The main condition for the safe and trouble-free operation of electrical equipment is not only the installation and layout of the circuit in accordance with all the rules, but also the choice of the manufacturer of wiring products. One of the popular brands that produces equipment for electrical panels is ABB. Therefore, we made an overview from which you will learn what ABB circuit breakers are and about their features.
Content:
- Advantages and disadvantages
- Series overview
- S200
- SH200l
- Basic M
- PIN-rails
- Conclusion
Advantages and disadvantages
ABB is a Swedish-Swiss corporation founded in 1988 by the merger of the Swedish ASEA and the Swiss Brown, Boveri & Cie. She specializes in electrical engineering, energy and information technology. An ordinary consumer is familiar with the circuit breakers with a red stripe on the front panel.
Advantages:
- The circuit breakers comply with the declared electrical parameters.
- Excellent quality materials.
- Good mechanics and build.
- Manufactured in European countries, Russia, a smaller part is produced in Asian countries.
- The assortment includes machines of different price categories, which will allow you to choose a quality product that suits your capabilities.
The main disadvantage of all ABB products is that there are a lot of fakes of dubious quality on the market. This is due to the popularity of the brand. Therefore, purchase equipment for electrical panels only at large retail outlets or dealerships.
The main competitor of ABB is Schneider Electric, therefore, disputes arise on the forums about the agony of choosing between them, and Legrand brand products can also be an alternative.
Series overview
There are three series of ABB circuit breakers that are used in household electrical panels:
- S200
- SH200l
- Basic M
Consider the technical characteristics and features of the circuit breakers of each of the series. But before moving on to the review, it is worth saying that all products can be one-, two-, three- and four-pole. In this case, various configurations are possible, for example:
- two-pole, in which there are thermal and electromagnetic releases in each of the poles, it is marked as 2p;
- two-pole, in which there is a release in only one pole, it is marked as 1p + N, or the letters NA are added to the factory marking.
The same applies to three-phase circuit breakers. Marking is carried out as follows (possible options are listed):
1P, 1P + N, 2P, 3P, 3P + N and 4P
On the front panel, the differences between 1P + N and 2P on the example of ABB S202 C25 and C40 machines look like this (differences in the circuit):
S200
ABB S200 is the most "powerful" and advanced of the entire range and belongs to the System pro M compact series. To begin with, the S200 series circuit breakers have a short-circuit current limit (breaking capacity) up to 25,000 amperes (25 kA). This means that the power contacts are able to disconnect a circuit in which a current of the specified magnitude flows for a short time without being destroyed.
ABB's System pro M compact circuit breakers are available in three types: S200, S200 M and S200 P. They differ in the size of the breaking capacity 6kA (found most often), 10kA and 25kA.
Range of rated currents of circuit breakers of this series:
0.5, 1, 1.6, 2, 3, 4, 6, 10, 16, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50, 63, 80, 100
Products are produced with time-current characteristics of all known types:
B, C, D, K and Z
The next feature is the ability to connect the PIN-rail to the connectors specially designed for it. If you do not use such rails in your installation, you can connect an additional wire instead, so as not to squeeze several cores in one terminal block. The design allows you to clamp cores with a cross section of up to 35 sq. mm in machines with rated current up to 63A, and 50 sq. mm for 80 and 100 amp models.
The use of PIN-rails not only makes the installation neat and reliable, but also saves space in the electrical panel (in some cases this is critical). On the front of the automatic panel there is a window with a status indication.
SH200l
The next series in our review is SH200l. This is a slightly simplified version, it belongs to the Compact Home product family, its main external difference from the S200 is the other terminal blocks. They are not square, but semicircular.
Due to this, the contact area of the contact is larger, and the crimp is better when connecting several conductors. The manufacturer's catalog states the maximum cross-section of the connected conductors up to 25 sq. mm. There is no ON indicator on the front panel of ABB SH200L circuit breakers
The second significant difference from the S200 circuit breakers is the lower breaking capacity - 4.5 kA, but for most cases this is more than enough (especially for domestic use). It is available with actuation characteristics B and C, and a range of rated currents from 6 to 63 A, with standard steps:
6, 10, 16, 20, 25, 32, 40, 50, 63
Basic M
The third in our review will be a series of automatic machines ABB Basic M - it is slightly different in appearance from the two previous ones, and in terms of characteristics it is almost the same as SH200l. While the S200 and SH200L are made in Germany, the Basic M is in Bulgaria.
ABB Basic M circuit breakers are characterized by a breaking capacity of 4.5 kA, and a rated current range from 6 to 63A with a tripping characteristic C. The 6 to 40 amp model accepts conductors up to 25 kv. mm, and in 50-63 ampere machines - up to 35 sq. mm.
Based on user reviews, we can say that in terms of workmanship and ease of installation, ABB Basic M circuit breakers are not inferior to their "older brothers", although they are cheaper.
PIN-rails
An integral part of modern, beautiful and reliable installation is the use of PIN-rails, or as electricians call them "combs" or "combs". These slats are used for connections of machines in the dashboard. ABB has three series of PIN rails:
- PS - designed to connect equipment for the S series panel.
- PSH - designed for the SH series.
- Basic M.
They are quite different, if you use the PSH rail with S200 machines, you will have to turn it in the opposite direction, that is, with the plastic protection towards you. Otherwise, it will be installed unevenly and it will not be possible to connect the cable.
The slats are produced with a different number of poles, which makes it possible to organize the installation of a three-phase switchboard or connect RCD or other bipolar devices. The number of rail poles is indicated by the first digit after the marking: PS1 is single-pole and PS2 is double-pole, the following digits are the number of modules that you can connect. In this case, the poles alternate: 1-2-3-1-2-3, for the example of a three-pole bus, you see it below, the pole marking is circled in red.
There are also special tires for the Basic M, you see them below, they are similar to the PSH.
Conclusion
Let's summarize our review. All three ABB series of circuit breakers that we have reviewed are suitable for use in any household electrical panel. In most cases, a switching capacity of 4500 amperes is sufficient.
However, it is often said on the forums that the S200 is for "professional" use, while the SH200L and Basic M are for home use. It would be fairer to say a little differently (quote):
SH200l is standard series and S200 is expensive
This statement is due to some structural differences in the internals of the machines, such as small differences in the design of the arc chute. However, the workmanship, durability and stability of their work are similar.
This means that even the smallest products are more sufficient for the average electrician who installs the wiring in houses, apartments and offices. And finally, let's compare the prices in rubles for products of different series as of March 2019:
| Product | Price | ||
| S200 (6000 A) | SH200L (4500 A) | Basic M (4500 A) | |
| 1p C16 | 270 | 190 | 145 |
| 2p C25 | 950 | 400 | 395 |
| 3p C25 | 1860 | 680 | 550 |
| 4p C50 | 3845 | 1710 | 1450 |
This concludes the review of ABB circuit breakers of the most popular series for household installation. We hope the information provided was useful and interesting for you.
Related materials:
- Top circuit breaker manufacturers
- Overview of sockets and switches Legrand
- What materials are needed for the installation of electrical wiring
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