Thomas & Betts
Founded in 1898 by two Princeton engineers, Thomas & Betts has grown to become one of the leaders in the electrical circuit breaker industry. Since its founding, the company has made a name for itself as an innovator and inventor. In 1958, it was the first company to design and make cable ties used in the manufacturing of airplanes.
The Company Today
In 2012, the Swedish multinational corporation, ABB, bought Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion. As part of the merger, Thomas & Betts could expand its product offerings by working with other leading brands in the power industry under the ABB umbrella.
Today the company continues to thrive under the ABB name. It maintains a focus on its employees by allowing them to live a well-balanced life.
The company also supports employees in maintaining healthy lifestyles by offering on-site health fairs and health screenings. As a result, its employees continue to design high-quality electrical components, especially in the Thomas and Betts breakers line.
Thomas & Betts Breakers
Thomas & Betts offers a broad range of circuit breakers. Popular models include the molded case circuit breakers, a standard circuit breaker applicable to domestic and commercial areas, as well as thermal electric circuit breakers, composed of two switching mechanisms inside the breaker to interrupt two different types of faults.
FH340125B
The Thomas & Betts FH340125B breaker is a molded case circuit breaker with an amperage rating of 125A and voltage rating of 600V. As a molded case circuit breaker, it uses a combination of different trip units to protect against thermal overloads, short circuits and ground faults. It is designed with an electrochemical trip unit that protects against excess currents.
The three poles in the circuit breaker mean it can offer protection for three different circuits.
KS220300
The KS220300 breaker by Thomas & Betts is another molded case circuit breaker. It has a higher amperage rating than the FH340125B at 300A and a lower voltage rating than the FH340125B at 240V. It uses a combination of different trip units to protect against thermal overloads, short circuits and ground faults.
The two poles on the circuit breaker mean it can protect two different circuits from electrical surges.
GFB115
The Thomas & Betts GFB115 breaker is a molded case circuit breaker that combines two devices to detect changes in temperature and electrical current to protect against thermal overloads, short circuits and ground faults. It is GFB type breaker, with a low amperage rating of 15A and a standard voltage rating of 120V.
It is a single-poled circuit breaker, so it can only provide protection for one circuit.
JL360125A
The JL360125A by Thomas & Betts molded case circuit breaker has thermal magnetic switching mechanisms. It has a bimetal switch and an electromagnetic switch to respond to large surges in the current or as milder short circuits that continue for long periods of time. It is a JL type circuit breaker with an amperage rating of 125A and a voltage rating of 600V.
This molded case breaker has three poles to protect three different circuits.
FL240015A
The Thomas & Betts FL240015A breaker is similar to the JL360125A circuit breaker, as it is also designed with thermal magnetic switching mechanisms. This breaker can respond to large surges in the current (short circuits) and milder surges (continue for a long time).
It has a 15A amperage rating, 480V voltage rating, FL type circuit breaker with two poles to protect two circuits.
FL360100A
The FL360100A breaker by Thomas & Betts is in the same family of circuit breakers as the FL240015A. This is because it is also a thermal magnetic molded case circuit breaker of type FL with three poles.
However its amperage rating at 100A is significantly higher than the FL240015A. Its voltage rating at 600V is only slightly greater than the FL240015A.
VQC90
The VQC90 circuit breaker by Thomas & Betts is a molded case circuit breaker that has many similarities with the rest of the Thomas & Betts line. It is a two-poled circuit breaker that can provide protection for two circuits.
With an amperage rating of 90A and a voltage rating of 120V per pole, it is designed for smaller currents and voltages, such as those found in residential settings.
Final Thoughts
Thomas & Betts has been designing and manufacturing electrical components for the past 100 years. The 2012 acquisition by the ABB group has increased its products international visibility.
Thomas & Betts continues to design and manufacture high-quality circuit breakers, producing some of the most popular molded case circuit breakers in the world.