Switchgear: Product Families
Switchgear is the assembly of circuit breakers, switches, buses and controls that connects a power source to the loads it feeds and isolates faulted circuits. Metal-clad designs place each breaker in its own compartment, with grounded barriers between the sections. Metal-enclosed designs house the equipment in a grounded enclosure with fewer internal barriers. Arc-resistant lineups direct the pressure of an internal arc away from people in front of the equipment. Pad-mounted switchgear is built for outdoor placement on a concrete pad.
Ratings that identify a lineup are voltage class, main bus current, short-circuit rating and breaker type. Buyers of surplus or replacement equipment often ask for the lineup family and its breaker series.
28 product families from 7 manufacturers
Metal-Clad
Siemens
GM-SG (indoor; OGM-SG outdoor, SGM-SG walk-in)
Listed as current
Air-insulated drawout vacuum-breaker metal-clad switchgear for 5 to 15 kV systems, one- or two-high breaker cells.
- Rated range
- 5, 7.2, 15 kV; 1200-3000 A (4000 A fan-cooled); up to 63 kA
Siemens
GM38
Listed as current
38 kV air-insulated metal-clad switchgear with horizontal-drawout 38-3AH3 vacuum breakers, one-high construction only.
- Rated range
- 38 kV; 1200/2000 A, 3000 A forced-air; 21 to 40 kA classes
ABB
SafeGear
Listed as current
Arc-resistant metal-clad medium-voltage switchgear using ADVAC or AMVAC vacuum breakers.
- Rated range
- 5/8.25/15 kV; 1200-4000 A; up to 50 kA
Powell Industries
PowlVac
Listed as current
Powell's metal-clad vacuum switchgear line, standard and arc-resistant construction.
- Rated range
- 5-38 kV; 1200-4000 A main bus; breakers to 63 kAIC
Powell Industries
PowlVac-ND (narrow design)
Listed as current
Space-saving metal-clad variant that can replace older air-magnetic switchgear footprints.
- Rated range
- 5 kV in 26 in. width; 27 kV in 36 in. width; up to 50 kAIC
Powell Industries
Power/Vac
Metal-clad vacuum switchgear line Powell acquired in 2006 and still builds, indoor NEMA 1 and outdoor NEMA 3R.
- Rated range
- 5 and 15 kV; through 4000 A; up to 63 kA
Schneider Electric (Square D)
MasterClad (5-15 kV arc-resistant metal-clad)
Indoor arc-resistant metal-clad switchgear; the manufacturer page confirms the family name and voltage class only.
- Rated range
- 5-15 kV class (current and kA not stated)
Arc-Resistant
Siemens
GM-SG-AR
Listed as current
Arc-resistant version of GM-SG metal-clad switchgear with a top-mounted pressure relief duct.
- Rated range
- 5, 7.2, 15 kV; up to 63 kA; IEEE C37.20.7 accessibility Type 2B, 0.5 s
Siemens
WL arc-resistant low-voltage switchgear
Low-voltage drawout breaker switchgear with an optional arc-resistant structure and exhaust plenum.
- Rated range
- Up to 635 V; frames 800-6000 A; 100 kA @ 508 V or 85 kA @ 635 V internal arc, Type 2B
ABB
SafeGear / SafeGear HD
Listed as current
Passive arc-resistant metal-clad medium-voltage switchgear tested to IEEE C37.20.7.
- Rated range
- 5/15 kV; up to 4000 A; Types 2, 2B, 2BC; 0.5 s
ABB (GE legacy)
AKD-20 AR
Arc-resistant low-voltage switchgear built around EntelliGuard G breakers, tested to C37.20.7 Type 2B.
- Rated range
- Breakers 800-5000 A on the AR version; up to 150 kAIC family rating
Schneider Electric (Square D)
Power-Zone 4 Arc Resistant (AR/PZ-4, ArcBlok)
Arc-resistant version of Power-Zone 4 low-voltage switchgear, Type 2B per C37.20.7.
- Rated range
- 208-635 Vac; up to 100 kA @ 508 V and 85 kA @ 635 V
Powell Industries
PowlVac-AR
Listed as current
Arc-resistant PowlVac metal-clad medium-voltage switchgear, Types 1, 2B and 2C.
- Rated range
- 5/15 kV and 27/38 kV; C37.20.2 and C37.20.7
Schneider Electric (Square D)
MasterClad arc-resistant (5-15 kV)
Indoor arc-resistant metal-clad medium-voltage switchgear.
- Rated range
- 5-15 kV class (other ratings not stated)
ABB
UniGear ZS1
Listed as current
IEC-style air-insulated medium-voltage switchgear with internal-arc design (class A-FLR) for primary distribution; mostly outside ANSI markets.
- Rated range
- Up to 24 kV
- Also listed under
- Metal-Enclosed
Metal-Enclosed
Siemens
Type WL low-voltage metal-enclosed switchgear
Low-voltage drawout power-circuit-breaker switchgear to UL 1558 and ANSI C37.20.1.
- Rated range
- Up to 635 V; bus to 6000 A; NEMA 1 or 3R
Siemens
SIEBREAK
Metal-enclosed load-interrupter switchgear, fused or non-fused, for 5 and 15 kV.
- Rated range
- 5/15 kV; switch 600/1200 A; main bus 1200/2000 A; 25/38 kA short-time
Siemens
SIMOVAC / SIMOVAC-AR
Metal-enclosed medium-voltage motor controllers, non-arc-resistant and arc-resistant versions.
- Rated range
- Up to 7.2 kV
Schneider Electric (Square D)
Power-Zone 4
Low-voltage metal-enclosed drawout switchgear with MasterPacT breakers, UL 1558 and ANSI C37.20.1.
- Rated range
- Up to 635 Vac; cross bus to 6000 A; up to 200 kA short-circuit without fuses
ABB (GE legacy)
AKD-20 (successor to AKD-5/6/8/10)
Low-voltage metal-enclosed switchgear with EntelliGuard G breakers; ABB's timeline lists AKD-5 (1960), AKD-6 (1977), AKD-8 (1980) and AKD-10 (1998) as earlier generations.
- Rated range
- Breakers 800-6000 A; up to 150 kAIC
Powell Industries
PowlGear ME
Listed as current
Reduced-footprint 15 kV metal-enclosed switchgear, stackable two-high breaker arrangement.
- Rated range
- 15 kV max; 1200 A; 95 kV BIL; 25 kA short-time; 26 in. cubicle
Powell Industries
FlexGear low-voltage metal-enclosed switchgear
Listed as current
Universal low-voltage lineup that accepts Eaton Magnum DS, Siemens WL or Schneider MasterPacT MTZ drawout breakers.
- Rated range
- Main bus to 5000 A; bracing to 100 kAIC
Powell Industries
Load-interrupter switchgear (5-38 kV)
Listed as current
Metal-enclosed fused or non-fused load-interrupter switchgear, indoor or outdoor; arc-resistant on some models.
- Rated range
- 5-38 kV
Pad-Mounted
S&C Electric
PMH Pad-Mounted Gear
Listed as current
Live-front, air-insulated pad-mounted switching and protection gear with Mini-Rupter switches and power fuses for underground distribution.
- Rated range
- 14.4 and 25 kV; 600 A switches and main bus; 200/400 A fused taps
S&C Electric
PME Pad-Mounted Gear
Listed as current
Air-insulated dead-front pad-mounted gear with S&C switches and fuses in many circuit configurations.
- Rated range
- 14.4 and 25 kV; 600 A three-pole switching
S&C Electric
Vista SD Underground Distribution Switchgear
Listed as current
Solid-dielectric, submersible-capable switchgear with vacuum load-interrupter switches and fault interrupters; PMH and PME footprint-matching configurations exist.
- Rated range
- 17.5 and 29 kV; 600 A switches; fault interrupters 16 kA @ 17.5 kV, 12.5 kA @ 29 kV
S&C Electric
Vista / Vista Green (commercial & industrial)
Listed as current
Underground distribution switchgear for C&I use; source-transfer versions are offered.
- Rated range
- Ratings through 38 kV
Trayer Engineering (Siemens business)
Padmount switchgear (single-sided, 15/25 kV)
Listed as current
Utility padmount switchgear with vacuum loadbreak switch mechanisms and optional visible disconnect, liquid or SF6 insulated.
- Rated range
- 15 and 25 kV; 600 A
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Ratings and lifecycle notes come from the manufacturer pages linked on each entry.
Manufacturer and product names are trademarks of their respective owners and are used only to identify equipment.