ABB (GE heritage) EntelliGuard G LV power circuit breaker (previous generation)
ABB EntelliGuard G power breakers, 400-6,000 A GE-heritage frames with parts still fully available
ABB (GE heritage) EntelliGuard G LV power circuit breaker (previous generation) is one of 41 data center switchgear tracked in the SecondWatt catalogue, each with specifications, lead times and indicative secondary-market pricing.
ABB EntelliGuard G dossier: 400-6,000 A GE-heritage breakers to 200 kAIC, RELT arc reduction, used pricing 3,500-35,000 USD, inspection checklist.
EntelliGuard G is the GE-heritage LV ANSI power circuit breaker launched around 2008 and now sold by ABB as a previous-generation product in limited phase, with all parts and replacement breakers still fully available per the official product page. For new designs ABB points to Emax 2 and Emax 3; for the large installed base, EntelliGuard R Retrofill units cover legacy AK/AKD frames. Ratings run 400-6,000 A in 3- and 4-pole builds with interrupting capability to 200 kAIC under ANSI/UL 1066 and UL 489, IEC variants included. The EntelliGuard TU trip unit carries the RELT arc-energy-reduction setting (maintaining HRC1/2 protection up to 100 kA faults), zone-selective interlocking, and Modbus RTU or Profibus DP communications. The secondary market is priced across the frame range: a 400 A unit new-open-box at 3,500 USD, a 5,000 A electrically-operated frame refurbished with 1-year warranty at 35,000 USD, with Breaker Outlet and Bullock stocking mid-frames. As Emax 3 succession pressure builds, the EntelliGuard G installed base becomes a retrofit and spares annuity, exactly the market SecondWatt's listings serve.
Why it matters
A 200 kAIC ANSI breaker family with OEM parts still flowing is the sweet spot of the used market: high replacement value, low platform risk. The observed 10x price spread (3,500 USD small frame to 35,000 USD warranted 5,000 A unit) shows how frame size, operation type, and warranty drive value, a pricing curve no published source tracks except listings.
Who buys it
Owners of GE/ABB LV switchgear built 2008-2020 buy spares and replacements; contractors buy tested units to restore lineups without waiting 54 weeks on new-build LV switchgear. Retrofit buyers use EntelliGuard R to modernize older AK/AKD lineups, keeping cell iron while replacing the breaker.
Role in the data center
Main and feeder breakers in GE/ABB LV switchgear lineups of the 2008-2020 build era; spares and tested replacements keep those lineups serving critical load.
Key specifications
| Current range | 400-6,000 A |
|---|---|
| Interrupting ceiling | 200 kAIC |
| Standards | ANSI/UL 1066, UL 489, IEC |
| Trip unit | EntelliGuard TU with RELT |
| RELT capability | HRC1/2 to 100 kA faults |
| Status | previous generation; parts fully available |
| Observed 400 A open-box | 3,500 USD OBO |
| Observed 5,000 A refurbished | 35,000 USD OBO (1-yr warranty) |
| Retrofit line | EntelliGuard R Retrofill (AK/AKD) |
Technical summary
Range: 400-6,000 A, 3P/4P Interrupting: up to 200 kAIC Standards: ANSI/UL 1066, UL 489, IEC variants; UL/cUL/CE Trip unit: EntelliGuard TU with RELT arc-energy reduction RELT protection: HRC1/2 up to 100 kA faults Communications: Modbus RTU, Profibus DP; zone-selective interlocking Status: previous generation, limited phase; parts fully available Retrofit sibling: EntelliGuard R Retrofill for AK/AKD frames Heritage: GE (launched ~2008); ABB-owned since 2018
Pricing and availability
Comparable secondary-market band: 3500–35000 $ per breaker. Trend: up Lead time, new: Replacement breakers ship via ABB (limited phase). Lead time, used or refurbished: 1-4 weeks (dealer stock). Warranty, used: 1-year typical from reconditioning dealers.
Lifecycle and maintenance
LV power circuit breakers serve 30-40 years on 3-5 year maintenance cycles per ANSI/NETA MTS and NFPA 70B, with mechanism lubrication and injection testing the critical items. A deep reconditioning ecosystem (Relectric, NAS, Bay Power, Bullock) tests to NETA specifications and warrants units for 1 year. OEM trip-unit retrofit programs (Eaton PXR, ABB EntelliGuard R, Siemens 3WA retrofit) extend installed platforms past electronics obsolescence, which sustains used-breaker values.
Common failure points
- Mechanism springs and lubrication — Slow trips, trip-free on close, failure to latch on aged units
- Trip unit electronics — Nuisance trips or no-trip from aged or obsolete electronics
- Contacts and arc chutes — Overheating and interruption failure from eroded contacts or cracked chutes
- Secondary wiring — Control faults from damaged secondary disconnects and aux switches
- Provenance and counterfeits — Counterfeit or mis-labeled breakers fail catastrophically under fault
- Cassette and racking wear — Misalignment and cluster contact damage on worn cradles
Inspection checklist
Mechanism — exercise open/close 10+ cycles; verify charge/close/trip sequence without trip-free behavior Trip curve — primary injection test; NETA field data shows 22% of LV power breakers off their published curves Secondary injection — verify all 4 protection functions (LSIG) against settings; record as-found/as-left values Contact resistance — micro-ohm test each pole; investigate readings above 1.5x sister poles Insulation resistance — megger at 1,000 V per ANSI/NETA MTS acceptance tables Contact wear — inspect arcing contacts and wear indicators against the OEM replacement limit Arc chutes — remove and inspect for cracks, erosion, and metal splatter; replace damaged chutes Lubrication — verify mechanism grease condition; dried lubricant is the leading slow-trip cause on 20+ year units Racking — exercise draw-out mechanism through connect/test/disconnect; verify shutter operation Auxiliary wiring — verify secondary disconnects, charging motor voltage (24-125 V options), and aux contacts Trip unit vintage — identify electronics generation; obsolete trip units reprice the breaker toward core value Counterfeit screen — verify serial numbers with the OEM; counterfeit LV breakers documented since the 2007 CPSC recall Ratings match — confirm frame, sensor/rating plug, and interrupting rating (kA at 480 V) against the application Listing match — verify cassette/cradle compatibility and UL 1066 or UL 489 listing matches the switchgear type Records — factory test report, service history, and injection results; missing records reprice toward as-is
Procurement channels
NAS Circuit Breakers (eBay, warranted refurbished), Alpha 7, Breaker Outlet, and Bullock Breakers stock the frames; ABB ships new replacements while the limited phase lasts.