New circuit breakers & ballasts more convenient, versatile

CEA's model CEB45L ELCB has a breaking capacity of 6,000A.

Amid the lack of major technological breakthroughs, China manufacturers of circuit breakers and ballasts are incorporating user-friendly features to differentiate designs from competitors.

For many suppliers of the first category, this means providing visual cues to make products more convenient and safer to operate. Buttons for key functions and status indicators come in different colors for easier distinction.

CEA Group Electric Co. Ltd, for instance, has released the model CEB45L earth leakage circuit breaker with a test button in yellow and marked with the letter “T.” Another mechanism signals when the product has been tripped.

The ELCB has a rated current of 1 to 60A and an interrupting capacity of 6,000A. It is suitable for 230 or 415V circuits.

Chac Technology Co. Ltd offers the model CAB68 miniature circuit breaker with a box that turns red or green to indicate when it is on or off, respectively. Designed for residential and industrial applications, the MCB comes in 6 to 63A versions. It has a rated voltage of 230 or 400V and a breaking capacity of 4,500 or 6,000A.

At Wenzhou Aoelec Electrical Co. Ltd, the selection includes residual current circuit breakers with yellow test buttons. The RCCBs are available in 16, 25, 32, 40, 63, 80 and 100A variants with a breaking capacity of 10,000A.

For greater user convenience and product versatility, some manufacturers are offering designs with adjustable interrupting capacity. Among such products is CEA’s model CEM15 molded case circuit breaker, which has a breaking capacity that can be changed from 15 to 160kA through a round white switch. The device is available in 125 to 1,600A versions.

In the ballast sector, product development efforts revolve around electronic types. Suppliers are expanding selections to cover various applications, with some even launching designs that can work with different types of lamps.

Lumlux Lighting Inc. has released the LT1000WBX2AB1 and LP250TBZ11 models for high-pressure sodium and metal halide lamps. The former is designed for greenhouse illumination and other indoor applications, while the LP250TBZ11 can be used in street and commercial lighting.

In terms of geographic markets, suppliers of circuit breakers and ballasts are targeting developing economies in Europe, Asia and South America.

Chac currently receives the majority of orders from non-EU countries, and its largest customer is based in Russia. Thirty percent of the company’s deliveries to the latter area are for home applications, whilethe rest are for industrial use.

Low-voltage circuit breakers & electronic ballasts

Circuit breakers from China have a rated voltage of up to 3kV, although units with higher specifications are available as well. Prices start at less than $1.

MCBs, MCCBs, RCCBs and ELCBs are offered. The selection includes devices for residential, commercial and industrial applications. Most products comply with IEC, GB, VDE and BS standards.

Models typically have a rated current of 1 to 1,600A, while breaking capacity ranges from 3,000A to 50kA. Operating temperature is between -5 and 40 C.

For ballasts, options consist of electronic and magnetic types. The first accounts for about 60 percent of output and exports.

Offered starting at $0.50, most models are designed for fluorescent lamps. Units for high-voltage sodium, metal halide and HID bulbs, however, are available as well. Many comply with EMI and EMC standards.

In the six-month period ending June 2011, China sent abroad $330.6 million worth of automatic circuit breakers with rated voltages below 1kV. Singapore, Japan, Russia, Brazil and India were the top destinations, with shipments to these areas contributing more than 40 percent to aggregate export sales.

Deliveries of units rated between 1 and 72.5kV exceeded $19 million. Indonesia, the UK, Japan, Brazil and Russia accounted for 47 percent of overseas revenue.

Ballast shipments, meanwhile, reached $562.8 million. The US and Germany were the top markets, together contributing 48 percent to aggregate export sales. Italy, Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand and India were also important destinations, absorbing $64.6 million.

Deliveries of electronic types amounted to $468.7 million. The US accounted for 27 percent of revenue, while Germany contributed nearly 26 percent. The other key markets were Mexico, Italy, India, Brazil and Japan, which generated a total of $51 million.

Product gallery

CEA Group Electric Co. Ltd

Model: CEM15
MOQ: 200 units
Delivery: 30 days
Description: MCCB; 15 to 160kA breaking capacity; 125 to 1,600A; 380/660V; 50/60Hz; IEC 60942-2

Chac Technology Co. Ltd

Model: CAM1
MOQ: 100 units
Delivery: 7 days
Description: MCCB; 35kA breaking capacity; 10 to 1,250A; 380/400/415/690V; 50/60Hz; IEC 60942-2

Lumlux Lighting Inc.

Model: LT1000WBX2AB1
MOQ: 300 units
Delivery: 21 days
Description: Ballast; CSA, FCC, CE; for indoor HPS and MH lamps

People Ele. Appliance Group Co. Ltd

Model: RDM1
MOQ: 500 units
Delivery: 15 days
Description: MCCB; 800A; 690V; 50/60Hz; IEC 60947-2, GB 14048.2

Wenzhou Aoelec Electrical Co. Ltd

Model: AUR3
MOQ: 500 units
Delivery: 35 days
Description: RCCB; 10kA breaking capacity; 16, 25, 32, 40, 63, 80 or 100A; 50/60Hz; DIN rail mounting; IEC 61008