Schneider Electric | TeSys GV2 Motor Circuit Breaker 3P 0.16 to 0.25A | 690V Thermal Magnetic
The Schneider Electric GV2ME02 is a three pole motor circuit breaker from the TeSys GV2 range, with a thermal-magnetic trip unit adjustable between 0.16A and 0.25A. The GV2ME02 protects three phase motors rated to 0.06kW at 400 or 415V AC, combining overload, short circuit and phase failure protection in one device. Rated operational voltage is 690V AC with a 100kA breaking capacity at every rated voltage. The breaker clips to 35mm DIN rail or screws to a panel with an adaptor plate.
Protecting a small three phase motor with a standard circuit breaker leaves the winding unprotected. An MCB sized to the cable interrupts fault current, but it cannot replicate the thermal characteristic of a motor drawing a fraction of an ampere. Single phasing is what actually destroys small motors: the remaining two phases absorb the entire load, current escalates, and the winding overheats before anything upstream responds. The GV2ME02 addresses both conditions with a thermal element adjustable from 0.16A to 0.25A, fixed magnetic tripping at 2.4A, and phase failure sensitivity conforming to IEC 60947-4-1.
Panel builders specify motor circuit breakers because a single device consolidates what an MCB and a separate overload relay would otherwise occupy. The GV2ME02 requires 45mm of rail width and accommodates two conductors per terminal up to 6mm², which keeps the terminations organised inside a congested control panel. Push-button control and a lockable mechanism allow the breaker to function as the isolation point during maintenance, certified suitable for isolation under IEC 60947-1. Calibrating the thermal element against the motor nameplate current requires a screwdriver and no recalculation.
Features
- 0.16 to 0.25A thermal range — the GV2ME02 thermal element adjusts across 0.16A to 0.25A, so it sets to the motor nameplate current rather than a fixed step.
- 2.4A magnetic trip — the magnetic element trips at a fixed 2.4A, clearing a short circuit without waiting on the thermal curve.
- Phase failure sensitivity — the trip unit responds to loss of a phase under IEC 60947-4-1, which is the failure mode that burns out small motors.
- 100kA breaking capacity — Icu of 100kA at 230/240V, 400/415V, 440V, 500V and 690V AC, with Ics at 100 per cent of Icu at every one.
- 690V rated operational voltage — Ue and Ui are both 690V AC, with a 6kV rated impulse withstand voltage under IEC 60947-2.
- Suitable for isolation — the GV2ME02 is certified for isolation duty under IEC 60947-1, so it serves as the isolation point ahead of the motor.
- Screw clamp terminals — each terminal takes two conductors, 1 to 6mm² solid or 1.5 to 6mm² flexible, torqued to 1.7Nm.
- Dual mounting — clips onto 35mm symmetrical DIN rail or screws to a panel with an adaptor plate, and works in any operating position.
- 100,000 operating cycles — the GV2ME02 is rated for 100,000 mechanical cycles and 100,000 electrical cycles at AC-3 440V, at 25 cycles per hour.
- Compact 45mm body — 45mm wide, 89mm high and 78.2mm deep at 0.26kg, dissipating 2.5W per pole.
- IP20 as supplied — the GV2ME02 is IP20 and IK04, so it needs an enclosure or panel and is not rated for exposed or wash-down positions.
Where to use
- Small pump and dosing circuits — protecting fractional-kilowatt three phase pumps and dosing units where full load current sits well under one amp.
- Control panel motor starters — the GV2ME02 pairs with a contactor to form a compact starter on a single DIN rail inside a control panel.
- Process and instrument drives — small actuators, stirrers, feeders and conveyor drives on plant where each motor needs individual protection.
- Machine builds and retrofits — OEM machinery and rebuild work where the panel is built to EN 60204, one of the standards this breaker conforms to.
- Marine and offshore panels — the GV2ME02 carries Lloyds Register, BV, RINA and DNV certifications for shipping and offshore switchboard work.
- Motor isolation duty — installations that need a lockable isolation point within the motor circuit itself, at the point of protection.
The GV2ME02 is rated IP20 and IK04, so it must sit inside an enclosure or control panel rather than in an exposed position. Its thermal element only adjusts between 0.16A and 0.25A, which limits it to motors around 0.06kW at 400 or 415V, and it cannot be reset to cover a larger drive. The breaker provides no earth leakage protection, so any residual current requirement on the circuit has to be met separately.
