Schneider Electric GV3L40 TeSys GV3 40 A Motor Breaker

GV3L40: rotary handle, magnetic only motor circuit breaker

The GV3L40 is a Schneider Electric TeSys Deca GV3 motor circuit breaker of the magnetic-only type: three poles, 40 A rating, rotary handle. A magnetic-only breaker contains short-circuit protection but no thermal element, so it protects the cable and the starter against faults and leaves overload protection to a separate relay in the contactor circuit.

Reading the reference against the datasheet: the device short name is GV3L, which the datasheet pairs with a rotary handle and magnetic trip technology; the digits after the family letters follow the current band, here 40 A.

The datasheet gives the range as TeSys Deca and the product name as TeSys GV3, with the application stated as motor protection. Rated operational voltage is 690 V AC 50/60 Hz, rated insulation voltage 690 V AC 50/60 Hz and the rated impulse withstand 6 kV.

GV3L40 technical specifications

How the GV3L40 protects the motor feeder

The only trip element in the GV3L40 is magnetic. At 560 A the breaker opens instantly, which for a 40 A rating is a fixed threshold of roughly 14.0 times the rated current. There is no thermal setting dial, so there is nothing to adjust on site, and the datasheet does not list phase-failure sensitivity for this version.

This makes the GV3L40 a good fit where the motor is already protected against overload by a relay, a soft starter or a drive. The breaker then provides isolation and short-circuit protection, while the thermal function stays with the equipment that knows the real motor load. Do not use it alone as motor overload protection.

GV3L40 compared with neighbouring TeSys GV3 ratings

The table lists the closest GV3 references by current. Moving one step up or down changes the thermal range, the magnetic trip and the motor power it is intended for, while the frame stays the same. Neighbouring references are GV3P18, GV3P25, GV3P40 and GV3L50.

Among the GV3 references covered here, the rotary thermal-magnetic GV3P units run from 12 A to 65 A and the magnetic-only GV3L units from 40 A to 80 A; the L versions need a separate overload relay.

Dimensions, terminals and mounting of the GV3L40

The GV3L40 is a larger frame: 55 mm wide, 132 mm high and 136 mm deep, weighing 0.96 kg. It clips to a 35 mm DIN rail or is screwed to a plate with three M4 screws, and it is mounted horizontally or vertically. Terminals are EverLink type with a tightening torque of 5 N.m – on screw clamp terminal.

Environmental limits from the datasheet are -20 to 60 °C in operation and -40 to 80 °C in storage, an altitude limit of 3000 m, and protection IP20. Power dissipation is 8 W per pole, so the heat released inside the enclosure at full load is about 24 W for the three poles; add this to the enclosure thermal budget in a Gulf plant room.

Selection checklist and RFQ details for the GV3L40

• Motor nameplate current and voltage, checked against the 40 A range and the motor kW table
• Required control style: rotary handle
• An overload relay is needed behind the breaker because this version has no thermal element
• Prospective short-circuit current at the board against the 50 kA rating at 400/415 V
• Terminals: EverLink terminals; check the cable size and ferrule practice
• Space for a 55 mm wide device, 136 mm deep, and ambient heat inside the enclosure
• Accessories such as auxiliary contacts, trip indicators or busbar links if the design uses them

When requesting a quotation, include the following with the part number:

• Part number GV3L40 and quantity
• Motor power, voltage and full-load current
• Replacement or new build, and the existing breaker marking
• Delivery location and required date

Motor ratings listed for the GV3L40

The datasheet ties this breaker to specific motor sizes at each supply voltage. These figures are the rated motor powers for the AC-3 category and are what a motor schedule should be matched against, not only the current.

Rated duty is uninterrupted, and the durability figures are given in the table of specifications.

Using the GV3L40 in Oman and the GCC

Motor starters are everywhere in Gulf plants, and this breaker suits mid-size process pumps, compressors, blowers and larger fans on utility and plant-services panels. The datasheet lists motor powers up to 37 kW across its voltages, which is what the GV3 frame is built for. Typical sites are desalination and water treatment, power auxiliaries, oil and gas utilities, petrochemical units and commercial HVAC.

Heat and dust drive the real life of a breaker. With an operating limit of -20 to 60 °C and protection of IP20, the device belongs inside a ventilated or air-conditioned enclosure rather than on an open wall in summer sun. For a retrofit, send the nameplate and the old breaker marking and we will match it.

Breaking capacity of the GV3L40 by voltage

Short-circuit breaking capacity falls as system voltage rises, which is the reason to read the whole table instead of a single headline value. The service breaking capacity Ics is shown as a percentage of Icu.

At 400/415 V AC the rating is 50 kA, which is the figure that matters on most Gulf 400 V distribution boards; compare it with the prospective fault level at the point of installation and with any upstream protection before relying on it.

Documents and quotation

The Schneider Electric manufacturer datasheet for the GV3L40 is attached on this page as a PDF. It is the reference for every rating quoted above, and it is worth checking the revision against your project documents before an order is placed. The utilisation categories, breaking capacity table and environmental limits are all in it.

Seven Star LLC is an independent supplier in Muscat that serves buyers in Oman and the GCC. Send the part number GV3L40, the quantity and the delivery site, and we will reply with a quotation and the availability we can confirm.