Yes, busbar mounted circuit breakers have a special lock that makes it possible to lock the handle in the on or off position. Our front-mounted circuit breakers have different handles for managing unintentional tripping.
Yes and no, mostly due to the technology of the circuit breaker employed. For hydraulic magnetic technology refer to the diagram below. The effect of gravity on the tripping mechanism is due, or not, to the gravity forces being influential on the mechanism.
The handle of the circuit breaker is able to visually indicate whether it was tripped by an electrical fault. The handle stops in an intermediate position, between on and off when it was tripped by an electrical fault.
An auxiliary switch generates a signal that indicates whether the circuit breaker is on or off, but cannot distinguish between whether it has been manually switched off or tripped by an electrical fault. An alarm switch generates a signal that indicates whether the circuit breaker was tripped by an electrical fault, but not whether the breaker is off or turned on manually.
Yes, as the mechanism is temperature-independent, high or low ambient temperature is not a factor. But, for example at -40 degrees the action of the breaker will be somewhat more sluggish and at +85 degrees it will be more rapid. But it will always keep to the stated rated current.
A circuit breaker transforms a change in an electric current to a mechanical movement that interrupts the circuit. A thermal circuit breaker does this through a bimetal element that heats up and bends. Therefore, heat trips the circuit breaker.