Browse By Letter

Search engineering dictionary:

Definition:

Dc Circuit Breakers

A circuit breaker is an electrical component designed to automatically trip, or open, a circuit when the circuit reaches an overload or a fault condition. Circuit breakers can be reset, either manually or automatically based on the design of the breaker. A DC circuit breaker is designed differently than an AC breaker because the arc doesn't have a tendency to trip like it does on the half-cycles associated with alternating current. In a DC circuit breaker, a set of blow-out coils is used to generate a magnetic field and extend the arc when tripping DC current.