A DC miniature circuit breaker protects DC electrical circuits by automatically interrupting current flow in case of an overload or fault. It finds use in low-voltage DC systems preventing equipment damage, electrical accidents or fire hazards.
Features
DC miniature circuit breakers are implemented in DC systems which feature constant polarity and potentially higher fault currents. These electrical devices typically possess the following common features:
- Can be fashioned with small form factor allowing board installation.
- Employ magnetic trip units for short-circuit protection.
- Feature a lever or switch for manual control in case of maintenance or troubleshooting purposes.
- Feature current ratingse.g. 1A, 2A, 5A, 10A and 20A depending on the circuit’s expected maximum current.
- Mechanisms for overload protection such as thermal detection of overheating resulting form over currents.
- Possess tripping characteristics based on the DC circuit’s load and expected fault currents with different sensitivity and response times.
Application
DC miniature circuit breakers find use in various applications with DC circuitson individual circuits or distribution boards. Some common application areas include:
- Solar photovoltaic systems implement DC miniature circuit breakers for circuitry connecting the panels, batteries, and inverters.
- Electrical systems in vehicles and marine vessels utilize these breakers for DC powered circuits like lighting, audio, communication and navigation systems.