Mystery circuit breaker

[skipmac]

In the ongoing task of helping my son in law figure out all the systems on his sport fishermen we've been trying to sort out an intermittent pressure water problem. Only clue was the circuit breaker would kick at random times.

My first guesses, either the motor going bad (it's several years old) or the pump end going bad and is overworking the motor or the circuit breaker is bad.

Since it was easy we though we would just pick up a spare and swap out the circuit breaker. If that didn't fix it we would have spent minimal time and money and have a spare breaker.

BUT not so easy. The breaker was different than all the rest in the panel and unlike any I've seen. I got all the numbers off the side and couldn't find any cross reference on the internet or from any supplier including a company that sells the pumps.

I checked the breaker and the two connections on the main body make or break the power when you throw the breaker. The two on top on the smaller section are not switched at all but measure 160 ohms on or off.

My guess, the top section is a resistor and the power to the pump runs through it. If the pump runs too long like if you run out of water and the pressure switch never kicks in, then that resistor would heat up and kick the breaker under it. This seems to be consistent with the diagram on the side of the breaker. However all the wires run away from the breaker and it is not obviously wired that way.

So anyone know?


PS
We had to order a replacement from Viking for $27 plus shipping.

[dfelsent]

Here ya go:

https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...281-ND/3825180

It’s a fairly normal breaker with a remote trip coil. That’s the 160 ohm coil you measured. When you connect that to (I’m guessing without digging through the data sheet) to 12 volts the breaker trips. Perhaps the water system has an over pressure switch or some other sensor that trips the breaker.

Basically the breaker can trip from over current from the pump load, or from a switch that powers the auxiliary trip coil.

Trace the trip coil wire or examine the pump to locate the switch that is tripping the breaker.

Maybe the system is fine, and you are getting false trips. Or maybe it is telling you there is a problem.

Good luck!

[skipmac]

Originally Posted by dfelsent

Here ya go:

https://www.digikey.com/product-deta...281-ND/3825180

It’s a fairly normal breaker with a remote trip coil. That’s the 160 ohm coil you measured. When you connect that to (I’m guessing without digging through the data sheet) to 12 volts the breaker trips. Perhaps the water system has an over pressure switch or some other sensor that trips the breaker.

Basically the breaker can trip from over current from the pump load, or from a switch that powers the auxiliary trip coil.

Trace the trip coil wire or examine the pump to locate the switch that is tripping the breaker.

Maybe the system is fine, and you are getting false trips. Or maybe it is telling you there is a problem.

Good luck!

Gee how did you find that? I did a google search on the part number, partial part number and variations and didn't get a hit.

I guess it's possible there is some kind of DC trip current in that secondary connection but the breaker is in the AC section of the panel. However my first theory doesn't seem too likely as the leads from the breaker section lead into the harness and must end up at the pump motor connections and the secondaries come up from the harness as well, I'll have to read the data sheets on Digikey and educate myself.

[dfelsent]

I first tried 1egf2. Then iegf2 breaker
That was the ticket.
Good luck!