Life Extension/Retrofit

Circuit Breaker Sales’s life-extension programs include both retrofit and retrofill options.

Retrofit is taking an older, obsolete, or underrated piece of equipment and adding modern components such as vacuum interrupter, solid-state trip units, and the latest motor relays. Using new components, retrofits extend the useful life of your obsolete, hard-to-maintain switchgear, motor controls, and circuit breakers.

Examples of CBS’ retrofit services include:

  • Replacing analog, mechanical trip units with the latest solid-state trip unit.
  • Installing vacuum interrupters in medium voltage circuit breakers to increase life in motor-starting and similar applications.
  • Adding new GE Multilin motor relays to medium-voltage motor controls
  • Retrofitting low-voltage motor control buckets with new components and a modern solid-state overload protective devices
  • Adding vacuum interrupters to larger low-voltage motor controls will extend their useable lifespan.
  • Retrofit obsolete medium-voltage air circuit breakers with modern vacuum circuit breakers that have the same truck assembly.
  • Manufacturing custom, matching switchgear to add feeders to an obsolete substation
  • ….And much, much more. Contact us to see if we have a retrofit solution for your needs

Circuit Breaker Life Extension Services - Retrofitted Circuit Breakers

Solid-State Trip Unit Retrofits For Low Voltage Circuit Breakers

Let us retrofit your low voltage power circuit breakers with AC-PRO solid-state trip devices. AC-PRO will reduce both nuisance trips and the downtime required for maintenance on your equipment.

Circuit Breaker Sales can upgrade your low voltage power circuit breakers and insulated case circuit breakers with the latest solid-state trip technology based on your specific needs. Examples of our available solid-state upgrades to power circuit breakers include:

  • Used Breaker Upgraded With Solid State Trip Unit
  • New Breaker Upgraded With Solid State Trip Device
  • GE Power Break with RMS9 Solid State Trip Unit
  • Insulated Case Breaker With Solid State Trip Device

Upgrading to these modern solid state trip devices or replacing older style electronic trip units with them will reduce maintenance, increase reliability, reduce nuisance trips, and extend the functionality of older circuit breakers. Advanced power management features are also available.

Retrofit AC-PRO-II Devices

Developed for 600V class power circuit breakers, the AC-PRO-II solid-state trip unit is a true RMS sensing overcurrent device. It comes standard with long-time, short-time, instantaneous, ground fault, and phase unbalance protections, any of which can be enabled to disabled with the exception of the long-time setting.  Communications also come standard; power monitoring and voltage protection are available along with arc flash reduction capabilities via an optional maintenance switch.

The AC-PRO-II has a programmable current transformer (CT) rating. By combining all these features in a single unit, the AC-PRO-II solid state power circuit breaker trip unit can work with a huge variety of circuit breakers; and simplifies the use, standardization, maintenance, training and spares supply for any electrical installation.

If your application includes motor starting, a vacuum interrupter retrofit from Circuit Breaker Sales on your low voltage power circuit breakers will increase life of your electric motors and motor control equipment.

CBS Maxi-PAC Insulated Case Circuit Breaker Retrofit

In many situations we can install a CBS Maxi-PAC retrofit kit that will replace your obsolete low voltage power circuit breaker with a modern insulated case circuit breaker that has a higher interrupting duty and modern electronics. This can be done with minimal downtime and utilizes your existing structure.

CBS Maxi-VAC Retrofit for Medium Voltage Circuit Breakers

Utilizing our retrofit and retrofill services, you can extend the life of your obsolete medium voltage circuit breakers.

Obsolete medium-voltage air circuit breakers can fail to perform as required due to several problems: paper insulation, asbestos, large operating mechanisms, heavy weight, contact erosion, and among others. Utilizing CBS Maxi-Vac retrofits solves these problems by replacing aging vacuum interrupters with an ANSI-approved vacuum circuit breaker in the same truck assembly at a fraction of the cost of replacing your gear with new models.

All CBS Maxi-Vac solutions are direct replacements that do no require any modifications to your existing gear.
Allowing Circuit Breaker Sales to upgrade medium voltage circuit breakers with our CBS Maxi-Vac technology is significantly more economical than purchasing new breakers and related service and equipment.

Circuit Breaker Sales realizes that all medium voltage retrofit projects are unique. To help you plan, we’ve put together a document for our clients that outlines the steps in this process and helps you to minimize problems. Click here to download this helpful guide. And if you have any more questions, please give us a call. We love to help!

Medium Voltage Circuit Breaker Retrofit

Low & Medium Voltage Motor Control Retrofit

Let Circuit Breaker Sales make your low- and medium-voltage motor controls operate better than new for less with an upgrade and life extension solution.

Low Voltage Motor Control Retrofit

Circuit Breaker Sales can retrofit your low-voltage motor control buckets modern solid state overload protective devices and new components, while large units can be vacuum retrofitted to extend their life and improve overall performance.

Medium-Voltage Motor Control Retrofit

With a vacuum interrupter upgrade or retrofit, allow us to upgrade your medium-voltage motor control cells, including new structure and contactor. With an additional GE MultiLin motor relay, Circuit Breaker Sales will provide you with a new system for much less than a new motor control center.

Medium-Voltage Motor Control Retrofit