Difference Between MCCB and MCB

MCCB vs MCB

Electricity or electric power has been utilized for industrial and residential use starting in the late 19th century. It has greatly altered society and the different industries that provide products and services with its various applications in transportation, communications, computation, heating, and lighting.

It uses electric current from the most positive part of an electric circuit to its most negative part to conduct electricity. An electric circuit interconnects electric components to allow an electric charge to flow in a closed circuit or path.

Sometimes an electric circuit is damaged by overload which is referred to as a short circuit. This led to the development of circuit breakers which are devices designed to protect circuit breakers. It automatically detects faults in the circuit and stops electrical flow and prevents further damage.

Circuit breakers are classified according to construction type, interrupting type, structural features, and voltage class. There are thermal, magnetic, high, medium, and low-voltage circuit breakers. Low-voltage circuit breakers are the ones that are utilized for home, business, and industrial use.

Miniature Circuit Breakers (MCB) and Molded Case Circuit Breakers (MCCB) are examples of low-voltage circuit breakers. They are designed for direct current applications and are set up in switchgear cabinets or low-voltage switchboards.

MCBs are small circuit breakers that can be manually operated and used for smaller electrical loads such as those that are needed in house wiring. They can carry a rated current (electrical current that a device can carry without overheating) of up to 100 amperes only.

Its trip current is not adjustable, and its operating current range is at .5 to 63 amperes which is far less than that of MCCBs which have an operating current range of 25 to 630 amperes. MCCBs are circuit breakers that have a rated current of up to 2500 amperes.

They are used in applications that require a bigger electrical power flow such as those in industrial and commercial establishments. Their trip current is adjustable, and they can be manually or remotely operated.
While MCBs can only protect circuits from over current, MCCBs can protect circuits from short circuit current and earth fault in addition to over current protection. MCCBs, therefore, have higher short circuit breaking capacities than MCBs.

Summary:

1.“MCB” stands for “Miniature Circuit Breakers” while “MCCB” stands for “Molded Case Circuit Breakers.”
2.MCBs are circuit breakers that are used for smaller electrical loads while MCCBs are circuit breakers that are used for higher electrical loads.
3.MCBs are suitable for use in households while MCCBs are suitable for use in commercial and industrial applications.
4.MCBs can carry a rated current of up to 100 amperes only while MCCBs can carry a rated current of up to 2500 amperes.
5.Both are types of low-voltage circuit breakers and can be manually or remotely operated.
6.The trip current in MCBs is not adjustable while the trip current in MCCBs can be adjusted.
7.MCBs have a less operating current range than MCCBs.
8.MCCBs have a higher short circuit breaking capacity than MCBs.

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