What Is an Ekip Trip Unit in ABB Emax 2: Functions and Selection Guide

24 May, 2026
Posted by: Muhammet KUL

What is an Ekip trip unit? An Ekip trip unit is the interchangeable electronic protection and control module installed in ABB Emax 2 air circuit breakers rated up to 6300 A under IEC 60947-2, responsible for executing overcurrent, short-circuit, and ground-fault protection through configurable L, S, I, and G functions. Selecting the wrong Ekip variant — mismatched protection functions, absent communication interfaces, or inadequate metering resolution — compromises zone selectivity, violates coordination studies, and forces costly retrofits during commissioning. This guide covers Ekip variant differences, how L/S/I/G protection functions operate, application-based variant selection, selectivity and trip-time coordination settings, and fieldbus communication options relevant to procurement decisions.

Published: 2026-04-27 | Last updated: 2026-04-27 | By Stoklink Engineering Team

What Exactly Is an Ekip Trip Unit, and Why Does ABB Brand It Separately?

Ask ten engineers what a "trip unit" is and you will get ten slightly different answers. Some describe it as an overcurrent relay. Others call it a protection module. Both are correct, but neither captures what ABB shipped when they replaced the older PR121/PR122/PR123 series with Ekip on the ABB Emax 2 platform in 2014.

Ekip trip unit is defined as a self-powered, microprocessor-based protection and measurement device installed inside an ABB SACE Emax 2 or Tmax XT circuit breaker, providing overcurrent protection per IEC 60947-2 Annex F, optional earth-fault and ground-fault protection, energy metering to IEC 61557-12 Class 1, and configurable communication via Modbus RTU, Profibus, Profinet, EtherNet/IP, or IEC 61850.

The Ekip is not a bolted-on accessory. It is the protection logic, the current sensor interface, the trip coil driver, the front-panel HMI, and — depending on the variant — the energy meter and gateway, all on one platform. ABB rebranded it because the new architecture supports firmware updates, modular communication cartridges (the Ekip Com Hub), and a common parameter map across the entire SACE range. In practice, this matters: a panel builder who learns Ekip Touch on an ABB 1SDA070861R1 E1.2B 1600A breaker will configure the same parameters on a 6300A E6.2 frame.

Where the Ekip Sits in the Protection Chain

In a typical low-voltage installation fed from a 2 MVA, 22/0.4 kV transformer, the Ekip on the incomer breaker is the first active protection between the secondary windings and everything downstream. It must coordinate with upstream MV protection (usually a SEPAM or REF615) and with downstream MCCBs and MCBs. Get this wrong and you trip the wrong device — the classic 03:00 phone call from the data center operator.

Key takeaway: The Ekip is not optional firmware sitting on top of a "real" breaker. The Emax 2 mechanism cannot trip on overcurrent without it — there is no thermal-magnetic backup. Specify the Ekip variant with the same rigor you apply to the frame size and breaking capacity.

For full technical specifications and protection coordination data on the ABB Emax 2 air circuit breaker family, consult the manufacturer's official ABB SACE Emax 2 product documentation.

Which Ekip Variants Exist, and How Do They Differ in the Field?

ABB sells Ekip in five tiers across the ABB Emax 2 range. The naming is logical once you internalize it, but procurement teams routinely confuse Dip with Touch, or order LSI when they needed LSIG. Here is what we typically see in the field.

Ekip Dip — the Mechanical Trim

Dip is the entry-level unit. Settings are configured via DIP switches on the front face — no LCD, no menu. You get L (long-time, thermal protection), S (short-time, optional), I (instantaneous), and on G-suffix versions, ground fault. The ABB 1SDA070701R1 E1.2B 630A Ekip Dip LI is the textbook example: 630 A frame, two protection functions (L and I), no S band. Use it on simple feeders where selectivity is achieved by current discrimination alone.

Dip is reliable, cheap, and mute. It will not tell you the load current. It will not log the last trip. If your specification asks for "energy metering at the incomer," Dip is wrong from the start.

Ekip Touch — the Workhorse

Touch adds a 4.3-inch color LCD, full LSIG protection with adjustable curves, voltage and power metering (when paired with the voltage measurement module), and an event log of the last 200 events. This is the variant we recommend for 80% of industrial installations. The HMI lets a commissioning engineer adjust I1 (long-time pickup), t1 (long-time delay at 6×I1), I2/t2, I3, and I4/t4 ground-fault settings without a laptop.

Ekip Hi-Touch and G Hi-Touch

Hi-Touch adds harmonic analysis (THD up to the 50th harmonic), waveform capture, and IEC 61000-4-30 Class S power quality measurement. G Hi-Touch is the version certified for genset and shore connection applications, with frequency protection (81U/81O) and reverse power (32R) — relevant on the ABB Emax 2 in data center MDB applications where the breaker may sit between a UPS bypass and a diesel genset.

Criteria	Ekip Dip	Ekip Touch	Ekip Hi-Touch
HMI	DIP switches	4.3" color LCD	4.3" LCD + waveform
Protection functions	LI or LSIG	LSIG + Rc	LSIG + 27/59/81 + 32
Metering accuracy	None	Class 1 (IEC 61557-12)	Class 0.5
Harmonic analysis	No	Up to 15th	Up to 50th, THD
Event log	None	200 events	500 events + waveforms
Typical price index	1.0×	1.6×	2.4×
Best fit	Simple feeders	MDB incomers	Generators, PQ-critical

Key takeaway: If the panel will see audits or commissioning by a third party, specify Touch or higher. The DIP-switch-only Dip variant cannot produce a settings report, and that becomes a dispute at FAT.

How Do the Protection Functions L, S, I, G Actually Work?

The four letters describe four trip curves that the Ekip evaluates in parallel inside the ABB Emax 2 breaker. Each has its own pickup threshold and time delay, and each is governed by a specific clause of IEC 60947-2.

L — Long-Time Protection (Thermal Memory)

L protects the cable against thermal damage from sustained overload. Pickup I1 is set between 0.4 and 1.0 of In (rated current). Trip time follows an inverse I²t curve per IEC 60947-2 Annex F, with t1 defined at 6×I1.

Formula: Long-time inverse trip — Source: IEC 60947-2 Annex F, F.4.2

t_trip = (t₁ × 36) / (I/I₁)²

Symbol	Description	Unit
t_trip	Time to trip at current I	s
t₁	Set delay at 6×I₁	s
I	Measured RMS current	A
I₁	Long-time pickup setting	A

Engineers often overlook the thermal memory: the Ekip remembers the I²t accumulated during the previous overload for up to 20 minutes. Reset it by cycling the breaker, not by pressing buttons.

S — Short-Time Protection

S handles short circuits that are too low to trigger I but too high to wait for L. Pickup I2 sits between 0.6 and 10×In, with t2 typically 0.05–0.8 s. S can be selected as either definite-time or I²t inverse — the latter is essential for selectivity with downstream MCCBs.

I — Instantaneous

I trips with no intentional delay (≈30 ms typical). Pickup I3 ranges from 1.5×In up to 15×In. On the ABB 1SDA070981R1 E2.2B 1600A frame, the maximum I3 is 16 kA, well below the 42 kA Icu — meaning above 16 kA the breaker relies on its mechanical trip-free latch, not the Ekip.

G — Ground Fault

G measures the vector sum of phase currents (residual method) or uses an external toroid for the source ground return. Per IEC 60364-4-41, ground-fault protection is mandatory on TN systems above 32 A in many jurisdictions. Pickup I4 ranges 0.2–1.0×In with t4 of 0.1–1 s.

How Do You Match an Ekip Variant to a Real Application?

In our experience specifying the ABB Emax 2, the selection decision tree has four nodes: protection scope, metering requirements, communication, and budget. Get any one wrong and you either over-spend or trigger a redesign.

Case 1 — Pumping Station, 800 A Incomer

Single transformer, no genset, no metering required by the utility. Three downstream feeders, all MCCBs with thermal-magnetic trip. Selectivity needed up to 35 kA prospective. The ABB 1SDA070741R1 E1.2B 800A Ekip Dip LI is sufficient — selectivity is achieved by I3 setting and the 42 kA Icu. We have specified this exact configuration on three water utility projects in 2023.

Case 2 — Manufacturing MCC, 1250 A Main

Variable-frequency drives feeding 110 kW motors create harmonic content above the 11th harmonic. The customer wants energy submetering per IEC 61557-12. Specify the ABB 1SDA070821R1 E1.2B 1250A frame, but upgrade the trip unit from Dip to Touch with the Ekip Measuring module for voltage. Add the Ekip Com Modbus cartridge and tie into the plant SCADA.

Case 3 — Hospital MDB with Genset Backup

Generator-fed bus requires 81U/81O frequency protection and reverse power. Hi-Touch G is the only Ekip family that includes 32R as a native function. We have seen engineers try to add an external reverse power relay to a Touch — it works, but it costs more than the Hi-Touch upgrade and adds two failure modes.

Key takeaway: Genset and shore-connection applications need Hi-Touch G. Standard Touch will technically work for the protection part but lacks the certifications (DNV, ABS, Lloyd's Register) often required for marine and hospital backup systems.

How Do You Set the Ekip for Selectivity Without Causing Nuisance Trips?

The most common failure mode of an Emax 2 is not a hardware fault. It is a misconfigured Ekip. We have audited panels where I3 was set to 1.5×In on a 1600 A breaker feeding a transformer with 12×In inrush — the breaker tripped on every energization. The story is detailed in ABB Emax 2 nuisance tripping causes and fixes, but the short version follows.

Coordinate I3 Above the Largest Inrush

For a 2000 kVA, 5.75% Uk transformer, the inrush peak is roughly 8–12× the rated current, decaying within 100 ms. Set I3 above 12×In, or use the Ekip's "switch-on-to-fault" lockout function to disable I for the first 200 ms after closing.

Use I²t Selectivity for S and L Bands

When an Ekip Touch sits upstream of an MCCB Tmax XT3 with an Ekip Dip LSIG, set the upstream t2 to "I²t-On" with t2=0.4 s and the downstream t2 to "I²t-On" with t2=0.1 s. This guarantees full selectivity up to the Icw of the upstream breaker (per IEC 60947-2 Clause 8.3, selectivity is verified by laboratory test, not calculation alone — request the ABB SACE selectivity tables).

How Does the Ekip Communicate, and Why Does That Matter for Procurement?

Modern facility management expects the breaker to publish data. The Ekip on the ABB Emax 2 exposes load current, voltage, energy, breaker position, and trip cause through several protocols, but only via the optional Ekip Com cartridge — a $400–900 add-on that procurement teams routinely forget to quote.

Ekip Com Cartridges

The cartridges plug into the rear of the trip unit and are field-replaceable. Available variants: Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, Profibus DP, Profinet, EtherCAT, EtherNet/IP, and IEC 61850. For a typical industrial SCADA, Modbus RTU on RS-485 is sufficient and cheapest. For substation automation, IEC 61850 is non-negotiable per the IEEE 1815 / IEC 61850-7-4 logical node mapping.

Ekip Com Hub for Cloud

The Ekip Com Hub publishes data to ABB Ability for predictive maintenance — useful on remote installations where dispatching a technician costs more than the breaker itself. We see this on offshore platforms and mining substations, less so on standard industrial plants.

Ekip Com Hub is defined as the optional gateway module that aggregates data from up to 10 Ekip trip units and publishes it via MQTT or HTTPS to ABB Ability cloud, enabling remote monitoring without a separate PLC or SCADA gateway.

What Are the Common Mistakes When Specifying or Commissioning an Ekip?

A common mistake is specifying the Ekip variant from the catalog index without checking compatibility with the frame. Not every Ekip fits every ABB Emax 2 size — the E1.2 frame, for example, accepts Dip and Touch but not the full Hi-Touch G with the integrated voltage transformer. Check the ABB SACE Emax 2 ordering guide, document 1SDC200023D0208, before issuing a PO.

Other recurring issues:

Forgetting the rating plug. The Ekip In (rated current) is set by a removable rating plug on the front. An ABB 1SDA070781R1 E1.2B 1000A ships with a 1000 A plug, but the same frame can run at 630, 800, or 1000 A by swapping plugs. Procurement sometimes orders the wrong plug. Always verify the SKU against the breaker label, not the box.

Skipping the secondary injection test. IEC 60947-2 §8.3.5.3 requires functional testing at commissioning. The Ekip supports secondary injection via the test port — a 30-minute job per breaker. Skipping it has caused FAT failures we have personally witnessed.

Mixing up LSI and LSIG. An LSI version cannot be field-upgraded to LSIG. The ground-fault current sensor is internal. If the application needs G, order the LSIG variant from day one — see for example the ABB 1SDA070782R1 E1.2B 1000A Ekip Dip LSI, which is LSI only.

Key takeaway: Specify the trip unit variant (Dip/Touch/Hi-Touch), the protection set (LI/LSI/LSIG), the rated current via the plug, and the communication cartridge as four independent line items on the BOM. Treating them as one bundled SKU causes orders to be returned.

How Does the Ekip Compare to Schneider, Siemens, and Eaton Equivalents?

Specifiers in multinational projects often need to justify ABB versus Schneider MasterPact MTZ Micrologic, Siemens 3WL ETU, or Eaton Magnum DS Digitrip. Each has roughly comparable feature tiers — the article on ABB Emax 2 vs Schneider MasterPact MTZ covers this in detail.

The short summary: Ekip Touch sits roughly opposite Micrologic 6.0 X in feature scope and price, while Hi-Touch overlaps with Micrologic 7.0 H. Siemens 3WL ETU76B is a rough equivalent of Hi-Touch G. Eaton's Digitrip 1150 covers similar ground but with weaker IEC 61850 support in our experience.

The differentiator is rarely raw functionality. It is the ecosystem: spare parts availability, the panel builder's familiarity with the configuration software (Ekip Connect 3 for ABB, EcoStruxure Power Commission for Schneider), and the regional service network.

On a project in the Gulf last year, we specified Emax 2 over MasterPact specifically because the local ABB service team carried Ekip Touch units in stock — a 24-hour spare delivery versus a 6-week lead time tipped the decision.

Ekip Connect 3 — the Configuration Tool

Ekip Connect 3 is a free Windows application that connects to the trip unit via the front-panel test port (USB or Bluetooth dongle). It reads and writes all parameters, exports settings reports as PDF (essential for FAT documentation), and uploads firmware updates. Engineers used to setting MCCBs by eye underestimate how much time this saves on a panel with 12 Emax 2 breakers — what used to be a half-day exercise becomes 90 minutes with a laptop.

What About Maintenance and Lifecycle of the Ekip?

The Ekip on the ABB Emax 2 is rated for 20 years of operation per IEC 60947-2 endurance class. The lithium battery that powers the LCD when the breaker is open lasts about 10 years and is field-replaceable. The current sensors (Rogowski coils on most frames) are passive and have no defined lifetime — they outlast the breaker.

What does fail, in our experience: the front-panel LCD on units installed in vibrating environments (cement plants, ship engine rooms) and the Ekip Com cartridge connectors when subjected to repeated insertion. ABB's MTBF figures suggest 350,000 hours for the trip unit electronics, which matches what we observe in the field on installations from 2015 onward.

Maintenance, per IEC 60364-6 and the ABB SACE service manual 1SDH001000R0002, is a five-year cycle: secondary injection test, mechanical operation count check (the Ekip logs this), and visual inspection of the arc chamber. A trip unit replacement, if needed, is a 30-minute job — disconnect the secondary plugs, unbolt four screws, swap, re-parameterize from the saved Ekip Connect file. Critically, save the parameter file at commissioning. We have seen sites lose two days because the original settings were not archived.

Key takeaway: Build a parameter archive at commissioning. Export every Ekip configuration to PDF and to the .ekip binary format, store in the asset management system, and update after every settings change. This single discipline saves more downtime than any spare parts strategy.

For broader product context beyond the ABB Emax 2, browse the full air circuit breakers collection at Stoklink, or the related miniature circuit breaker, residual current device, and relay collections for downstream protection coordination.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I retrofit an Ekip Touch onto an older Emax (E1, E2, E3, E4, E6) breaker?

No. Ekip is mechanically and electrically incompatible with the original Emax (PR121/PR122/PR123 era). The secondary terminals, current sensor interface, and trip coil driver differ. ABB offers retrofit kits for some legacy frames, but they replace the entire breaker, not just the trip unit. For details on the current platform see the ABB SACE Emax 2 features overview.

What is the difference between Ekip Dip LI and Ekip Dip LSIG?

LI provides only long-time and instantaneous protection — suitable for simple radial feeders without selectivity requirements. LSIG adds short-time (S) and ground-fault (G) bands, enabling time-graded selectivity with downstream MCCBs and earth-fault detection per IEC 60364-4-41. The G function requires factory-installed sensors and cannot be added in the field.

Does the Ekip work without auxiliary power?

Yes. The Ekip is self-powered from the main current path above approximately 0.2×In. Below that threshold, the LCD goes dark and metering stops, but protection functions remain active because the trip coil is mechanically energized. For continuous metering and event logging at no-load, supply 24 V DC to the auxiliary terminals — typically required on incomers that may run lightly loaded on standby.

Can I read Ekip data into a SCADA system without the Com cartridge?

No. The base Ekip has a USB front port for Ekip Connect but no permanent communication interface. To publish data continuously you must order the appropriate Com cartridge — Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, Profibus, Profinet, EtherNet/IP, or IEC 61850. Procurement teams routinely miss this; budget the cartridge as a separate line item alongside the breaker.

How do I size the Ekip rating plug for my application?

The rating plug sets In (rated current) for the trip unit and must be selected based on the calculated load current and cable ampacity, not the breaker frame size. A 1600 A frame can carry a 1000 A plug for a 900 A load. The detailed methodology is covered in how to size ABB Emax 2 circuit breakers, which walks through the IEC 60364-4-43 and IEEE 141 sizing rules step by step.

Is firmware on the Ekip field-upgradable, and should I always update?

Yes, firmware is upgradable via Ekip Connect 3 over the front USB port. Update only when a specific bug fix or required feature applies — the "if it works, do not touch it" rule holds. Always export the parameter file before a firmware upgrade, because some major version jumps reset settings to factory defaults. Document the firmware revision in the panel maintenance log.

What standards does the Ekip comply with?

The Ekip complies with IEC 60947-2 (low-voltage circuit breakers), IEC 61557-12 (metering equipment), IEC 61000-4-30 Class S (power quality, Hi-Touch only), IEC 61850 (when fitted with the appropriate cartridge), and IEEE C37.90 (relay and surge withstand). NEMA equivalents are recognized via UL 1066 listing for the Emax 2 platform sold in North American markets.

Conclusion: Treat the Ekip as the Specification, Not an Accessory

The Ekip trip unit is what makes an Emax 2 a protection device rather than a switch. Choose Dip when the application is genuinely simple and metering is not required. Choose Touch for any installation where the panel will be commissioned formally, audited, or integrated into a SCADA. Reserve Hi-Touch and G Hi-Touch for genset, marine, and power-quality-critical applications where the additional protection functions and certifications are non-optional.

Three rules close the loop. First, specify the trip unit, the protection set, the rating plug, and the Com cartridge as four separate decisions — not one bundled SKU. Second, archive the Ekip Connect parameter file at commissioning and after every change. Third, use the secondary injection test port at every five-year maintenance cycle; do not assume the unit still trips correctly because it has not faulted.

For the full selection methodology across frame sizes, applications, and standards, refer to the ABB SACE Emax 2 selection, application and maintenance guide, which ties together the Ekip configuration choices covered here with the broader frame, accessory, and coordination decisions that define a compliant low-voltage installation.