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ABB MS325-20 Manual Motor Starter, 16-20 A, 3-Pole
The ABB MS325-20 is a 54 mm wide manual motor starter with a rated operational current of Ie = 20 A and a setting range of 16 ... 20 A. It manually switches motors on and off while protecting them without a fuse from short-circuits, overload, and phase failures. The device delivers a rated service short-circuit breaking capacity Ics = 55 kA at 400 VAC with trip class 10A, and its 3-pole main circuit carries a UL/CSA main circuit rating of 600 V AC. Built-in disconnect function, temperature compensation, and a trip-free mechanism make it suitable for both three- and single-phase motor applications.
Key Features
- Setting Range: 16 ... 20 A for precise overload calibration to the connected motor.
- Rated Operational Current (Ie): 20 A, with a rated operational current AC-3 (Ie) of 20 A for reliable motor switching.
- Rated Service Short-Circuit Breaking Capacity (Ics): 55 kA at 400 VAC, trip class 10A, for dependable fault interruption.
- 3-Pole Construction: Number of Poles: 3, sized for three- and single-phase motor circuits.
- Trip-Free Mechanism with Temperature Compensation: maintains consistent protection performance across ambient temperature swings.
- Rotary Handle: clear ON/OFF switch position indication for fast visual status checks.
- Built-In Disconnect Function: provides local motor isolation without an external switch.
- Compact 54 mm Width: mounts on TH35-15 or TH35-7.5 DIN rail per IEC 60715 for space-efficient panel layouts.
Certifications & Compliance
- IEC/EN 60947-1
- IEC/EN 60947-2
- IEC/EN 60947-4-1
- UL 60947-1
- UL 60947-4-1
- RoHS Compliant per EU Directive 2011/65/EU and Amendment 2015/863 (July 22, 2019)
Technical Specifications
- Number of Poles: 3
- Object Classification Code: F
- Connecting Capacity Main Circuit UL/CSA: Flexible 1/2x 16-12 AWG, Flexible 1/2x 14-8 AWG, Stranded 1/2x 16-12 AWG, Stranded 1/2x 14-8 AWG
- Locked Rotor Amps: (200-600 V AC) Three Phase 9.6 A
- Terminal Type: Screw Terminals
- General Use Rating UL/CSA: (600 V AC) 1.6 A
- RoHS Status: Following EU Directive 2011/65/EU and Amendment 2015/863 July 22, 2019
- Tightening Torque UL/CSA: Auxiliary Circuit 7 in·lb, Main Circuit 14 in·lb
- Maximum Operating Altitude Permissible: 2000 m
- Degree of Protection: Housing IP20, Main Circuit Terminals IP10/IP20
Typical Applications
- Manual Motor Control in Industrial Equipment
- Fuseless Motor Branch Circuit Protection
- Three-Phase and Single-Phase Motor Applications
- DIN Rail-Mounted Control Panels and Enclosures
- OEM Machine Building and Panel Shops
Why ABB?
The ABB MS325-20 combines a trip-free mechanism, temperature compensation, and a 55 kA short-circuit breaking capacity at 400 VAC with IEC/EN 60947 and UL 60947 compliance for dependable, code-compliant motor protection. Its screw-terminal connections, DIN rail mounting, and RoHS-compliant construction make it a practical, professional-grade choice for panel builders and industrial electrical installations.
Manufacturer Resources
Product Specs
- Product Type:
- Manual Motor Starter
- Amperage Rating:
- 20A
- Voltage Rating:
- 600V
- Configuration:
- Rotary Handle
- Listing:
- UL Listed
- Standards:
- IEC/EN 60947-4-1
- Department:
- Electrical
- Product Group:
- Wiring Devices
- Product Subgroup:
- Motor Starters
ABB MS325-20 – Frequently Asked Questions
1) What motor size will an ABB MS325-20 manual motor starter protect?
The MS325-20 has an adjustable overload setting range of 16 to 20 A, with a rated operational current Ie of 20 A (AC-3 rating also 20 A). You dial the setting to the motor's full load amps, so any motor drawing between 16 and 20 A full load is in range. A motor pulling less than 16 A needs a lower-range MS325 unit instead.
2) Can I use the MS325-20 as the disconnect for a motor branch circuit, or do I still need a separate switch?
It has a built-in disconnect function, so it provides local motor isolation without an external switch. The rotary handle shows ON/OFF switch position for a visual status check, and the trip-free mechanism means the contacts can't be held closed on a fault.
3) Do I need fuses ahead of an ABB MS325-20?
No. The MS325-20 is a fuseless motor protector: it protects against short circuit, overload, and phase failure without a fuse, with a rated service short-circuit breaking capacity Ics of 55 kA at 400 VAC and trip class 10A. That covers the fuseless motor branch circuit protection role on its own.
4) Will an ABB MS325-20 fit standard DIN rail in my control panel, and how much rail does it take?
It mounts on TH35-15 or TH35-7.5 DIN rail per IEC 60715 and is 54 mm wide, so budget 54 mm of rail per starter when you lay out the panel.
5) Does the ABB MS325-20 meet UL and IEC for a listed panel build?
It is UL Listed and built to IEC/EN 60947-1, 60947-2 and 60947-4-1 plus UL 60947-1 and UL 60947-4-1. Construction is RoHS compliant per EU Directive 2011/65/EU and Amendment 2015/863.
6) I need a manual motor starter but my motor draws less than 16 amps - what should I use instead of the MS325-20?
The ABB MS325-20 is calibrated for a 16 to 20 A setting range, so a smaller motor will sit below its adjustment band and will not be properly protected. For lower full load currents, look at the Square D TeSys GV2 manual starter and protector, a 3-pole thermal-magnetic device with a rotary handle offered across a series of current bands, or the Square D TeSys Deca manual motor starter and protector in the same 3-pole thermal-magnetic style. Pick the model whose setting range brackets the motor nameplate FLA.
7) Can I use a Square D 2510M manual starter in place of the ABB MS325-20?
They are not direct substitutes even though both are 3-pole and rated 600 V AC. The Square D 2510M is a manual motor starter in the 2510M series. The ABB MS325-20 is a fuseless manual motor starter with a built-in disconnect function, short-circuit protection at 55 kA breaking capacity at 400 VAC, phase failure protection, and DIN rail mounting on TH35-15 or TH35-7.5 rail. If your design relies on the MS325-20 providing the short-circuit and disconnect duty, confirm the 2510M arrangement you order covers the same functions before swapping.
8) What wire size and torque do the ABB MS325-20 terminals take?
Screw terminals. The UL/CSA main circuit accepts flexible or stranded conductors, 1 or 2 per terminal, in 16-12 AWG and 14-8 AWG ranges. Tighten the main circuit to 14 in-lb and auxiliary circuit terminals to 7 in-lb.
9) Is the ABB MS325-20 good for single-phase motors or only three-phase?
Both. It is a 3-pole device and is rated for three- and single-phase motor applications; on single phase you wire through two of the poles. The UL/CSA main circuit rating is 600 V AC.
10) Will the ABB MS325-20 hold its trip point in a hot panel or an unheated building?
Yes, the overload element is temperature compensated, so the trip point stays consistent as ambient temperature swings. Enclosure rating is IP20 on the housing with IP10/IP20 at the main circuit terminals, and it is rated for operation up to 2000 m altitude, so it belongs inside a panel or enclosure rather than in the open.
11) What else could I use instead of an ABB MS325-20 manual motor starter?
Square D offers comparable 3-pole manual motor starters and protectors: the TeSys GV2 with a rotary handle, the TeSys Deca thermal-magnetic manual motor starter and protector, and the 2510M manual motor starter rated 600VAC. The TeSys GV2 is the closest in form, since it is also a rotary-handle 3-pole thermal-magnetic protector like the MS325-20 with its rotary handle configuration.
12) Is a manual motor starter like the MS325-20 the right choice, or do I need a contactor-based magnetic starter?
A manual motor starter is switched by hand at the device, so it fits machines where the operator starts and stops the motor at the panel and you want short-circuit, overload and phase-failure protection plus a disconnect in one 54 mm DIN rail unit. If you need remote start/stop, PLC control, or automatic restart logic, you want a magnetic starter with a contactor instead, or an MS325 feeding one.
13) What is the difference between the ABB MS325-20 and the Square D TeSys Deca manual motor starter?
Both are 3-pole thermal-magnetic style manual motor starters and protectors for motor branch circuits. The Square D TeSys Deca is offered as a manual motor starter and protector in a 3-pole thermal-magnetic build; the ABB MS325-20 is specified with a fixed 16 to 20 A setting range, a rotary handle, trip class 10A, and a rated service short-circuit breaking capacity of 55 kA at 400 VAC. If your panel drawing calls out a breaking capacity and a trip class, the MS325-20 publishes both; with the TeSys Deca you select the model whose adjustment range matches your motor.
14) Which manual motor starter should I standardize on for DIN rail panels across a facility?
For DIN rail control panels, the ABB MS325-20 mounts on TH35-15 or TH35-7.5 rail per IEC 60715 in a 54 mm width and is UL Listed to IEC/EN 60947-4-1, which is the standard most panel specifications reference for motor starters. The Square D TeSys GV2 and TeSys Deca manual starters and protectors are the comparable 3-pole thermal-magnetic families if you are standardizing on Square D instead. The Square D 2510M is a different series and its mounting arrangement should be confirmed against your panel layout.
15) What is the exact part number to order for the ABB 20 A manual motor starter?
The manufacturer part number is MS325-20, an ABB 3-pole manual motor starter with a 16 to 20 A setting range. Ordering an MS325 with a different suffix gets you a different current range.
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Absolutely. The ABB MS325-20 is backed by a manufacturer’s warranty.
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