Circuit Protection Devices » BONEGA® P-E-P Miniature Circuit Breakers

1. Extraordinary High-Speed Break

The BONEGA® P-E-P MCB's have reached the highest breaking rate of any MCB (from 2 to 5 times higher than any other MCB).

An extraordinary high breaking rate beginning from the initiation of a short-circuit to its termination amounts to max. 5 ms (with a maximum load).

The BONEGA® P-E-P MCB's do not reach that high rate to the detriment of the higher arc voltage which raises the risk of protected parts (e.g. motors) considerably. As compared to other MCB´s, the arc voltage is equal or lower.

The high-speed switch-off consists of three stages:

• stage 1 – disconnection of contacts
• stage 2 – arc running into the chamber
• stage 3 – arc burning termination

The principal advantage of our MCB´s consists of an extraordinary high speed within the first two stages. The third stage is very quick, as well, but it is not so essential in the framework of the total speed. Within this last stage, it is most essential that the chamber is so well constructed that the arc does not “jump-out” in any direction (especially it does not come back to the contacts at all).

An almost textbook run of the short-circuit process is caused also by the suitable adjustment of the contact thrust. These contacts do not deviate by the influence of aerodynamic forces (as obvious from the charts).

Note: Some producers mention only the speed of contact disconnection (which is the first stage) instead of the total breaking speed. In the moment of contact disconnection, the power is still flowing through the circuit (voltage and current) because of the created arc. In this stage, the MCB has not disconnected the circuit yet.

Conclusion:

• Our curve of breaking procedure is fully unique (an example how an MCB should protect).
• The extremely high breaking rate will not endanger the end user, but – in contrast – it will protect him better
• The extraordinary breaking rate of the BONEGA® P-E-P MCB's provides the most sensitive protection of human lives, electrical devices within a circuit, and wiring itself.
   

More information: oscilograms and graphs

to the top

2. Guaranteed Short-Circuit Resistance

Our primacy consists in the breaking capacity of 10 kA up to the highest value of 63A, even with the curve “D” pursuant to CSN EN 60898 (nobody has reached it yet).

Our worldwide uniqueness consists in integration of the following phenomena with the kept breaking capacity of 10 kA:

I.) It is necessary to be aware of that the inside MCB´s resistance affects – inter alia – the breaking capacity. With the low nominal values (e.g. 1A), almost every producer can pride himself that his MCB theoretically has an unlimited breaking capacity. The higher is the nominal current, the lower is the assistance of the inside MCB´s resistance to absorb the short-circuit process. The nominal current crucial value is at 25A MCB´s and the very critical ones is at the highest value, i.e. 63A within the curve “D”. If the experts want to detect the MCB´s quality, so they always use the aforementioned crucial values (25A and 63A). Within these values, the design of the breaking mechanism, contacts, extinguishing chamber etc. becomes known very clearly.

The essential difference, as compared to the MCB´s of several producers, consists in the reached range of nominal currents, which is reached with the mentioned breaking capacity (25 kA, 15kA, 10kA, 6kA ...). We are preparing the upper limit of the nominal currents, which can be reached by our MCB´c within their breaking capacity 25 kA and 15kA.

II.) Another important difference consists in the standard, in accordance with which the producer has achived his certification. In Europe, there are two basic standards, namely:

a) the so-called „industrial“ standard CSN EN 60947

b) the so-called „household“ standard CSN EN 60898

As to their relations to breaking capacities, the standards differ e.g. in their requirements of short-circuit quantity, which a MCB has to withstand without disablement of its function. That means one short circuit pursuant to the standard ČSN EN 60947 and three successive short-circuits pursuant to the standard ČSN EN 60898.

As resulting from the above, the industrial standard is significantly softer. For many people, that requirement of the standard seems to be illogical, but is takes into consideration the behavior of a user, after the circuit has been broken by a MCB. The reaction of the user in a household often is that he tries to switch-on the MCB for the first, second and third time and just after that he begins to trace the cause. In contrary, a professional electrician tries to switch-on it only once and if the MCB breaks again, he begins to trace the cause immediately.

III.) Take into account also the third significant difference – the width of a MCB. There are some MCB´s with an even higher breaking capacity, but they are in a 1,5-modular or double-modular design.

Notice at other producers, according to which standard and up to which nominal current values they mention the breaking capacity. You can be surprised by the results of worldwide-accredited producers.

The above parameters are caused by the distinguishing chamber, which is one of our two worldwide-acknowledged Czech patents within the MCB P-E-P. Its extraordinary properties could be seen also at the prepared DPN (there is a MCB + switch within one module of 17,5 mm). In this case, we have also overcame the breaking capacity limitation of 4,5 kA which had been reached worldwide pursuant to the standard ČSN EN 60898.
 

The MCBˇs with a short-circuit resistance up to 15 kA are tested now. As to the single-modular design of those MCB´s (width 17,5 mm) and the given range of nominal currents, we would be the only ones worldwide. The prepared MCB´s BONEGA® P-E-P with the breaking capacity of 15 kA can find their application especially in special works where they can replace the 1,5 or double modular MCB´s.
 

3. Reduction of Undesirable Power During a Short-Circuit

The power limiting class reached by a MCB is an essential element for assessment of its protective function. We have met the third power limiting class within the whole range requested (as one of few producers), even with the rated short-circuit capacity of 10 kA. The following tables present e.g. the standard requirements for the MCB up to 16 A, and above 16A up to 32A incl. with different rated short-circuit capacities.

to the top

4. Locking Protection

5. Simultaneous Switching of the Multi-Module's

6. Revolutionary Designed Extinguishing Chamber

7. Durability

The design of the electromagnetic high-speed release with ejecting armature for short-circuit protection has been solved so that it has not any adjustable element. The characteristic is given by the cross-section of the copper wire of the coil, by number of threads and spring pre-stressing in the core. This solution thus excludes that our circuit breakers could change their presented value by a fall or shock. to the top

8. Terminal Resistant to Inter-Phase Short-Circuit

At the upper part of the terminal (serving for interconnection by means of forked strip), the MCB´s body is equipped with partitions which can be broken of. Those partitions shall avoid a possible inter-phase short-circuit in case of interconnection of multi-module types by means of multi-phase interconnecting strips. This short-circuit can be caused by air ionization or humidity, that support electric arc.

9. Vibration Resistance

Strong vibrations can cause the short-circuit release to be put out of service (it loses its protective function) or the spot-welds to be disconnected (current interruption).

 

a) measures avoiding the short-circuit release to be put out of service

The MCB´s BONEGA® P-E-P are protected against the above phenomenon by a suitable seating of the structure elements, especially of the ejecting coil which is seated in a unique “cradle” (see the Fig.). This design has excluded the possibility to misalign and consequently to seize the movable core at the coil.

 

b) measure avoiding the spot welds to be disconnected

The quantity of spot-welds can be reduced significantly. The elements are interconnected by means of a modular design, or he parts are made of one piece.

to the top

10. Protection Against Hacking of an MCB

11. Higher Safety Standards

12. Wide Selectivity

13. Colored Control Levers

14. Sealing Under Certain Conditions

The lever can be sealed because of openings in both guiding sidewalls of the switch-off lever. Through these openings, a sealing wire can be fed. This sealing wire passes also through a groove on the movable lever. This groove has been engraved in OFF and ON positions and it disables the motion of the lever itself. If the lever is sealed in the ON position, the immobility does not render the function of the circuit breaker impossible. In the event of short-circuit or overload, the circuit will be shutdown (independently on the fixed position of the lever). The MCB case enables the lever to be sealed independently on placing the adjacent MCB´s.

to the top