What type of breaker can handle larger overloads?

The thermal-magnetic circuit breaker is designed to manage larger overloads effectively. This type of breaker combines two mechanisms: a thermal element that responds to prolonged overload conditions and a magnetic element that reacts instantaneously to short-circuit currents.

When a current exceeds a certain threshold, the thermal component allows for gradual heating over time, which can trip the circuit under sustained overload, while the magnetic component will respond swiftly to protect against immediate, high-level surges often associated with short circuits. This combination provides a broad range of protection capabilities, making them suitable for applications requiring robustness against larger overloads.

Other types of breakers, such as thermal circuit breakers, primarily rely on thermal effects for overload protection and might not respond quickly enough to significant surges. Similarly, standard magnetic breakers focus mainly on short-circuit protection without the additional thermal sensing element, limiting their ability to handle large sustained overloads. Electronic breakers, while technologically advanced, may not have the same level of instantaneous response to high surge currents compared to thermal-magnetic options.