Category Archives: Articles
What does “Retrofit” Mean at Electric Control?
What does “Retrofit” Mean at Electric Control? Here at Electric Control we use this phrase quite often and it seems to be catching on in other areas of power production and harnessing as well! In this article from “Business Wire” … Continue reading
Westinghouse 5000V & 15,000V Circuit Breaker: 1945 – The Present
The early 5000 volt Westinghouse circuit breakers were solenoid operated and had large arc chutes. A basic model was first manufactured in 1945 and continued for over 20 years. The Westinghouse DH air circuit breaker was a very popular model, … Continue reading
The History of GE AL Circuit Breakers, GE AK Circuit Breakers and GE AKR Circuit Breakers
In 1945 after the war effort had ended, GE sold the first resettable fuse, now know today as a circuit breaker. The GE AL lines of circuit breakers (the first circuit breakers) were large heavy circuit breakers mounted on slate. … Continue reading
The First Circuit Breaker
Before World War II, circuit breakers were unheard of. With the war effort, the world saw the first reusable fuse, also known as the circuit breaker. All the major manufacturers during World War II began to use them. The first … Continue reading
Solid State Trip Units for 600 Volt Air Circuit Breakers
In the early 1970′s the ‘trip unit’, also known as the ‘brain’ of air circuit breakers began their evolution into what we know today as solid state trip units. Solid state trip units have far less moving parts than their … Continue reading
ITE Circuit Breakers, BBC Circuit Breakers, ABB Circuit Breakers and ABB Vacuum Breakers
ITE circuit breakers were among the first to be manufactured and production began for the war effort around 1945. ITE air breakers were originally of the dashpot tripping design and mounted on large pieces of slate, which was considered to … Continue reading
Interchangeability of GE Magnablast 15KV Circuit Breakers
An Offer from Electric Control! Electric Control is currently offering an alternate solution for customers needing to rebuild their old MS-11 breaker; with the purchase of similar interchangeable breakers with updated ML-13 mechanisms you can upgrade your system with a … Continue reading
GE Medium Voltage Circuit Breakers
GE 5Kv and 15Kv medium-voltage circuit breakers have been made since 1945. These particular circuit breakers were all classified under the GE Magnablast name. The GE Magnablast circuit breakers in their earliest days were solenoid operated, an engineering function designed … Continue reading
GE 5 and 15 Kv Indoor & Outdoor Switchgear
Vertical Lift Breakers GE manufactured 5 and 15 Kv circuit breakers so they would fit vertically into a switchgear unit, specifically, where the unit disconnects. The stabs of the circuit breaker bushings were mounted straight out of the top of … Continue reading
Allis Chalmers/ Siemens Allis 5Kv and 15Kv Circuit Breakers
Early 15 Kv and 5 Kv Allis Chalmers vertical lift air breakers had six stabs protruding from the top of the circuit breaker. These early am breakers required a lifting mechanism in the cell, to lock them on to. Early … Continue reading