White Paper WP131003EN Effective September 2015

The importance of trip-free

operation and its characteristics
Anthony T. Ricciuti One of the many, often desirable characteristics in the specifications and
Specialist Engineer,
Eaton
marketing literature for medium voltage circuit breakers is “Trip-Free.”
Unfortunately, there are many misconceptions about this characteristic.

Definitions Physical requirements

For IEEET rated products, there are several related
definitions of “Trip-Free”:
• In the most general definition of “Trip-Free,” the
contacts of the circuit breaker must return to
the open position and remain there when an
opening operation follows a closing operation,
regardless of whether the closing signal, force,
or action is maintained.
• A common variant is called “Electrically Trip-
Free.” For a medium voltage circuit breaker to
be considered “Electrically Trip-Free,” the circuit
breaker must be able to receive and respond
to an electrical opening signal regardless of
whether an electrical closing signal is energized.
• “Mechanically Trip-Free” operations refer to a
mechanical release mechanism that can open
the medium voltage circuit breaker regardless
of whether any closing release device operated
by any means is activated or maintained.
• Medium voltage circuit breakers can also be
“Hydraulically Trip-Free” or “Pneumatically
Trip-Free” if they contain a hydraulic or
pneumatic opening release device (respectively)
that are capable of opening the circuit breaker
regardless of whether any closing release
device operated by any means is activated
or maintained.
Any of these variants of “Trip-Free” operation may
include a “Trip-Free Relay,” in which its operation
alters a closing release circuit, permitting an
opening release to operate unimpeded by a
closing release operation in any state.
For IEC rated products, although the standard
recommends that the suitability for “Trip-Free”
operations should be provided to customers that
are specifying medium voltage circuit breakers,
no specific definition is provided for this function.
For IEEE rated products, if a mechanical opening
release operation is maintained on a medium
voltage circuit breaker, then any closing release
operation signal must not result in contact
movement that reduces the open gap between
the contacts by more than 10%. This characteristic
is often confused with the definition of “Trip-Free.”
However, if any opening release operation is
initiated simultaneously with any closing release
operation signal, contact movement up to and
including a momentary touching of the main circuit
breaker contacts is acceptable before the circuit
breaker completes the opening operation.
Additionally, because electrical opening release
operation circuits typically employ auxiliary switch
contacts internal to the circuit breaker, and there-
fore the electrical release operation circuit remains
open until the main contacts of the circuit breaker
have closed, when an electrical opening release
operation circuit is maintained, the momentary
touching of the main contacts is acceptable
before the circuit breaker completes the
opening operation.
Summary
Eaton VCP-T, VCP-W, VCP-WC, VCP-WG, and
VCP-WHD medium voltage circuit breakers meet
the IEEE definitions of “Trip-Free,” “Electrically Trip-
Free,” and “Mechanically Trip-Free.”
White Paper WP131003EN The importance of trip-free operation and its characteristics
Effective September 2015 

Eaton medium voltage circuit breaker operation

Preforming this action

Mechanical close Electrical close Mechanical open Electrical open

While maintaning action signal action signal
On (close) button
mechanically No effect No effect Breaker opens Breaker opens

On (close) button
electrically No effect No effect Breaker opens Breaker opens

No contact No contact
movement. Breaker movement. Breaker No effect No effect
Off (open) button
mechanically may discharge may discharge
stored energy. stored energy.
Contact touch Contact touch
Off (open) button allowed. Breaker allowed. Breaker No effect No effect
electrically opens and remains opens and remains
open. open.

Figure 1. Eaton circuit breaker operation

References About Eaton

C37.04-1999—IEEE Standard Rating Structure for AC High-Voltage
Circuit Breakers, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
3 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10016-5997, USA.
C37.100-1992—IEEE Standard Definitions for Power Switchgear,
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 3 Park Avenue,
New York, NY 10016-5997, USA.
62271-100—IEC International Standard for high-voltage switchgear
and controlgear—alternating-current circuit breakers.
Eaton is a power management company with 2014 sales of
$22.6 billion. Eaton provides energy-efficient solutions that
help our customers effectively manage electrical, hydraulic
and mechanical power more efficiently, safely and sustainably.
Eaton has approximately 100,000 employees and sells
products to customers in more than 175 countries.
For more information, visit www.eaton.com.

Author
Anthony T. Ricciuti is a Specialist Engineer at Eaton in Pittsburgh, PA.
Anthony has a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the
University of Pittsburgh, and has more than 20 years of experience
in the design, testing, and analysis of circuit breakers.

Eaton
1000 Eaton Boulevard
Cleveland, OH 44122
United States
Eaton.com

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Publication No. WP131003EN / Z17245 All other trademarks are property
September 2015 of their respective owners.