Abstract: A housing for a vacuum interrupter accommodates an axially movable moving contact rod, which carries a moving contact, and a fixed contact rod, which carries a fixed contact. The arrangement of the moving contact rod and the fixed contact rod in the housing defines a division of the housing into a moving contact half and a fixed contact half. In each of the moving contact half and the fixed contact half, a portion of the housing surrounding the longitudinal axis of the housing is formed by an electrically insulating insulation component. The insulation component in the moving contact half and the insulation component of the fixed contact half have different dimensions.

Abstract: A short-circuit current limiter has a vacuum switch in a main current path and a current-limiting unit connected in parallel therewith in a commutation current path. The vacuum switch has switching contacts. A material of contact pieces of the switching contacts is selected such that a mean value of the chopping current is at least 8 amperes.

Abstract: A method for operating an electrical switching device and an electrical switching device are disclosed. In order to ensure reliable operation of an electrical switching device having parallel switching paths allocated to a phase, which have lower switching capacity in comparison to conventional parallel switching paths, the zero current crossings in the phase are detected and at least one switching mechanism, operatively connected to the switching paths, is actuated so that all parallel switching paths allocated to the phase open within a window of time which is in the phase relative to the zero current crossings.

Abstract: A method for operating an electrical switching device and an electrical switching device are disclosed. In order to ensure reliable operation of an electrical switching device having parallel switching paths allocated to a phase, which have lower switching capacity in comparison to conventional parallel switching paths, the zero current crossings in the phase are detected and at least one switching mechanism, operatively connected to the switching paths, is actuated so that all parallel switching paths allocated to the phase open within a window of time which is in the phase relative to the zero current crossings.

Abstract: A vacuum circuit interrupter includes a line conductor, a vacuum interrupter, a load conductor, a ground conductor and an operating mechanism. The vacuum interrupter includes a fixed conductor and a vacuum envelope containing a fixed contact and a movable contact movable between a closed circuit position in electrical connection with the fixed contact and an open circuit position spaced apart from the fixed contact. The fixed conductor is outside of the vacuum envelope and is electrically connected to the fixed contact. The load conductor is electrically connected to the movable contact. The operating mechanism is structured to: open and close the fixed and movable contacts, and move the vacuum interrupter and the fixed conductor thereof between a first position wherein the fixed conductor is electrically connected to the line conductor, and a second position wherein the fixed conductor is electrically connected to the ground conductor.