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ITE Circuit Breaker Company (also known as I.T.E Electric) was founded in the late 1800s in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and quickly became a pioneer in circuit breaker technology. The company was instrumental in the development of innovative electrical equipment and is credited with creating the first stored energy low and medium voltage circuit breakers, as well as the first 5 kV air magnetic circuit breakers.
ITE breakers have been among the most popular options since the widespread use of electricity became commonplace. The fact that these breakers and ITE-compatible circuit breakers – remain so popular after all this time is a testament to their high quality performance.
In the 1970s, ITE was acquired by Siemens AG, a German engineering conglomerate. Siemens expanded the ITE product line to include power distribution equipment, motor control centers, and other industrial electrical products, continuing to operate under the ITE brand for several years. In 1993, Siemens merged the ITE brand with its own low-voltage circuit breaker business, eventually phasing out the ITE name and continuing operations under the Siemens brand.
Regardless of the size of the equipment, whether it’s an 800kV transformer or a 30A circuit breaker, Siemens has a proven track record of innovation. Their product offerings include circuit breakers, transformers, safety switches, disconnects, and panelboards. After acquiring ITE (formerly known as Gould) in 1983, Siemens ensured that customers looking to replace ITE products could find suitable replacements within their extensive product range.
ITE – ABB Heritage brand
In 2020, Siemens announced the sale of its low-voltage electrical distribution business, including its circuit breaker division, to ABB, a Swiss engineering company. The sale was completed in 2021, and the ITE name now continues as a heritage brand within ABB’s Electrification business.
The ITE Circuit Breaker Company was originally named after the innovative “Inverse Time Element” (ITE) technology, which was the key feature of its electro-mechanical circuit breaker trip devices. This technology allows circuit breakers to trip faster as the current increases, making it a fundamental component of overcurrent protection devices.
ITE’s Air Circuit Breaker Lines:
- Slate Back Breakers:
- The early “slate back” breakers were enclosed in a metal frame with an external handle for safe operation. These breakers were available in different frame sizes, each with specific trip devices to handle varying amperage capacities:
- KA: 225 amp frame
- KB: 600 amp frame
- KC: 800, 1200, or 1600 amp frame
- LX and LG: 1600 to 8000 amp frames
- The early “slate back” breakers were enclosed in a metal frame with an external handle for safe operation. These breakers were available in different frame sizes, each with specific trip devices to handle varying amperage capacities:
- Steel Back Breakers:
- Following World War II, the “steel back” product line replaced the “slate back” breakers. These breakers featured individual insulated pole pieces mounted on a steel frame, housed within a steel cabinet. They were equipped with OD-1 or OD-2 series overcurrent trip devices:
- KA: 225 amp frame
- KB: 600 amp frame
- KC: 800 and 1600 amp frame
- KD-A: 3000 amp frame
- KE-A: 4000 amp frame
Despite similar model numbers between the slate and steel back lines, the breakers themselves are not interchangeable, requiring operators and maintenance personnel to be familiar with the differences when ordering replacement parts.
- Following World War II, the “steel back” product line replaced the “slate back” breakers. These breakers featured individual insulated pole pieces mounted on a steel frame, housed within a steel cabinet. They were equipped with OD-1 or OD-2 series overcurrent trip devices:
- K-Line Series Breakers:
- The K-Line series introduced a downsized frame for space conservation, with a spring-charged mechanism for faster operation and reduced arcing. The K-Line Black series was the first generation of this line, recognized by the black plastic insulation used on the poles and arc chutes:
- K-225: 225 amp max
- K-600: 600 amp
- K-1600: 1600 amp
Later improvements included options for fused and series overcurrent protection, leading to the development of the K-DON series, which provided extra protection from massive faults and increased breaker ratings to 200,000 AIC. The evolution continued with the introduction of solid-state overcurrent trip devices, offering more reliable performance and greater flexibility in trip ratings.
- The K-Line series introduced a downsized frame for space conservation, with a spring-charged mechanism for faster operation and reduced arcing. The K-Line Black series was the first generation of this line, recognized by the black plastic insulation used on the poles and arc chutes:
Throughout its history, ITE has been a leader in innovation within the electrical industry, with its legacy now carried forward by ABB’s American operations, which continue to emphasize engineering excellence and technological advancement.
ABB heritage brands:
- ab rotech
- Accuray
- Alfa Laval Automation
- ASEA
- ASEA Brown Boveri
- August Systems
- Aztec
- Bailey Controls
- Bailey Network Management
- Baldor Electric Company
- BBC Brown Boveri Electric
- Bomem
- Brown, Boveri & Cie
- Busch-Jaeger
- Calor Emag
- Cellier
- Comem
- EJF
- Elettrocondutture
- Elektro-Praga
- Elmek
- ETSI
- Figeholm
- Fischer & Porter
- GE Industrial Solutions
- Gould ITE
- Hartmann and Braun
- intrion
- ITE
- Kent
- Keymile
- K-TEK
- Kuhlman Electric Corporation
- Los Gatos Research
- Luca System
- Micafil
- Mincom
- National Industri
- Newave
- Niessen
- NUB3D
- PowerCorp
- Pucaro
- Raman Boards
- Reyrolle
- SACE
- Schoppe & Faeser
- Silver Star Shenzhen Surge Arrestor Co. Ltd.
- Simcon
- SpiritIT
- Stromberg
- SVIA
- Swedewater
- Taylor
- TBI-Bailey
- Thomas & Betts
- Totalflow
- Trasfor
- Tropos
- Turati
- Ventyx
- Westinghouse
- ZWAR
- Texas Instruments
- STMicroelectronics
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