The existence of modern man is no longer possible without electricity. Each house, apartment, production is equipped with different equipment. Rarely, owners of premises think about how much electricity is consumed in general - the calculation is carried out only with the initial installation of electrical wiring. But if the mains voltage is exceeded, a short circuit and network failure will occur. A circuit breaker is used to prevent such situations. For domestic needs this is a 16 amp machine.
Modular machine C16
The device is designed to protect power supply networks and connected equipment from overloads, failures, voltage surges. The 16A machine can be purchased at any electrical store, the prices are different - they depend on the main characteristics of the device, the number of working poles, and manufacturer recognition. The main indicator of cost is the value of the breaking capacity of the device and its switching value.
The C16 machine is called modular, due to certain qualities. Each of the poles of the device is presented in the form of a separate module of a standard sample, that is, multipolar devices are made of several separate single blocks (modules). Accordingly, such a 16 amp machine has a different body structure and assembly format. For example, in a molded box, the device appears as a single monolithic device - it cannot be disassembled, unlike other models.
General characteristics of the C16 circuit breaker and marking
Difavomat 16A, regardless of the number of working poles, is determined by several common characteristics. You can find out what indicators the device has from the marking. Designations are applied to the body of the product in the following order:
- rated current;
- time-current limitations within which the mechanism is triggered;
- rated ability to shutdown;
- current-limiting class of the model.
According to the specified data, the power in kW of the C16 machine, productivity, speed and other parameters are determined.
Rated current
You can find out the conditional value of the passing current of the 16A machine from the name of the device - 16 Amps. This means that the mechanism will continue to run smoothly until the strength of the passing current exceeds 16A.
An equally important criterion is the ambient temperature. For normal operation, it should not be above 30 ° Celsius. Otherwise, the machine will turn off at a lower voltage. If the air is cold, the nominal value on the contrary will increase.
Switching or breaking capacity
This characteristic allows you to understand at what short circuit current the circuit breaker 16A will trip, single-pole and multi-pole. When disconnected, the device should remain operational - when switching to the initial position, the device can be used again. Permissible current strength is marked in a rectangular frame on the mechanism case. On production models, sometimes left without a frame and placed separately.
The designation consists of several numbers and the letter "A". 4500 or 6000 A class devices are suitable for domestic needs. More powerful ones are used for production needs. The higher the value, the greater the price of the product and the reliability.
Current limit class
This characteristic of the differential machine 16A shows the time during which the arc is fully extinguished. There are three classes of current limiting circuit breakers.The third class shows that the arc is extinguished in 3-5 milliseconds. In turn, in the second grade, arc extinction occurs in 5-10 milliseconds. There are no restrictions on the first class; cancellation takes place in 10 milliseconds or more.
The designation is located on the case - a frame in the form of a square, inside the number 2 or 3. Usually it is under the marking of the switching ability of the mechanism or next to it (depending on the model). If there are no marks, then the automatic machine 16A of the first class of current limitation.
Time-current characteristics
Each 16A machine has two different trip units - a metal plate (thermal option) and a current limit relay (electromagnetic option). Thanks to these elements, an electric circuit breaks. The first is intended for situations in which excess power supply loads occur. The second is for short circuits. If the opposite happens, then the circuit breaker C16 is not selected correctly. A reassessment of the power of the electric network and the capabilities of the device to prevent emergency situations is required.
Time-current characteristics are the ratio of current to time at which the circuit automatically disconnects and disconnects. It is marked in the name of the device with the letter “C” (in this case, before the number 16).
The greater the passing current, the higher the load of the machine by 16A. Excessive values lead to damage to cables, wires, electrical components. Therefore, the task of such automatic machines is to disconnect from the power supply circuit until the moment when the power exceeds the permissible limit and damages the equipment (in most cases irreversibly).
The time-current characteristics of the thermal release for the C16 difiltomat machine range from 1.13 to 1.45 In. When passing through the thermal release of the automatic machine C16, current equal to 1.13 of the nominal, shutdown occurs in an hour or more. During the passage of the current, 1.45 from the nominal will turn off - in less than 60 minutes.
With an increase in current by more than 23.2 amperes, the shutdown time of the machine will decrease. If the current strength reaches values sufficient to trip the electromagnetic release, this release will already disconnect the machine.
A special rule applies to an electromagnetic contact - a trip occurs when the power of the electricity passing through the machine increases 5 times at a time (for example, voltage drop). Time - a little more than 0.1 seconds. If the jump affected the passage of current by 10 times, the machine will work faster than 0.1 sec.
Cable section for the C16 submachine gun
The size of the wire diameter for the C16 machine depends on what power it is designed for, and the established time-current characteristics. For example, if a device passes 18 amperes within an hour, the cross-section should not be less than 0.25 centimeters squared. The material is copper. If aluminum is used, cables with a large cross-section must be taken at the same load. In poor conditions, such a wire can withstand up to 25 Amps.
Cable conductivity and compatibility with a 16A single-pole or multi-pole circuit breaker depends on the number of cores, the insulation strip and the conditions in which the cable is laid and operated.
A 23.2 ampere current can flow through the c16 machine for an hour. Under unfavorable circumstances, such a current approaches the hazardous limit for a copper conductor with a cross section of 2.5 mm². This is harmful to the cable. However, the conductor can withstand this current for a short time. Such an increase in current should not be a frequent occurrence.
It is not necessary to overload the machine and the cable by connecting too much load, otherwise the cable will quickly leave its working position from constant overheating.
Other characteristics
Individual parameters vary depending on the number of phases of the conductive circuit and the wiring — the ultimate voltage and the power of the transmitted load. For single-phase networks, where single-pole or double-pole C16 circuit breakers are used, the characteristics have certain values. For a three-phase network using three-pole or four-pole C16 circuit breakers, these characteristics will be different. The equipment connection diagram is also changing.
Unipolar and bipolar devices are used in single-phase power networks. Three-pole and four-pole - in three-phase. Sometimes bipolar are used in networks in two phases. In everyday life, they are usually absent. Exceptions may be made to the ungrounded outputs of a single-phase generator and an isolation transformer.
Single-pole and three-pole circuit breakers disconnect the phase conductors, and leave the zero one intact. Bipolar and four-pole circuit breakers open both phase and neutral conductors at a time.
There are two varieties of bipolar automata - 2p and 1p + n. Bipolar 2p automatic machines consist of two identical single-pole devices connected mechanically. In this case, both poles are protected.
Bipolar 1p + n consist of a single-pole mechanism and a single-pole breaker, also mechanically connected, that is, the pole that opens the neutral conductor does not contain automatic releases, but only the mechanism that opens the contacts. The microcontacts are separated by a mechanical drive when the circuit breaker disconnecting the phase conductor is disconnected, and the pole n has no protection.
Four-pole devices 4p consist of four full-fledged single-phase machines 16A, and devices 3p + n - of three single-pole and the same knife switch.
Where is the C16 assault rifle used
For domestic use, the device is suitable as an input device installed in front of the counter. The number of poles depends on the number of phases and requirements that are developed by the managing energy organization.
For individual electrical devices, it is permissible to install machines on one pole.
It is necessary to consider how many kilowatts a 16-amp automatic machine holds and how much the device consumes. It is better to choose protection with indicators higher than that of equipment.
Wiring diagram
According to the PUE, the supply conductor is connected to a fixed microcontact. This means a connection from above (there may be exceptions). You need to look at the connection diagram located on the device case. The designations are as follows:
- symbol 1 in the diagram shows where the input of the first phase conductor is connected;
- 2 - shows the output of the first phase conductor;
- 3 - input;
- 4 - output from a bipolar device;
- 5 - input;
- 6 - output from a tripolar;
- 7 - input;
- 8 - exit at the four-pole.
If, in addition to the numbers on the diagram and contacts, there is a letter designationN, here the neutral conductor is connected. When there is no such symbol, zero is connected to the terminals indicated by the maximum digits. If the phase conductors are connected from above, then zero too. If the phase conductors are connected from below, zero, respectively, also from below.
The c16 machine is very rarely used in everyday life as an introduction. There are similar requirements from electricity supply companies. When connecting, it is impossible to maintain selectivity even on a thermal release, which means that in any emergency the input circuit breaker will be switched off, or both at once.
Manufacturers
The modular automatic machine of foreign brands of household series satisfies the standards for automatic machines in everyday life. But industrial better, more reliable and more convenient for installation. The most famous include:
- foreign - ABB, Schneider Electric, Legrand;
- Russian - KEAZ, IEK, EKF.
Modular devices of domestic firms are made in China, although this is not a sign of their unreliability. The quality is slightly worse than domestic series of foreign manufacturers. They are cheaper.Also meet the standards for household machines. Usually they do not have series similar to industrial complexes of foreign companies.
RCD and accessories
Do not consider the machine separately from other components of the electrical panel. When buying a device, you need to understand that it will be mounted together with an RCD. It is better to use RCDs from one manufacturer with a machine gun and from the same series. At the same time, you can be sure of their best interaction.
RCDs of domestic manufacturers are inferior in quality to foreign ones. Often do not have a series of electromechanical RCDs, but they have less variety in characteristics.
To determine which machine should be installed, it is necessary to take into account many different parameters. Automatic C16 - one of the most commonly used in everyday life. Power will protect equipment, a small number of standard devices.
