Re: What is the difference between Isolator annd Circuit Breaker.

Answer isolator is a off load device

3
Arjun Karnti
# 1 which is used for isolating

the downstream circuits from

upstream circuits for the
reason of any maintanance on
downstream circuits. it is
manually operated and does not
contain any solenoid unlike
circuit breaker. it should not
be operated while it is
having load. first the load on
it must be made zero and
then it can safely operated.
its specification only rated
current is given.
but circuit breaker is onload
automatic device used for
breaking the circuit incase of
abnormal conditions like
shortcircuit, overload etc.,
it is having three
specification 1 is rated
current and 2 is short circuit
breaking capacity and 3 is
instantaneous tripping
current.
Is This Answer Correct ?

266 Yes

12 No

Re: What is the difference between Isolator annd Circuit Breaker.

Answer Isolator is also remote
# 2 operated with the solenoid,

and it can be operated on load

condition depend on
requirement it is used to
isolate downstream circuits
from
upstream circuits.it is
operated depending on its
specification.but it will not
detect any faults and trip the

ckt
circuit breaker is onload
automatic device used for
breaking the circuit incase of
abnormal conditions like
shortcircuit, overload etc.,
it is having three
specification 1 is rated
current and 2 is short circuit
breaking capacity and 3 is
instantaneous tripping
current.

Isolator is a knife switch, designed to open the circuit under no load condition.
It is also called disconnector.
Its prime purpose is operator safety.
It is physical and visual disconnection of the circuit from power supply.
Isolators are usually used on both sides of the C.B in order to repair or replace the C.B.
It is used to separate any section from rest part of the power supply.

Do u know the main difference between isolator and circuit

breaker?

7 years ago
Report Abuse

jdsheth2...

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Major difference between isolator and circuit breaker is that isolator is an off-load device, whereas
circuit breaker is an on-load device.
(An isolator switch is part of an electrical circuit and is most often found in industrial applications. The
switch does exactly what its name suggests in that it electrically isolates the circuit or circuits that are
connected to it. Such a switch is not used normally as an instrument to turn on/off the circuit in the
way that a light switch does. Either the switch isolates circuits that are continually powered or is a key
element which enables an electrical engineer to safely work on the protected circuit.
Isolator switches may be fitted with the ability for the switch to padlock such that inadvertent operation
is not possible. In some designs the isolator switch has the additional ability to earth the isolated
circuit thereby providing additional safety. Such an arrangement would apply to circuits which interconnect power distribution systems where both end of the circuit need to be isolated.

An isolator is a switch connected after a circuit breaker. When a circuit or a busbar is taken out of
service by tripping the circuit breaker, the isolator is then open circuited and the isolated line is
earthed through earth switch so that the trapped line charges are safely conducted to ground.
A circuit breaker is a complex circuit -breaking device with the following duties:
Make or break both normal and abnormal currents,
Appropriately manage the high-energy arc associated with current interruption. The problem has
become more acute due to interconnection of power stations resulting in very high fault levels,
Effect current interruption only when it is called upon to do so by the relay circuits. In fact they are
required to trip for a minimum of the internal fault current and remain inoperative for a maximum of
through fault current,
Rapid and successive automatic breaking and making to aid stable system operation,
3-pole and single pole auto-relosing arrangement.
In addition to these making and breaking capabilities, a circuit breaker is required to do so under the
following typical conditions:
Short-circuit interruption
Interruption of small inductive currents
Capacitor switching,
Interruption of short-line fault,
Asynchronous switching.

What will happen if an isolator is opened before circuit breaker is open?

Answer:
If the isolator switch is not load break rated then there could be a phenomena called a flash over,
or arc flash. This is a dangerous event. A current will continue flowing through the air gap that is
created when opening a switch until the air gap becomes wide enough and the potential on the
wire is not high enough to keep the current flowing.
Breakers are load break rated in their design. They have magnetic arc chutes located close to
the opening contacts that help extinguish the arc when the breaker contacts are opened. So the
sequence to use is, open the breaker first and then open the isolation switch. Always remember
to lock the isolation switch in the off position when working on the equipment down stream from
it.