Shunt Trip Circuit Breakers

Shunt Trip coil
A shunt trip is a device designed to switch-off the circuit breaker remotely. When energized, a shunt release instantaneously activates the circuit breaker mechanism ensuring a rapid disconnection from the power source.

This device is an optional accessory in a circuit breaker that will be powered externally and can be activated thru PLC and any other relay for protection purposes.
For example, a shunt trip installed in the main circuit breaker can be integrated to a smoke detector circuit to shut it off at the same moment the smoke detector triggers the fire alarm or the sprinklers.

As a result, it can reduce the potential damage to the adjacent electrical equipment and also reduces the electrical hazards caused by the fire.

How To Connect a shunt trip?

Place the unit in the appropriate place in the circuit breaker. Make sure that you have the exact specification of a shunt trip for a particular circuit breaker that you have. After properly installing the unit inside the circuit breaker, connect the two terminals to its rated voltage having the switch leg to the power source and the other leg to the neutral (in case you are using L-N power source). In case of line to line service, you can put the switch leg to any of the lines
Now you can connect its switching contact to PLC and any other relay for safety purposes.