Megger TM1800 Circuit Breaker Analyzer
The Megger TM1800 circuit breaker analyzer is a modular instrument platform for circuit breaker timing, motion, and coil-current analysis on MV and HV breakers. It is the test set utilities, substation engineers, and commissioning contractors in Ireland use when they need accurate, repeatable evidence that a breaker will operate correctly the next time it is asked to.
Successor to the TM1700 series and the TM1800 series, the TM1800 brings together every measurement a modern breaker test demands: contact timing, pole simultaneity, travel and stroke of the circuit breaker, auxiliary contact timing, and trip/close coil current signatures. One platform, one set of leads, one test plan per breaker, repeatable across return visits.
What the TM1800 measures
- Contact timing: opening and closing time of the circuit breaker, with pass/fail against the manufacturer specification.
- Pole simultaneity: phase discrepancies between A, B, and C poles.
- Travel and motion: stroke length, contact velocity, damping, and overtravel using motion transducers.
- Auxiliary contact timing: A/B contact behaviour relative to the main contacts.
- Coil current analysis: trip and close coil current signatures, useful for detecting weak coils, binding linkages, and control voltage problems.
- First trip testing: capture a breaker’s first operation after long service without disturbing it first.
Accurate breaker timing matters because the difference between a healthy breaker and one that is about to fail is often a few milliseconds of pole spread or a small change in coil current shape. Measurement accuracy on the TM1800 platform is what makes that difference visible in the test data instead of in a fault.
DualGround safety and built-in test plans
The TM1800 supports DualGround testing, where both sides of the breaker are grounded throughout the test. That removes the induced-voltage hazard that comes with a single-grounded approach and is now the safer default on most substation sites.
The instrument ships with built-in test plans for many known types of circuit breakers, so you do not start from a blank canvas every time. Select the breaker type, follow the prompts, and the analyser configures the right channels, transducers, and pass/fail criteria. Test plans can be customised and stored for site-specific procedures and trended over time for condition-based maintenance.
Specifications: what to confirm before you order
| Specification | What to confirm |
| Channel configuration | Timing, motion, coil-current, and aux channels matched to your breaker fleet |
| DualGround support | Required for substations where both-sides-grounded testing is mandated |
| Motion transducers | Linear and rotary options for the breaker designs you maintain |
| Test plans | Pre-loaded plans covering your installed breaker manufacturers and types |
| Software and reporting | CABA Local / Win for analysis, trending, and audit-ready reports |
| Calibration | Supplied calibrated; periodic recalibration through Powerpoint’s lab |
Target users and applications
- Utilities and DNOs running substation maintenance, outage planning, and reliability programmes
- Electrical engineers commissioning new switchgear and diagnosing nuisance trips or slow operation
- Electrical contractors carrying out acceptance testing and planned preventative maintenance
- Industrial site teams responsible for HV switchgear in pharmaceutical, semiconductor, and data-centre estates
Typical use cases include circuit breaker testing during commissioning, post-overhaul verification, periodic maintenance, fault-finding after a misoperation, and benchmarking new breakers against their factory test data.
As authorised Megger distributor in Ireland, Powerpoint Engineering supports the TM1800 with in-house calibration and repair, accessory and transducer supply, and operator training for substation breaker test work.
FAQs
What is the difference between the TM1700 and TM1800?
Both are Megger circuit breaker time and travel analysers, but the TM1800 is the modular successor platform with broader channel options, DualGround support, and updated software. The TM1700 series and the TM1800 series share the core measurement approach; the TM1800 is what is currently specified for new substation breaker test capability.
Do I need motion transducers as well as timing?
For full condition assessment, yes. Timing alone tells you when the contacts moved; motion transducers tell you how they moved, which is where most mechanical wear shows up. Send us your breaker types and we will recommend the right transducer set.
Can the TM1800 test breakers with both sides grounded?
Yes. DualGround testing is one of the platform’s main features and is increasingly required by utility safe-system-of-work procedures. The TM1800 captures accurate timing and travel data with both sides of the breaker grounded throughout the test.
To match the right TM1800 configuration to your breaker fleet, transducer requirements, and test plans, request a quote or speak to our team for compatibility advice.
Megger (Programma) TM1800 Circuit Breaker Analyser Datasheet
For additional technical details about the Megger (Programma) TM1800 Circuit Breaker Analyser please refer to the product datasheet.
