NEW BERLIN, Wis. – The ABB Low Voltage Products division has introduced a new line of heavy duty safety switches for commercial and industrial applications, meeting the necessary UL98, CSA and NEMA KS-1 standards for the most demanding service-entrance and motor-load applications.

The 600V and 200kA rated switches use the same globally rated bodies as ABB’s market leading rotary-style switches, providing increased performance, reliability and safety to the heavy duty market segment. They are the first heavy duty switches in the industry to offer touch-safe visible blades and operating mechanisms that are fully enclosed and protected from dirt and debris. All enclosure types come with gaskets, are free of sharp edges and offer a spacious interior for easier and safer wiring and installation of optional accessories.

The new ABB heavy duty safety switches range from 30 to 1,200 Amperes, and are available as fused and non-fused, with Types 1/12/3R/4X steel or stainless steel enclosures.  They are suitable for many heavy commercial and industrial applications including heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), food and beverage processing, material handling and conveyors, water and wastewater treatment, commercial construction, marine, petrochemical processing and mining.  

“The new ABB heavy duty switches use the same proven, state-of-the-art switch bodies and technology as our rotary switches, which are generally regarded as the best in the industry,” said Russ Janowski, ABB project manager. “We are pleased to extend this technological leadership to the safety switch market.”

The new ABB safety switches are maintenance-free, unlike competitive switches that require regular lubrication, and are fully field-serviceable, with the switch body, mechanism, fuse-holders, handle and enclosure door easily and quickly replaceable. .

Additional features of the new line include:

•  Dual color handles: highly visible red marking clearly indicates when the switch is “ON.”

•  Auxiliary contacts: mountable inside switch mechanism; same as those used with ABB rotary style switches, for lower cost and reduced inventory.

•  Optional viewing window: factory installed in enclosure door to safely see status of switch inside without opening door.

•  Fuse adapter kits: field adjustable to accommodate class R, L, J or T fuses. 

The new ABB line of heavy duty safety switches is now available from authorized ABB distributors. Visit the Heavy Duty Safety Switches online portal at www.abb.com/safetyswitches for more information and a product video.

About ABB 

ABB (www.abb.com) is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 130,000 people.

About ABB Low Voltage Products

The ABB Low Voltage Products division (www.abb.us/lowvoltage) manufactures low-voltage circuit breakers, switches, control products, wiring accessories, enclosures and cable systems to protect people, installations and electronic equipment from electrical overload.