Breaker Testing – Primary/Secondary

Breakers are a powerhouse of protection for your electrical system. To keep your facility’s power on, your systems must be protected from faults that threaten them. Through primary injection breaker testing, a highly specialized form of testing all parts and functions of the breaker, or secondary injection testing, a form of testing the operations of the trip unit, you can help ensure that if a problem occurs in your electrical system, a breaker will operate to protect the rest of the system, your facility and your employees.

Secondary and Primary Injection Testing for Circuit Breakers
Secondary injection testing can only be performed on solid-state or electronic trip units with specific portal and if no changes have occurred in the system and the breaker has experienced no fault. This is a quick and easy way to test trip unit operation. ECA Service has a variety of small, portable test equipment that tests different breakers.

Primary injection testing can be conducted on any breaker, including thermal magnetic and electronic. The required equipment is heavy, expensive, and less portable, and operators must have years of training and expertise on its operation. Also, it’s a more time-intensive process since the complete breaker is tested, including current transformers, contacts, wiring, and trip unit. Generally, NFPA requires primary injection testing after any changes to a system, and it’s highly recommended for critical breakers.

We highly recommend your breakers be tested once every three to five years at minimum. Depending on other factors, such as age of the equipment, environment, and necessity to operations, breakers may need to be tested more often to ensure the proper protection is provided to your electrical system, facility, and employees. Contact an Electrical Risk Consultant at ECA Service today to schedule a consultation.

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