Eaton VacClad-W metal-clad switchgear with VCP-W breakers (5-38 kV)
Eaton VacClad-W metal-clad switchgear, the ANSI staple whose VCP-W breakers price the used MV market
Eaton VacClad-W metal-clad switchgear with VCP-W breakers (5-38 kV) is one of 41 data center switchgear tracked in the SecondWatt catalogue, each with specifications, lead times and indicative secondary-market pricing.
Eaton VacClad-W dossier: ANSI metal-clad 5-38 kV with VCP-W breakers priced 3,850-37,500 USD and lineups to 75,000 USD, four-tier analysis, inspection.
VacClad-W is the ANSI-market workhorse: Eaton's metal-clad MV switchgear with draw-out VCP-W vacuum breakers, Westinghouse heritage still visible in every dealer listing that says 'Eaton/Cutler-Hammer/Westinghouse.' The 5-15 kV family rates 4.76 and 15 kV, 1,200-3,000 A naturally cooled (4,000 A forced-air), interrupting to 63 kA, BIL 60/95 kV, per IEEE C37.20.2 with arc-resistant builds to IEEE C37.20.7 Type 2B, in 36-inch and narrow 26-inch designs; VacClad-HD extends to 38 kV, 1,200-3,000 A, 40 kA, BIL 150 kV. The secondary market trades at the breaker level with real prices: an unused 150VCP-W500 at 37,500 USD (2 available, tested with report), the eBay product page for the same model spanning 3,850 USD Westinghouse-era units to 24,000-28,500 USD standard examples, a 50VCP-W350 at 10,500 USD with 9 units in dealer stock, and a used 3-section 7.5 kV lineup at 75,000 USD OBO. Renewal-parts liquidity is deep (published VCP-W parts catalog, distributor component stock), which is why 30-year lineups keep trading as going concerns rather than scrap.
Why it matters
VacClad-W is the clearest four-tier pricing story in MV switchgear: 3,850 USD as-is to 37,500 USD unused on one breaker model, and a 75,000 USD used lineup against 35,000-75,000 USD per new section at 60-80 week leads. That spread, documented with live URLs, is the exact intelligence product SecondWatt's index sells.
Who buys it
Data centers, utilities, and industrials with VacClad lineups buy VCP-W breakers and spares continuously; EPCs buy used lineups to beat 60-80 week metal-clad leads; reconditioners stock the breaker frames in depth. The 27 kV class in the backlog did not appear on current US pages and should be verified via the full-line catalog.
Role in the data center
Campus MV distribution switchgear at 5-15 kV with VCP-W mains and feeders; the used lineup channel rescues schedules that 60-80 week new leads would break.
Key specifications
| 5-15 kV ratings | 1,200-3,000 A (4,000 FA) / to 63 kA |
|---|---|
| BIL (5-15 kV) | 60 / 95 kV |
| VacClad-HD 38 kV | 1,200-3,000 A / 40 kA / BIL 150 kV |
| Standards | C37.20.2; C37.20.7 Type 2B; NEMA SG-5 |
| Observed unused 150VCP-W500 | 37,500 USD OBO (qty 2, tested) |
| Observed model price band | 3,850-37,500 USD (150VCP-W500 page) |
| Observed 50VCP-W350 | 10,500 USD (9 in stock) |
| Observed used lineup | 75,000 USD OBO (3 sections, 7.5 kV) |
| Renewal parts | published VCP-W parts catalog |
Technical summary
5-15 kV family: 4.76 / 15 kV; 1,200-3,000 A (4,000 A FA) Interrupting: up to 63 kA BIL: 60 kV (4.76 kV) / 95 kV (15 kV) VacClad-HD: 38 kV / 1,200-3,000 A / 40 kA / BIL 150 kV Standards: IEEE C37.20.2; arc-resistant C37.20.7 Type 2B; NEMA SG-5; CSA C22.2 No. 31 Designs: 36-in and narrow 26-in; indoor and outdoor aisle types Breakers: VCP-W draw-out vacuum family Bus: epoxy fluidized-bed insulated Section (indoor): 36 x 96.25 x 95 in
Pricing and availability
Published price range: $3,850 – $37,500 (breakers); lineups to $75,000. Trend: up MV switchgear is up 50% since 2021, and VCP-W breakers carry the curve with a condition ladder visible on one model: Westinghouse-era 150VCP-W500s at 3,850 USD, standard tested units 24,000-28,500 USD, unused-with-warranty at 37,500 USD. Used lineups near 25,000 USD per section run 29-67% below new-section benchmarks with immediate delivery. Lead time, new: 60-80 weeks (15 kV metal-clad); 78-104 weeks (38 kV). Lead time, used or refurbished: 1-8 weeks (breakers); lineups opportunistic. Warranty, used: 1-year typical from reconditioning dealers.
Lifecycle and maintenance
Metal-clad MV switchgear routinely serves 40+ years: vacuum interrupters rated for 10,000-30,000 operations far outlast the mechanical duty standby service imposes, so lineup life is governed by insulation condition and relay/controls vintage. Breakers recondition readily and trade as units, while lineups modernize in place with digital relays and retrofit breakers. ANSI/NETA MTS acceptance testing at purchase plus PD surveys in service are the condition gates.
Common failure points
- Vacuum interrupters — Loss of vacuum ends interrupting capability with no external sign
- Insulation tracking and PD — Partial discharge across dusty or damp insulation progressing to flashover
- Racking and interlocks — Damaged racking screws and defeated interlocks from forced operation
- Protection relays — Obsolete or drifted relays mis-operate under fault
- Instrument transformers — CT/VT failures disable metering and protection inputs
- Space heater failure — Condensation-driven tracking in unheated outdoor or humid gear
Inspection checklist
Vacuum integrity — hipot test each interrupter per OEM procedure (e.g., 36 kV test on 15 kV class) Insulation resistance — megger bus and breakers at 2,500-5,000 V; compare to ANSI/NETA MTS tables Contact resistance — micro-ohm each pole; investigate imbalance beyond 50% between phases Partial discharge — ultrasonic and TEV survey; investigate any reading 6 dB above baseline Contact erosion — measure vacuum interrupter erosion marks against the OEM wear allowance Racking mechanism — cycle connect/test/disconnect positions 3 times each; verify interlocks and shutters Mechanism timing — verify open/close times; closing beyond 5 cycles flags mechanism trouble Bus insulation — inspect epoxy and boots for tracking or corona; clean and torque joints Instrument transformers — verify CT/VT ratios, insulation, and fusing Protection relays — test to calibration cycle; electromechanical relays need 1-2 year intervals Arc rating — confirm arc-resistant construction class (IEEE C37.20.7 Type 2B) matches the installation Heaters — verify space heaters work; condensation drives tracking failures in unheated gear Nameplate — confirm voltage class, BIL (60-150 kV by class), and interrupting rating against the application Standards — verify IEEE C37.20.2 construction and UL/CSA labels; run ANSI/NETA MTS acceptance tests Records — factory test report, maintenance history, and operation counts; missing history reprices as-is
Procurement channels
Bullock (firm-priced breaker stock), NAS/eBay (unused and tested units), Circuit Breaker Sales NE and Lenmark (quote-gated), Surplus Record's metal-clad category for lineups; Eaton publishes renewal parts and enhanced-pole instruction books for acceptance work.