Techna Talk - What's New in Circuit Protection

NEW!  |  DTEC Distribution Units

Exceptionally cost- effective, Techna’s new Distribution Units provide a wide choice of high quality units from 2 to 14 ways, including RCCB and 100A Isolator in a variety of attractive IP40 and IP55 enclosures, for garage, shower, or split-way consumer units (loaded or unloaded) to take either our “GTEC” 6kA or “JTEC” 10kA MCB ranges.

All enclosures are made from rugged, self-extinguishing materials and are equipped for top, bottom or rear cable entry with large internal cable space, for maximum accessibility and ease of assembly.

For our exceptionally well-priced consumer units, just choose an enclosure from our Optima range (4 to 14 ways), choose an RCCB and Isolator and whatever MCB ratings you require and we’ll do the rest.


Click here to see our DTEC range of Consumer and Distribution Units

Power to the People

Techna’s latest new product offering is their 'MTEC' Moulded Case Circuit Breaker Range, certified to EN60947-2 and IEC 947–2.

Engineered for maximum flexibility and ruggedness, with considerable cost advantages, 'MTEC' provides current-limiting protection and switching, for practically all LV applications, in an aesthetically pleasing modular design.

The innovative modular concept offers a complete choice of configuration options from a surprisingly small range of components, providing logistical advantages with a greater range of ex-stock availability, easy product upgrades, reduced inventory costs and the same panel cut-out sizes for a wide range of ratings.

This technology leading range comes in four frame sizes covering ratings from 40A to 1600A with up to 100kA breaking capacity and a 10ms 'off' time.

MTEC Electronic Release Modules use digital sampling to calculate true rms current for precise, accurate tripping. Current ratings can be set from 40A to 1600A and special calibrations are available for protection of motors and for discrimination in distribution systems. These fail-safe trip modules are available for protection of lines, transformers, generators and general power distribution networks and offer complete customisation of the trip curve via rotary control on the front panel and optional electronic thermal memory which simulates the behaviour of a bimetal such that the MCCB cannot be re-energised, after thermal overload, before allowing the system to return to a safe operating temperature.

The most advanced release modules allow full discrimination for cascading distribution chains and include the ability to set instantaneous trip if the current exceeds a pre-determined I²t value.

Trip modules can be replaced with a blanking panel to convert MTEC into a switch disconnector.

A wide range of terminals for front, rear or top connection of busbars, cable lugs or cables combines with optional plug-in or withdrawable mountings and panel hardware options include lockable manual rotary control, motorised control, door and mechanical interlocks.

Modular, plug-in, accessories include auxiliary contacts, shunt trips and undervoltage release modules, allowing virtually any configuration which may be required.

MTEC provides a top quality and extremely versatile MCCB range at exceptionally attractive cost levels.


Click here to see our MTEC range of Moulded Case Circuit Breakers

Wonderf 'UL'

Techna’s top selling JTEC Miniature Circuit Breaker range has now been further enhanced to include MCB’s certified for use in the North America and Canadian markets, as 'JTEC UL', which also meets European Standard EN60898.

This aesthetically pleasing design is available in current ratings from 0.5A to 63A, 1, 2, 3 pole, 1P+N and 3P+N, with B, C and D trip curves the range has been cULus Listed to UL508 as a Manual Motor Controller suitable for Motor Disconnect. This allows the use of a single JTEC UL component in place of the usual combination of disconnect switch, manual motor controller and UL1077 breaker, with significant cost benefits.

JTEC UL Interrupt Capacities are: 10kA at 277 / 480Va.c. and 5kA at 600Va.c.

The range is also cURus recognised to UL1077 as a supplementary protector.

The full range of UL recognised add-on accessories, includes neutral poles allowing conversion of a 3-pole breaker into a 3-pole + switched neutral, together with shunt trip modules (to enable remote shut-down of the breaker) in ratings from 12Va.c. to 400Va.c. and 24Vd.c. to 110Vd.c. Terminal screws are recessed to provide finger-touch protection.

Auxiliary contacts with both changeover and signal circuits allow remote monitoring of the on/off state of the breaker and indicate whether the breaker was manually switched off or has tripped due to a circuit fault.

A padlockable lock-on/lock-off adaptor is also available.

The UL Listed mark on the product is the manufacturer’s representation that samples of the complete product have been tested by UL to be used for most common industrial applications and provides significant benefits for designers, service engineers and installers.

This superior mark allows for field installation, by a field service engineer, who can install UL508 Manual Motor Controllers (as opposed to factory fitted) without the need for further UL investigation.

A further feature is the trip indicator window which goes from red to green if a breaker has tripped, even if the handle has been inadvertently prevented from moving, thus enabling quick identification of a tripped circuit for service engineers.

The complimentary BBTEC busbar range is also UL Recognised and can be used directly for rapid connection of multiple breakers in a control panel, with busbars being available in 1, 2 and 3 poles as standard, in both pin or fork (comb) construction, either of which can be used with JTEC UL, for top or bottom connection, with 3-pole busbars having the forks over the centre rail to provide increased finger- touch protection.


Click here to see our JTEC UL range of Miniature Circuit Breakers

Hydraulic Magnetic Circuit Protection

As a leader in circuit protection products, Techna International can supply Carling Technologies entire series of eight hydraulic–magnetic circuit breaker ranges.

Typically certified to UL 508, UL 489, UL 1077, CSA 22.2, VDE EN 60934 and VDE 0642, these breakers utilise a spring-based magnetic core held in a sealed delay-tube filled with air or viscose liquid to provide instantaneous, ultra-short, short, medium or long trip delays.

As there is no thermal element, they are temperature stable and provide the perfect solution for exact trip repeatability regardless of ambient temperature.

Devices can be tailored in four ways to provide precise tripping by (1) the desired specific circuit, (2) the trip-point (Amps), (3) the time-delay (seconds), and (4) the inrush handling capacity.

From the miniature M Series, in ratings from 0.02A to 30A, 1 or 2 poles, push-to-reset, push ON/push OFF, rocker or toggle actuation, illuminated or non-illuminated versions, through six other series, right up to the F Series available from 100A to 700A with 50kA breaking capacity, these Hydro-Mag ranges provide the latest technology and design, (such as the dual colour 'visi-rocker' actuator).

With numerous form, fit and function capabilities and some of the widest certifications available anywhere, these ranges provide a vast choice of actuator styles and colours, circuit configurations, termination styles, mounting options, 1 to 6 pole combinations and a full range of accessories.

Hydro-Magnetic breakers provide some of the most versatile and cost effective solutions for sophisticated and complex circuit protection, including sensitive micro-electronic equipment, data and telecommunication applications.


Click here to see our full range of circuit protection products

E035 |  Hot and Cold at 700A; F Series Circuit Breaker Range

Techna introduce the new F series Circuit Breaker range. Designed to handle high currents by providing a consistent trip point over extreme temperature ranges from -40ºC up to +85ºC, the F Series additionally provides a choice of DC; short, medium or long overload time delays, making them ideal for critical applications having inductive loads.

Superior performance is achieved by virtue of the time-proven hydraulic/magnetic mechanism, which is unaffected by changes in ambient or enclosure temperatures.

The initial product release, available with auxiliary alarm switch, combines 1, 2 or 3 pole high ampere breakers in fourteen current ratings, from 100 Amps to 700 Amps at 125 Vd.c., and 50kA interrupting capacity, with ratings above 250 Amps requiring a parallel-pole configuration.

Termination includes 3/8-16 threaded studs, 3/8-16 threaded holes front or back connect or box terminals. Various approvals include UL 489 listed, CUL Certified and UL 489A (Telecom) listed.


Click here to see our full range of circuit protection products

E025 |  Thermal Protection

The TR11 Series is a very small, 1-pole, push button device providing positively trip-free operation over the range 0.5A to 16A in 4 mounting configurations with a mechanism which is immune to high inrush currents and line transients.

The single-pole, 74 Series push button range has cycling trip-free operation in ampere ratings from 3A to 45A, with six mounting options.

M1 Series rocker actuated breakers in ratings of 5A to 20A, provide on/off rocker switching, overload protection and indicator light in a single very small size to fit standard cut-outs of 28.5 x 13.5mm.

For more arduous conditions, the T13 Series of single-pole, push button breakers have positively trip-free operation in ratings of 0.5A to 30A and provide excellent conditional short circuit capacity of up to 5000A at 277VAC and >/- 7a.

The T45 Series rocker-switch breaker is available as 1, 2 and 3 pole (2 poles protected) thermal breakers with undervoltage release, as a 'switch only' and with a mechanical-interlock.

All products are fully certified/recognised to UL, CSA and VDE and offer a wide range of accessories and options such as termination, mounting styles, remote tripping, auxiliary contacts, actuator markings and splash/dust covers.

These products, together with their extensive ranges of MCB’s, RCBO’s, RCCB’s and Hydraulic-Magnetic breakers up to 700A, enable Techna to offer some of the widest circuit breaker choices available from a single source.


Click here to see our full range of thermal breakers

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