Keeping the main breaker from tripping

[Monochron]

Originally Posted by Cory

To clarify, I don't think anyone cools their breaker to keep alive...they (or at least we) just do so in order to not start with an elevated temperature due to short match turnaround. An elevated temperature means your breaker will trip under lower current draw than a room temperature breaker.

I agree that this is likely the usual case for cooling breakers and I am generally doubtful that FIRST would call that illegal for the listed reasons.

Maybe a better question would be is the breaker thermally triggered because that is simply one of the many ways the creator decided to implement it, or is the "left over" heat from previous operation indicative of actual risk?

The question would be, what is the case where the breaker trips meant to prevent?

• Is it to protect the breaker itself from damage?
• Is it to protect the motors from excessive currents over time?
• Is it to protect the motors from excessive heat.

I can't find any documentation stating which is true, but I would guess that it is a combination of all of the above.

If so then in the last case (protecting motors and components from excessive heat), then cooling the breaker DOES circumvent the system and add risk. Risk of overheating a motor, controller, etc. because the breaker "thought" that the system was much cooler than it was.

Any thoughts?