Eaton Magnum DS low-voltage switchgear and breakers
Eaton Magnum DS, the UL 1558 workhorse whose draw-out breakers anchor the priced US used market
Eaton Magnum DS low-voltage switchgear and breakers is one of 41 data center switchgear tracked in the SecondWatt catalogue, each with specifications, lead times and indicative secondary-market pricing.
Eaton Magnum DS dossier: UL 1558 switchgear to 10,000 A bus with breakers priced 7,500-21,665 USD by condition, PXR retrofits, inspection checklist.
Magnum DS is Eaton's low-voltage metal-enclosed switchgear platform (UL 1558) built around Magnum DS draw-out air power circuit breakers, sold today alongside the next-generation Magnum PXR platform that builds on the same foundation. Ratings: 600 V class, main bus 1,600-10,000 A, breakers to 6,000 A, short-circuit withstand published to 200 kA (rear-access) with 30-cycle short-time, silver-plated copper bus, ANSI/IEEE C37.20.1, C37.51, UL 1558, UL 1066, and CSA C22.2 No. 31, in 18-60 inch sections; the arc-resistant front-access variant tests to IEEE C37.20.7 at up to 85 kA. The trade still calls it Cutler-Hammer, and the breakers are the liquid asset: a reconditioned MDS-C08 at 16,665 USD (21,665 in 'Plus' trim), an unused MDS616 1,600 A at 12,000 USD, an MDS608 refurbished at 7,500 USD, and MDS620 2,000 A units at 15,500 USD unused versus 7,500 USD tested, all with test reports. The OEM-sanctioned PXR trip-unit retrofit (with optional motorized remote racking) keeps 20-year lineups serviceable, which is precisely what sustains those used-breaker values.
Why it matters
Magnum DS is the deepest priced bench in ANSI LV switchgear: six live price points across conditions on one breaker family, a 2.1x gray-over-refurbished premium visible on the same frame, and an OEM retrofit path that extends asset life. That density makes it the anchor dataset for SecondWatt's per-breaker price index.
Who buys it
Owners of Magnum DS lineups across data centers, hospitals, and industry buy breakers and spares continuously; contractors buy tested units against 54-week LV switchgear leads; modernizers buy PXR retrofits instead of new lineups. The documented failure mode (mechanism retaining spring causing trip-free on close) is a known inspection item.
Role in the data center
LV distribution switchgear and draw-out mains/feeders behind unit substations; the spares-and-retrofit economics define maintenance planning on two decades of installs.
Key specifications
| Main bus range | 1,600-10,000 A |
|---|---|
| Breaker ceiling | 6,000 A |
| Withstand (rear-access) | 200 kA |
| Arc-resistant variant | 85 kA (IEEE C37.20.7) |
| Standards | C37.20.1, C37.51, UL 1558, UL 1066 |
| Observed MDS-C08 recon | 16,665 / 21,665 ('Plus') USD |
| Observed MDS620 | 15,500 unused / 7,500 tested USD |
| Observed MDS616 unused | 12,000 USD OBO |
| Observed MDS608 refurb | 7,500 USD OBO |
| Retrofit path | Magnum PXR trip units + MR2 remote racking |
Technical summary
Voltage class: 600 V Main bus: 1,600-10,000 A; breakers to 6,000 A Short-circuit withstand: to 200 kA (rear-access); 85 kA arc-resistant variant Short-time: 30-cycle Standards: ANSI/IEEE C37.20.1, C37.51; UL 1558, UL 1066; CSA C22.2 No. 31 Arc-resistant: IEEE C37.20.7 (front-access variant) Sections: 18-60 in W x 54-90 in D x 96 in H Trip units: Digitrip (legacy) to PXR (retrofit/current) Seismic: IBC/CBC/UBC Zone 4
Pricing and availability
Published price range: $7,500 – $21,665. Trend: up Breakers are up 47% since 2021 category-wide, and Magnum DS shows the structure: refurbished frames hold 7,500-16,665 USD, unused surplus commands a roughly 2.1x premium over tested-used on the same frame (MDS620: 15,500 versus 7,500 USD), and 'Plus'-tier reconditioning adds 30% over standard. The PXR retrofit path supports the floor. Lead time, new: 54 weeks (LV switchgear class). Lead time, used or refurbished: 1-4 weeks (deep 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
Relectric (priced recon), NAS/eBay (priced unused and tested), BCS, Circuit Breaker Sales NE, and Quality Switchgear (208 Magnum items, quote-only); whole 3-section lineups appear on eBay. Digitrip secondary-injection kits (MTK2000) support acceptance testing.