GE Medium Voltage Circuit Breakers
GE 5Kv and 15 Kv medium voltage circuit breakers have been made since 2945. These particular circuit breakers were all classified under the GE Magneblast name. The GE Magneblast breakers in their earliest days were solenoid operated, an engineering function designed to close the breakers. Those types of breakers go by the names GE AM- 5-75, GE AM-5-150, and GE AM-5-250. The early 15 Kv GE Magneblast breakers were called GE AM-15-150, GE AM-15-250, AND GE AM-15-500.
GE continued to make solenoid GE Magneblast circuit breakers into the late 1950's. The types were refined into the following categories: 5Kv to AM-4.16-75-75, AM- 4.16-150, AM- 4.16-250, and AM-4.16-350. The 15Kv Magneblast breakers were divided into GE AM-13.8-250 and AM-13.8-500. GE added larger breakers with greater AIC ratings: AM-13.8-750 and GE AM-13.8-1000.
The greatest change in GE magneblast breakers in the early 70’s was the change from the solenoid mechanisms to the motor operated spring charged mechanism. This device closed the breaker faster while putting less stress on the unit. The MS-13 solenoid closing mechanism was now replaced by the ML-13 spring charged motor operated mechanism. This breaker was in service for many years.
In the early 1980’s, GE introduced the GE vacuum circuit breaker. The GE powervac circuit breaker featured vacuum bottles in place of contacts and arc chutes. The GE powervac circuit breaker is the mainstay of the vacuum breaker industry. By the early 1980's, there were two generations of vacuum circuit breakers. GE VB4.16-250 / GE VB4.16-350/ GE VB1-4.16-250 and GE VB1-4.16-350.
The 15 Kv GE models are: GE VB 13.8-500 / GE VB1-13.8-500 / GE VB1-13.8-750 / GE VB1-13.8-750 / GE VB-13.8-1000 and GE VB1-13.8-1000. The amperages of all GE medium voltage circuit breakers 5Kv and 15Kv are 1200 amp, 2000 amp, and 3000 amp. GE also made 7200 volt medium voltage circuit breakers, type AM-7.2-500 and VB-1-7.2-500.