Schneider Electric has released a TeSys GV4 multifunction mobile app that connects to its new TeSys GV4 motor circuit breaker to provide basic and advanced protection settings configuration, using Near Field Communication (NFC) interface.

“The state-of-the-art technology of the GV4 compact and robust motor circuit breakers offers advanced protection with ratings of up to 115 A with service breaking capacity (Ics) of 25 kA/400 V (B series), 50 kA/400 V (N series) or 100 kA/400 V (S series),” explains Christo Kotze of Schneider Electric South Africa. 

“The electronic core of GV4 gives a greater detection accuracy, with alarm and advanced protection. The multifunction motor protection GV4, with adjustable advanced protections, may be equipped with one or two SDx alarm/fault differentiation modules to prevent trip or to identify the type of fault after a trip.”

Power connections

TeSys GV4 comes standard with patented 2-hole EverLink power connectors and creep compensation, for bare copper cables. 

“This Schneider Electric patented technology makes it possible to achieve accurate and durable tightening torque in order to reduces the risk of loose bare cables due to copper creeping. Resistance to vibration is improved and periodic re-tightening is no longer needed.

“Products may also be delivered with connectors for bars or cables with compression lugs. Whichever is selected, the connectors are field interchangeable and can be removed for the installation of one or both. To tighten at the right torque power connections, particularly in the field, torque limiting breakaway bits may be used.”

Basic functions

• Short circuit protection (magnetic/thermal magnetic circuit breakers) - provides protection of the installation against short-circuit by an instantaneous trip of the circuit breaker. The tripping is obtained by means of a magnetic element incorporated in the motor circuit breaker or by an electronic detection (GV4 and GV7).

• Overload protection (thermal magnetic circuit breakers) - provides a protection of the motor against overload. A 5% current increase will raise the temperature of the motor by 10° and will divide its life expectancy by two. This protection is obtained by means of a thermal element incorporated in the motor circuit breaker, or by sensors for electronic products (GV4 and GV7). An automatic compensation for ambient temperature variations is also provided. The rated operational current of the motor is displayed by turning a graduated knob.

• Motor On/Off control - provides a local manual control of the motor when used on its own (without contactor). The operation is possible by toggle or a single rotary handle.

• Contacts position indication - because they are suitable for isolation, the circuit breakers, in the open position, provide an adequate isolation distance and indicate the accurate position of the moving contacts by the position of the operators.

Additional/advanced modules

Additional functions can be achieved through additional modules.

• Under voltage protection - trips the circuit breaker in case of under voltage. The user is therefore protected against sudden starting of the machine when normal voltage is restored. Circuit breaker reset and/or start button “I” has to be pressed to restart the motor. 

• Remote off power - circuit breaker can be remotely tripped with the addition of a shunt trip.

• Off-power locking - the operators on both open-mounted and enclosed motor circuit breakers can be locked in the off position “O” by up to 3 padlocks.

Advanced protection

In addition to basic protections, GV4 embeds protections against: 

• Long start (high inertia, resistive torque machines)
• Jam (over torque, machine failure) 
• Ground fault (reduced isolation)
• Unbalanced (phase currents are not equal) bb Phase loss (1 or 2 phases missing)

IIoT features

Fully configurable-advanced protections include Ecoreach software on a computer connected to the test socket through a configuration and maintenance module and the wireless application on Android smartphone through NFC (near field communication)

Available only as an Android app, through Google Play Store, the app can:

•View and configure protection settings 

•View alarms and basic device information

•Check fault history to speed up maintenance.

•Scan existing protection settings, device information and alarms on the TeSys GV4

•Modify settings and apply them to the device

•Clear alarms on the device

•Save settings as templates to copy to multiple devices

•View history of all scanned devices

“When engineers come to differentiate between motor circuit breakers versus fuse protection, they need to consider that circuit breakers are a common solution for protecting motor against short circuits and overloads.

As a comparison, a fuse-based solution can only provide a partial protection, depending on the choice of the fuse type and rating. The thermal magnetic circuit breaker is adjustable and can be fine-tuned to the practical motor load,” concludes Christo Kotze.