ABB AMVAC in California and how do you do the control design

[hec64]

Does anyone in California using the ABB AMVAC?

I have seen other thread that have indicated it is different way of thinking process

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=136356

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=133558

If it does not have a trip coil, then how do design your electrical control?

"It rely heavily on it (DC power) to change state". Does this means that without the DC you are fried? I have seen DC system that fail without warning. But does anyone has seen that the spring has failed to operate on a regular circuit breaker?

Your comments are really appreciated from anyone...

Thank you

 

[mard57]

I am using the ABB AMVAC-27 in an application. The tripping is done via an under voltage coil in the breaker fed via 120VAC (UPS Powered). The tripping is done by an 86 LOR relay that opens the 120VAC to the UV coil.

To Open or Close the breaker, there are 120VAC Close and Open Coils in the breaker. They are operated by momentary pushbuttons. Coils are latched internally so momentary works.

The closing is done by magnetic actuators as opposed to a conventional breaker with charging motors and springs.

 

[melspuds]

All most all power switching breakers are DC. All substations use DC via batteries for switching and protective relays.
In nearly 45 years I have seen one failed DC system. That was 48vdc system in a very small substation and batteries where bone dry also a small tree was growing in a breaker cubical. Lack of maintenance!
I am not familiar with that ABB breaker, but all that I worked with have a single coil and being a lot smaller mass the vacuum bottles do not need stored energy device for closing or opening just a small coil does the job. In the 10 years before I retired we replaced about 100 MV air breakers with vacuum breakers kits. It is a lot cheaper than doing maintenance and rebuilding the air breakers and a lot easier to move around without weight of the air breakers.
Hope this helps,
Dave