The ITE electrical circuit company was one of the leaders in the electrical circuit manufacturing world. It produced a variety of circuits that can handle small- to medium-sized voltages and developed innovations such as the first 5 kilovolts air magnetic circuit breakers.
In 1976, ITE was bought by Gould. Later, in 1983, Gould sold ITE to Siemens USA. The Siemens company recognized the prestige that the name ITE circuit breaker carried, so it did not rebrand the ITE product with the Siemens name.
Replacing ITE Breakers
Even though the manufacturer no longer exists, ITE breakers are still widely in use today. When the time comes to replace or recondition an old ITE circuit breaker, finding replacement parts can mean looking through new or used parts and checking their compatibilities.
Luckily, Siemens makes new circuit breakers that can replace the old ITE breakers. The new Siemens breakers will either have the same ITE part number, or its own Siemens part number.
For obsolete ITE breakers that have no current Siemens manufactured replacements, a quality used ITE circuit breaker may be purchased to replace it. If a used one cannot be found, purchasing a reconditioned ITE circuit breaker with all the parts from the original manufacturer is also a very good option to consider.
Reconditioning Circuit Breakers
Reconditioned circuit breakers provide many benefits to facilities. Using reconditioned breakers can decrease the number of unplanned facility outages. Reconditioning can also add new and updated technology that can add another layer of safety, as well as increase facility efficiency.
Reconditioning electrical products, such as electrical appliances, involves ensuring the product continues to function as designed, without compromising on safety.
For circuit breakers, reconditioning means completely disassembling the power breakers, cleaning each component, replacing worn out parts, reassembling the components and performing a complete function test prior to putting it back in service. This entire process must use only the original manufacturer’s designed parts so the circuit breaker can still qualify as a true Siemens or ITE circuit breaker with no degradation or compromise on original function.
Today, reconditioned ITE circuit breakers can be purchased on many internet sites or local electronic outlets.
Below are some popular ITE circuit breakers that can be easily purchased to replace your old ITE circuit breaker.
B115
The B115 is the most popular ITE/Siemens circuit breaker. It is a molded case, thermal magnetic circuit breaker. This concept means it has electrochemical trip units that protect it against excess currents.
The trip unit is made up of two different switching mechanisms: a bimetal switch and an electromagnet. This circuit breaker has a maximum amperage rating of 15 Amps and a maximum voltage rating of 120 Volts. It is a single poled circuit breaker, so it can only provide protection for one circuit.
B140HH
The B140HH is another popular ITE/Siemens circuit breaker. Like the B115, it is also a molded case, thermal magnetic circuit breaker with a bimetal switch and an electromagnet as its interrupting mechanisms.
At 40 Amps, the maximum amperage rating for the B140HH is higher than the B115. Its voltage rating is 120/240 Volts and is a single poled circuit breaker that protects one circuit.
CQD1100
The CQD1100 is another molded case, thermal magnetic circuit breaker. Like the B115 and the B140HH, it has the same three-part construction including two interrupting mechanisms, a bimetal switch and an electromagnet. It is also a single-poled circuit breaker with the capacity to protect one circuit only. Its maximum amperage rating is 100 Amps with a maximum voltage rating of 277 Volts.
KB600
The KB600 is a manually operated, fixed mount circuit breaker that is part of the Siemens/ITE brand. Because it is a manually operated circuit breaker, it requires an operator to charge the closing springs as no remote functions are present. It has a frame amperage rating of 600 Amps.
KDON600
The KDON600 is an electrically operated, draw-out type circuit breaker made by Siemens/ITE. The draw-out feature allows the circuit breaker to be installed in a container that can be easily removed and interchanged without dismantling the circuit breaker. The maximum amperage rating for this circuit breaker is 600 Amps, and it has a single built-in electrical pole.
Final Thoughts
The ITE circuit breaker company remains a prestigious name in the circuit breaker manufacturing world.
Today, Siemens continues to sell many lines of circuit breakers under the ITE name. These breakers can either serve as replacements for old ITE circuit breakers or be used as replacement parts to recondition existing ITE breakers.