Schneider Electric is a market leader with a wealth of experience in design and manufacture of MCBs, Miniature Circuit Breakers, providing industry standard electrical protection and control.

MCBs, or miniature circuit breakers, are a type of switch used to automatically turn off electrical circuits during abnormal conditions. MCBs often replace fuses in low voltage electrical circuits as they can be more reliable, much more sensitive and are resettable.

MCBs have three common types for circuit protection in residential, commercial and industrial applications. Classified by a type, which determines the tripping characteristics of the MCB:

Type B - trips between 3 and 5 times the load current.

This type will trip instantly at a rate of three to five times its rated current. Normally used for resistive or small inductive loads where switching surges are very small. Suitable for residential or light commercial installations.

Type C - trips between 5 and 10 times the full load current.

This type will trip instantly at a rate of five to ten times its rated current. Normally used for high inductive loads where switching surges are high such as small motors and fluorescent lighting. Type C MCBs are preferred to handle higher value of short circuit currents, suitable for highly inductive commercial and industrial installations.

Type D - trips between 10 and 20 times the full load current.

This type will trip instantly at a rate of ten to twenty-five times its rated current. Normally used for very high inductive loads where high inrush current is very frequent. Suitable for specific industrial and commercial applications.

Why select Schneider Electric MCBs?

Schneider Electric have international experience in the manufacture and development of MCBs for example look at the popular Acti9 Miniature Circuit Breaker range of MCBs. Acti9 iDPN up to 40A overcurrent protection, Acti9 iC60 up to 63A protection, Acti9 C120 up to 125A protection and there are many solutions on offer for equipment protection.

Schneider Electric go much further with their range providing solutions for electrical consumer products, RCDs residual current devices, SPDs surge protection units, ADDD arc fault detection devices, fuse holders, switch disconnectors including a range of MCB and RCD accessories.