Circuit trips react to ground faults, short circuits or thermal overload in circuit breakers. A circuit trip opens the circuit in the event of a faulty condition. The trip becomes activated when it senses heat from an overload or high current from a short circuit.

What are the different types of circuit trips?

There are two types of circuit trips: electromechanical and electronic. An electromechanical circuit trip has two moving parts that work together to determine when to open the circuit. The two parts are a current-sensitive device and a thermal-sensitive device. An electric circuit trip is less mechanical as it's a programmable device. It measures and times the current flowing through the circuit breaker, electronically delivering a trip signal when it's needed.

How to choose the right circuit trips

Choosing the right circuit trips depends on the circuit or device and appliance you're using it for. There are various features that should be considered when selecting the right circuit trips, such as rated-control voltage and the current rating.

An auto recloser is a type of circuit breaker equipped with a mechanism that automatically closes the breaker after it has been opened due to a fault. Reclosers are used to detect overcurrent and interrupt momentary faults in electrical distribution networks. To prevent damage, each station along a network is protected with circuit breakers which turn the power off if there is a short circuit. Reclosers are programmed to automate the reset process and start the restoration service.

Why Have an Auto Recloser?

Firstly, reclosers prevent transient short circuits from triggering prolonged power outages. This could be a broken tree branch momentarily hitting an overhead cable before it hits the ground. Having a recloser results in a better service to the customer as the power is restored within a few seconds.

Secondly, the recloser is able to restore power automatically without the requirement of an engineer unless the fault is more serious.