CAT250 Series: Advanced Circuit Breaker Analyzer and Timer for Safer High-Voltage Testing

High-voltage circuit breakers play a critical role in protecting substations, power grids, and industrial electrical systems. To keep them reliable, utilities and service teams need accurate testing tools that can evaluate timing, motion, coil behavior, resistance, and overall breaker condition in the field.

The CAT250 series Circuit Breaker Analyzer & Timer is designed for this purpose. It combines robust field-ready construction, precise measurement capability, and an intuitive 10.1-inch color touchscreen interface to support efficient circuit breaker condition assessment.

One of the key strengths of the CAT250 series is its ability to perform simultaneous timing measurements on up to 12 main contacts, including pre-insertion resistor contacts when present. This helps technicians evaluate whether breaker poles and contacts operate within required synchronization limits. The instrument also supports multiple operation sequences, including Open, Close, Open-Close, Close-Open, Open-Close-Open, trip-free, and reclose operations.

For substations where safety is a top priority, the optional Both Sides Grounded feature is especially valuable. It enables testing of AIS circuit breakers while both sides remain grounded, helping reduce the need to remove safety grounds during maintenance. This supports safer and faster work in high-voltage environments.

The CAT250 series can also include a built-in micro-ohmmeter up to 500 A for static and dynamic resistance measurement. This allows teams to assess contact resistance, perform DRM testing, and detect potential issues related to arcing contacts. With the optional high-precision module, the instrument can measure very low resistance values with high accuracy, making it suitable for applications such as generator circuit breakers, GIS testing, and welding joint inspections.

Beyond timing and resistance, the CAT250 provides deeper mechanical and electrical insight. Three universal transducer channels support motion measurement, including stroke, contact wipe, over-travel, rebound, damping time, and average velocity. Coil current and voltage measurement helps identify potential problems such as increased friction, coil defects, or operating mechanism issues. Optional vibration channels add another layer of non-invasive condition assessment by recording circuit breaker vibration fingerprints.

The CAT250 can also perform First Trip testing, which is important because a breaker may remain idle for long periods before being required to operate instantly during a fault. By analyzing coil current and current transformer secondary signals, technicians can better understand the real operating condition of the breaker during its first operation.

For data analysis and reporting, DV-CB software allows users to control CAT250 functions from a PC, download test results, compare graphs, apply test plans, and generate customized reports. The software database can also support predefined test plans, helping field teams standardize testing and speed up assessment.

With model options for 3, 6, or 12 timing channels, optional built-in micro-ohmmeter modules, minimum trip voltage testing, thermal printer, BSG capability, and a wide range of accessories, the CAT250 series offers a flexible solution for utilities, service providers, and maintenance teams working with high-voltage circuit breakers.

For teams that need accurate measurements, safer field testing, and complete breaker diagnostics in one system, the CAT250 series provides a practical and powerful platform for circuit breaker testing.

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