How does a 132kV Circuit breaker work - A brief overview of what goes on inside

A look at some of the functions of a high voltage circuit breaker.

[@kitsouk1]

My wife is always asking me why I watch videos like yours, my answer is always the same, as a child I had to know how everything works. Thank you for taking the time to video blog the HVEE at your work and be safe, as you said in a previous reply "one flash, and your ash" Please keep the videos coming.

[@BearsTrains]

Thank you Andrew. I guess it is a just a blokey thing that we like vids about cars and ships and stuff like that

[@chrischarters376]

Same. Thanx 👍

[@craigroberts1670]

The amount of amps surging through some of this gear must be absolutely awesome and very dangerous.

[@TankdozerCavalry]

Play some factorio, mate. Then you can have your wife ask you why you play "them stupid games"...

[@alymlkhin3929]

Awesome video mate, thank you. Many of us engineers don't get to look inside these pieces of equipment we do design with. Watching this is a solid start.

[@WhyteRavenVII]

I really enjoy your videos.. It let's me see a side of utility power control I never saw working with only MV switchgear.. Thank you..

[@mokhtargheasaryan5250]

I am a power engineer and I Love your videos, they are bloody great!

[@mikesolo7993]

Absolutely awesome! Would love to see more of these videos

[@HyperMario64]

I love how technically, this is a completely overengineered switch. Great video.

[@davidquirk8097]

Another excellent video. Thanks for your time and effort.

[@stephenodhiambo9149]

Thank you. Really great video. I'd love more presentations on relays. I'm an electrical engineer, currently working on 500kV HVDC Converter station in Kenya, and hell.. we have tens of circuit breakers!

[@asaid2095]

Great videos mate. As an Operator it's good to see what's at the other end of the SCADA line...

[@BearsTrains]

Yep. Back in the day, nearly all our operators came up through the ranks and had worked on substation gear, so they knew what was happening. These days it seems that people are going straight to operations without having done any field work.

[@sudharshanchakrapani7111]

Thankyou sir, it helped me really understand the industrial circuit breakers very well. Thank you very much, namaste.

[@donberg01]

Great explanation & informative tutorial, TX!

[@justicelut]

Thanks mate, very interesting. Appreciate you uploading!

[@williamhanson6461]

Who is this fella? This is absolutely amazing. I’m really thankful he took his time to present this video. Again, outstanding!

[@MrBen527]

I feel the same way!

[@LaytonJunction]

hi David been watching some of your videos and really enjoying them like the content very nice spotted you on sparky 10 10 take care al 👍😁

[@1allan2]

Great video, i look forward to more !

[@BearsTrains]

Thank you Allan

[@dcaonoek]

Awesome video! Thank you

[@Draxindustries1]

I've made a really nice comfortable metal chair from all my spare parts of windings, copper contacts and steel casings..

[@Julmust1997]

Only worked with ABB LTB and HPL breakers. Very good and easy-to-use and assemble

[@ThePolandball]

Awesome videos. Subscribed!!

[@ALKAHESTBOY]

Very informative.

[@ykdickybill]

As a chocolate factory maintenance spark who doesn’t get to see anything over 415v but has a HV fetish, I find your videos fascinating ! If you ever get the chance, post a video of a breaker or isolator operating or any maintenance procedures.Thanks for very clear explanations and being arsed to post . Would it be safe to walk around there if it was a foggy misty day like we get in the UK or pissing down with rain ?

[@BearsTrains]

Thanks ykdickbill. I am currently trying to get video of a 330kV isolator opening in the dark but is tricky. It is fine to walk around the yard in wet weather. Some yards start to hum like a transformer when it is foggy and the corona discharge gets a bit louder but thats about all.

[@Moonlight-bo6mg]

Nice information

[@jackking5567]

Another really interesting video. The contacts are works of art yet incredibly strong and functional. Those current levels are mind boggling! I live in the UK but sometimes my power will go out and switch back on within 2 seconds, sometimes less. Is that gap in supply to me a circuit breaker like the one in the video 're-arming' itself using a DC motor? Keep these things coming. I'm particularly interested in the internals of high current electrical gear - the contacts were a perfect example of what I mean. Could you also explain to us how switch yards/substations and power generating units communicate? Is it all down to sensors on loads or is there more to it?

[@BearsTrains]

Thanks Jack. The gaps in your power are due to a feature called auto reclose. When something hits the line, the relays at each end sense the fault and trip the CBs. They also start a reclose timer which will close the CBs after a set time . If the fault is still on the line, it will trip again but not reclose a second time. Without reclosing, every fault would require the CBs to be manually closed and your power would be out for however long it took a bloke to drive to the sub and close the CBs. Substations generally operate independently of each other but sometimes will use a differential scheme on shorter lines (what goes in, must come out basically) The relays at each end constantly compare the currents via a fibre optic "cable". If there is a difference in current amounts (i.e more going in than coming out) then there must be a fault somewhere so the relays trip. If for some reason the fibre drops out, the relays will default back to a basic distance scheme and continue to provide protection for the line.

[@jackking5567]

Awesome reply thanks! Yes I live where woodland surrounds most of my area. The supplies to the villages here are at 33kv and travel through those woodlands. We get those gaps in power when the weather is a bit windy or wet - seems those trees need trimming!

[@peterthomas9440]

Awesome set of videos and like many I have a mind that always wants to know how these sub/switching stations look up close. Even mapped out and Google earthed all 400KV GSP down to local DNO BSP subs for local distribution. Any more videos coming out soon?

[@frankreiserm.s.8039]

AWSOME! Thank you. Frank, KB2VNG Frank Reiser Video/Audio Service

[@m.gerhardus5432]

great, thank you :-)

[@RandolphGangai-kh1zj]

Thank you sir

[@donmorris1373]

Very informative

[@BearsTrains]

Thank you

[@ammarbasrah1362]

thank you

[@ricksadler797]

Thank you

[@hovermotion]

Wow mind boggeling..I am waiting to start work on a late shift watching your vid... When it trips is there a strange sound made?...

[@BearsTrains]

No, just a loud thump/bang really. The old air blast breakers from years ago were deafening to the point they would blow a hooter three times before they were operated so people in the yard could put their fingers in their ears.

[@gerrato48]

Great videos !...keep them coming !..from an old retired linesman !

[@inothome]

If you're interested, here's an HVB SF6 breaker that trips with air pressure, instead of a trip spring. The only breakers I've ever worked on that didn't use a trip spring that was charged via the closing operation to store the tripping energy. It releases 240 PSI in three cycles and it sounds like a gun shot. The video is looped, it doesn't operate that fast but does have reclose capability. On the close you just hear a low thud and the springs rattle. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJWrhqSelrNpirs

[@BearsTrains]

Yep, all the air operated stuff has gone from around here thank goodness. I think we have 1 circuit breaker that operates from hydraulics still in service in our region

[@inothome]

Ahh the "pneudraulic" stuff. Luckily they retired all that before I hired on. Glad I didn't have to deal with accumulator bladders and hydraulic hoses.

[@kraftrad7840]

very interesting! How does this breaker cost?

[@PeterWalkerHP16c]

I have one of those on my switch board in case my iPhone shorts during charge. Just makes a bit more noise than my old core balance unit.

[@emrahklc3391]

The mechanism is Siemens but Alstom is written on the label.

[@BearsTrains]

Yep, different CB. The Siemens breaker was the only one out of service. I don't go poking around in service CBs

[@jazzypenguin4401]

G'day boss, I would like to ask you what did you study so you could work at that place? I have come to the conclusion that I can not work in an office. Cheers.

[@CG-hq4lm]

How do you get into that work as an electrician? After doing just standard commercial and industrial?

[@BearsTrains]

Nearly everyone here started as an apprentice. Occasionally they advertise externally but is rare these days.

[@thomastuena2568]

Who manufactures the components for the circuit breakers? Are the components manufactured in Australia?

[@BearsTrains]

The company would make everything. These are from Germany

[@chrheae]

Did you ever re- attach the cable canal (8:00)?

[@Mend715]

How loud is the breaker operation? Does the manufacturer tell you to stand back a prescribed distance when operating?

[@smyrtin]

Dude, You look like Lady Pank vocalist Haha !!

[@trilokiflstudiomobile7012]

Ok bhai

[@dennytango]

out of curiosity what voltage do the cb motors operate on is it 24v dc

[@hardkore360]

usually 125 vdc or 120vac, and depends on the control circuit really...

[@gadha707]

is this Dr David Sweeting? Sounds so much like him!

[@gadha707]

let me take that back. I just saw the face towards the very end of the video, and he is not Dr Sweeting! but a very good video on sf6 live tank

[@tent7014]

Yo dude do you pack a Crocodile Dundee impliment ??

[@mumtazahmed7334]

Dear Sir, We have only one Tripping Coil in SF6 CB. Is that sufficient?

[@BearsTrains]

Not really. You should have 2 of everything

[@andrewcarson9068]

where are the protection relays for each bay? in the local control panel?

[@stephenodhiambo9149]

Not just one panel, but you'll find these in the relay room of the control building or isolated relay houses. For instance, the bus bar protection panel has its relays.

[@neville3151]

Very informative, but anything above 110/220 is too scary to mess with.

[@jasonk4855]

Do you work for alstom?

[@BearsTrains]

No, we just buy their stuff

[@jasonk4855]

@@BearsTrains I work at one of the factories in US. It’s GE now of course but the products are the same. That particular breaker didn’t come from our factory but we build the same model here.

[@sthokozulu7050]

breaker is not tripping alarm light is on

[@kismatkanavat9715]

Sir I need: I'm an electrician in India. I work in Substatson

[@kismatkanavat9715]

Sir All I need is: I'm an electrician in India

[@matthewmaxwell-burton4549]

Ah SF6, what a great gas for the environment if it leaks out.

[@BearsTrains]

Yep, we make sure that none escapes. All gas is captured and recycled and its use is closely monitored. Leaks from a CB are very rare. In 35 years i have seen 1 CB that had a slow leak from a pipe fitting (took 6 months to bring up an alarm) and have never seen a CB that leaked enough to lock out.

[@MrErichonda30]

Matthew let is know when you come up with a better gas.

[@ykdickybill]

Hi there BTS. You’ve gotta check this sub out , type in ‘ 33/11 KV substation in hindi ‘ . Its on a channel called ‘ Electrical Engineering Idea’s‘. You will be amazed pal and probably piss yourself laughing ! No ‘ minimum height ‘ regulations in India !