Carling / Midnite Breaker Feedback

[Captain Kirk]

Just received this Carling/Midnite breaker and wanted to get feedback. The brass post is well connected (riveted?) to the steel terminal, however the entire post/terminal assembly is quite loose/moving around quite a bit in the housing. Is this normal? When the breaker is on, movement is reduced. Please forgive the breaker terminology if it's incorrect.

 

[BentleyJ]

I have the 175A Remote Trip version of that breaker. Yes, the entire conductive assembly seems to have a bit of free "play" inside the plastic housing. Seems like this is normal for the brand.

 

[Brett V]

That's normal.

 

[400bird]

In my opinion, the contacts move so they can have some tolerance to make a better connection when close. When I closed my breaker, the free play tightened up noticeably.

 

[Oldphile]

Does anyone know the trip delay curve for these breakers from MidNite Solar? MidNite just publishes the Carling data without specifying which one.

 

[400bird]

I thought I had seen that somewhere, it's on the spec sheet that just looks like mechanical drawings.
It's a type F with delay curve 14

 

[Steve_S]

I have 175A & 250A versions of these breakers (2 E-Panels) and that play is normal.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Thank you all...I'll keep it!

 

[Daddy Tanuki]

yep got the same units and a little play is normal... chocked it up to alignment reasons for the contacts. had one go down last lightening storm... inside when i broke it open with a hammer (sorry no photos) looked like the contacts splattered. the midnight solar units did their jobs, had to replace two of them and all was good.

 

[Hedges]

Does this mean using stiff wire alters breaker contact resistance and performance during fault conditions?
Do we need a loop of limber fine strand wire for it to function according to spec?

I have a 200A AC main breaker. The contact is restrained from moving too far by the Bakelite housing. It has play, and of course is used with coarse strand wire. When I torque the socket head set screw to what I think are proper specs for the screw size (according to specs for similar size terminals in other electrical equipment) it tends to break the housing. Not sure how we're supposed to restrain them.

 

[Captain Kirk]

Great question....partly along the reason I asked in the OP. I’d be curious what the mfg support department would say about the housing failure. At least with this style breaker I can grab the brass when torquing, to remove stress from the Bakelite housing.

 

[Nobodybusiness]

Just received this Carling/Midnite breaker and wanted to get feedback. The brass post is well connected (riveted?) to the steel terminal, however the entire post/terminal assembly is quite loose/moving around quite a bit in the housing. Is this normal? When the breaker is on, movement is reduced. Please forgive the breaker terminology if it's incorrect.

View attachment 171831

View attachment 171830

I have 2 x 250 and they are like that but they work fine.