Solar circuit breakers do they work?


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Boron

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Nov 22, 2023
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Ive seen a lot of hype about dc high current circuit breakers and the controversy over polarised (with internal arc deflecting permanent magnet) and the non polarised version which uses the load current to power a shunt coil to produce the magnetic field to repel the arc into the quench chamber - see pix
This type shows that it has an over-current trip to break the circuit (like an mcb)

What puzzles me is whether this load current passing through the trip coil is sufficient to make a magnetic repelling field strong enough when the breaker is manually tripped at say 10,20,50% of full load trip current?

Ive seen vids where a sustained arc flash can be created at contact point with a 5mm separation at 24V and 10A

Does anyone know?, do they manually break a live circuit at low load currents safely without damage?


There is a type of rotary isolating switch as well which claim internal arc suppression and appear to be the only approved type for PV ccts in OZ https://www.zjbenydc.com/Content/upload/pdf/202017379/1000V-DC-Isolator-BYH-32-Datasheet.pdf?rnd=713
Note there are a lot of fake utter dangerous junk versions on Ebay Alix. Why Govs allow these to be sold is criminally negligent IMHO

I havent got hold of a zjbeny one ( must import from OZ to UK? not available from PRC to personal customers ). Would cost me ca £100. So I dont know whats inside.
I also havent got copies of their certifications to AS6097 - very shy about this ???????????
 

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Good point. I'm interested in this as well. Especially considering that I am now using such devices.
 
Good point. I'm interested in this as well. Especially considering that I am now using such devices.
I was busy building a high dc current test bench (<24V) to push out 500A for say 1hour (would be easy to make if I had space, solar panels and decent weather ), since my near death exp its knocked me for 6, so I have to wait till I get over the shock. I had a whole series of test work to do on cables, switchgear, fuses, connectors, screwed joints etc, all basic electrical stuff that is totally overlooked and trivialised IMHO.

For instance, take a simple thing like a length of 5A fuse wire say 50mm to 500mm stretched horizontally (also vertically) between two posts. Then pass dc currents between 1A to say 10A (when it should glow white hot and fail within a few secs. Note volts across and current and use IR cam to estimate temp. Plot graphs, calc current density vs temp, temp vs time, ditto for diffretn lengths 10mm, 20mm 50mm 100mm 500mm, not how length affects readings
AFAIK basics like this are not published
Then try again with thicker wire say 10A, 15A

Careful work should give some guidance as to current density vs temp for copper, brass, aluminium.

We should be able to find all this in basic text books, but they skirt around the subject.
 
Look at a Jacobs ladder, build one and have a play around with the voltages and you will get a true idea as to DC plasma. It's not about the current. The current just allows the plasma to vapourise the conductors, give you a sun tan and block out all the radio's in the area.
The old TV tubes deflected electron beams quite a distance with very weak magnets.. If the electrons have a low current they induce a low magnetic field so easier to deflect. Higher current, more field, but also more field generated by the induction deflection coil...

Had some equipment recently that had a "fault" (no earting) with a very small current (50uA) that I could detect only just with touching but test equipment (meter reading of 5-20V AC fluctuating) would not register the voltage correctly (no arcs) and it was very difficult to figure out what the hell was going on, until I hooked up a scope. Turned out to be 300V peak (AC) leakage. I stopped touching it.... If it was DC it may have been quite different....
 
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