all shunt trip breakers I've ever installed, I put in the shunt trip accessory myself. I'm sorry to read that, since the lead time for a breaker with the shunt trip installed at the factory can be a good while.

Here's the PDF I'm talking about, from GE:
http://www.geindustrial.com/publibrary/checkout/Installation and Instruction|GEH-3416|PDF

 

[don_resqcapt19]

Marc,
That has been common with internally field devices for many years.
Don

 

[mdshunk]

That has been common with internally field devices for many years.

Guess I havn't read the paperwork very closely. Maybe even never.

How on earth would an inspector know if a shunt trip was field installed or not? Why do they even sell them as a field installable kit if the installation of them would void the UL mark?

 

[don_resqcapt19]

You have some good questions. I don't know the answers. I do know that 20 years ago I installed some axillary switches in some breakers for combination motor starters and the instructions for the switch kits said the same thing. There were either CH or Westinghouse breakers.
Don

 

[mdshunk]

Not to mention that I don't think any customer is going to think very kindly towards me when I say that I can't open up their breaker to replace a failed 300 dollar shunt tripper or undervoltage release, so they'll have to buy a new $10,000 breaker. I see now that it would be the right thing to do to not open the breaker, but you can send them to a "breaker shop" for repair. Are these places UL certified, sorta like a panel shop or sign shop?

 

[nakulak]

I thought a sealed breaker was one that was not intended to be opened (no servicable parts). The breakers you are talking about aren't sealed, are they ?

 

[mdshunk]

I thought a sealed breaker was one that was not intended to be opened (no servicable parts). The breakers you are talking about aren't sealed, are they ?

I think they mean the sticker they put over the pieces of the housing, sorta like a security seal.

 

[HighWirey]

"Why do they even sell them as a field installable kit if the installation of them would void the UL mark?"

Don't ask, don't tell, be diligent . . .

Sounds like a conundrum.

I've opened a bunch of them (mostly GE molded case to 1200 amp) to install shunt trips and aux contact kits, and often wondered the same thing. Never had them re-certified or inspected, just put 'em back into service, and closed 'em' in. Always megged them though, before and after the mod, for my piece of mind.

Gott'a be careful megging a breaker now-a-daz, as some of 'em even have sophisticated stuff inside

Also have changed the trip units and interlocking wiring on many 1600 amp GE draw-outs, and always worried when I pushed that 'Close Button'.

So far, so good . . .


Best Wishes Everyone in 2008

 

[templdl]

Usually non-interchangeable trip breaker is sealed. Most breaker in the 100, 150, 225a frame series are non-interchangeable trip. If you look at the side of the beaker there will be a seal applied across where the cover and base are joined together. With C-H as I recall the seal was round with a black printed UL on it in. Of course the seal has to be broken in order to remove the cover.
To go back a bit as you may recall a breaker with a non-interchangeable trip can be reverse fed and will not be marked with line and load ends. Also, if you recall most if not all accessories are installed in the area below the toggle. Although it is not recommended it is possible to install accessories in breakers that are not sealed and that are marked with line and load ends because a breaker is not energized on the load side and is only energized with the contacts in the closed position.
Because sealed breakers can be "reverse" feed this creates a definite safety issue should the breaker be energized from the "bottom" terminals.

 

[brian john]

This whole thing seem idiotic to me....either to drive up prices, or I don't know what. I have had to hire factory field personnel at 225.00 an hour 4 hour minimum plus travel then explain how to do what I need done, BUT THE SALES guy told the customer only the factory can do it. So a assembly line NON LICENSED Joe off the street is more qualified than me to install a shunt trip. OH PLEEEEEEEEEZE.

 

[templdl]

Is it factory sealed or not??!!!!!!!!!
I tried to explain the purpose of factor sealing a breaker in my previous post. It is part of the UL listing of the product.

If it is a device that does not have a factory seal and is UL listed as such feel free to install the a UL listed accessory such as a shunt trip as directed in the instuctions.

 

[Jraef]

This has always been the case with "old style" UL489 circuit breakers. UL's take on it was that you could not install anything which needed, as part of the modification process, skill on the part of the installer. In other words if you were a factory trained technician you could do it, but the average Joe could not since UL had no way of predetermining Joe's level of expertise.

That situation has changed with the latest generation of breakers from nearly all of the manufacturers now. Most of them have front-accessible "pockets" into which standardized accessories such as shunts, UVRs, and aux contacts can be dropped in and they are designed such that there is no unreasonable skill set necessary to do so. In GE's case, that would be their Spectra Series breakers. With C-H (old Westinghouse), it would be the Series C, with Siemens (old ITE) it would be the EG and VL Series, and with Sq. D it is the Merlin Gerin breakers. With all of them, accessories can be installed in the field without that qualifier.

 

[jim dungar]

...with Sq. D it is the Merlin Gerin breakers. With all of them, accessories can be installed in the field without that qualifier.

Square D has also had this "pocket" on most of their 400A and larger I-line breakers for many (+15?) years.

 

[templdl]

Here's a link to an old Westinghouse instruction leaflet for the typical installation of a shunt trip in an old KB 250a frame breakers. You will find the statement "Field installation of an accessory does not void the breaker's UL Label."

http://www.eaton.com/ecm/idcplg?IdcService=GET_FILE&dID=77865

As a recall as a former breaker application engineer installing an accessort in a breaker that did not have a facory seal did not void UL. There were some accessories that had to be facory install regardless of being sealed or not sealed because there was milling and/or drilling involved and possibly some insilation coating issues applied to fasteners that required penetration through the cover.

With the new technology installing accessories has been made a lot easier.