Schneider Electric GV2P16 — Motor Circuit Breaker Buying Guide

By Abdullah Zahid
14 min read
Schneider Electric GV2P16 TeSys GV2P thermal-magnetic motor circuit breaker 9-14A 3-pole DIN rail mount

Schneider Electric GV2P16 TeSys GV2P Motor Circuit Breaker — Thermal-Magnetic Trip: Specifications, Sizing, and Selection Guide

If you are sourcing a compact three-pole motor circuit breaker for a small-to-medium AC motor — whether you are retrofitting a legacy Telemecanique installation or specifying new motor protection in a control panel — the Schneider Electric GV2P16 is a well-established candidate. This TeSys GV2P Motor Circuit Breaker with Thermal-Magnetic Trip covers a 9-14A adjustable current range, carries a 690V AC rating, and protects motor loads up to 5.5 kW at 400V three-phase, all in a compact DIN-rail-mountable package weighing just 0.35 kg. The decision almost always comes down to one question: does your motor's full-load current fall in the 9-14A window, and is thermal-magnetic protection sufficient for your application?

If you have already confirmed this is the right part, check current pricing and availability for the GV2P16 at LeadTime.ca — ships worldwide.

Who Should Buy the GV2P16 — and Who Shouldn't

The Schneider Electric GV2P16 is the right choice for buyers whose application meets all of the following criteria:

  • Motor nameplate full-load current (FLA) falls within the 9-14A adjustable range of the GV2P16
  • Site supply is three-phase AC at or below 690V (typically 400V industrial three-phase)
  • Application is a three-phase motor — this is a 3-pole device only; single-phase motors require a different SKU
  • Thermal-magnetic trip protection is acceptable — no electronic monitoring, remote alarm output, or soft-start ramp is required
  • DIN rail or panel mounting with EverLink screw terminals is compatible with your panel design and wiring harness

If your motor FLA falls below 9A, the GV2P08 (4-6.3A) is the correct selection. If FLA exceeds 14A, move to the GV2P20 (16-24A) or GV2P32 (24-36A). If your application requires digital fault signaling, data logging, or soft-start acceleration, a Schneider electronic motor starter or soft-start VFD is the appropriate product instead of the GV2P16.

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What the GV2P16 Actually Does in a Motor Circuit

The Schneider Electric GV2P16 is a fixed thermal-magnetic trip motor circuit breaker from the TeSys GV2 family. Its job is to provide both overload protection (thermal element) and short-circuit protection (magnetic element) for three-phase AC motors in a single compact device, eliminating the need for a separate fuse and overload relay combination in many panel designs.

The thermal element responds to sustained overcurrent — motor overloads, phase imbalance, or stalled-rotor conditions — with an inverse-time characteristic that allows brief starting inrush currents to pass while tripping under sustained overload. The magnetic element provides near-instantaneous response to short-circuit faults. An approximate instantaneous magnetic trip threshold of 170A ensures that serious fault currents are interrupted before wiring or motor windings can be damaged. Together, these two mechanisms replace what traditionally required a fused disconnect plus a separate overload relay mounted downstream, reducing panel footprint and component count.

The GV2P16 is rated for motor loads up to 5.5 kW at 400V three-phase AC — a spec confirmed on Schneider Electric's official product pages — and covers an adjustable current range of 9-14A set by the mechanical dial on the front of the device. It requires no external power supply and carries no software dependency, which is precisely why maintenance teams and OEM panel builders continue to specify it for applications where simplicity and durability matter more than digital connectivity.

Typical System Architecture with the GV2P16

The GV2P16 sits immediately downstream of the main incoming supply in the motor branch circuit, ahead of the motor contactor or directly ahead of the motor terminals in simple fixed-speed applications. Its role is to be the last line of fault protection before the motor itself.

  • Three-phase AC supply (typically 400V) enters the control panel from the main distribution board
  • Main disconnect switch or panel incomer provides upstream isolation for the panel
  • GV2P16 mounts on 39 mm DIN rail as the branch protection device for the motor circuit, providing both overload and short-circuit protection in one module
  • Motor contactor (where used) sits downstream of the GV2P16, controlled by the panel's control circuit
  • Three-phase motor load connects from the GV2P16 load-side EverLink terminals through motor cabling

Where the GV2P16 Gets Deployed: Industries and Use Cases

Pump stations and water treatment facilities represent one of the most common deployment environments for the GV2P16. Small centrifugal pump motors in the 5.5 kW range at 400V three-phase are essentially the device's design target, and the compact DIN-rail footprint suits the space-constrained motor control centers common in this sector.

In food and beverage processing and pulp and paper manufacturing, the GV2P16 appears frequently in conveyor drive panels and fan motor circuits where motor FLA falls within the 9-14A window. Maintenance engineers in these environments value the manual lever reset and the absence of a separate power supply requirement — in a panel housing dozens of motor branches, simplicity at the component level reduces diagnostic complexity when a trip occurs.

Retrofit and modernization projects are a particularly significant use case. Telemecanique was acquired by Schneider Electric, and legacy Telemecanique GV2P16 units remain in service across North America and Europe in installations dating back decades. When these units fail or require replacement, the Schneider Electric GV2P16 is the direct backward-compatible replacement, with the same mounting footprint and specification envelope — though terminal types should be verified before ordering connector hardware.

OEM machine builders specifying HVAC fan motor protection, compressor motor circuits, and small conveyor drives also routinely select the GV2P16 where space constraints and BOM cost management are primary drivers and no electronic monitoring interface is required.

Application Typical Deployment
Pump motor protection — water treatment GV2P16 on DIN rail, upstream of motor contactor, protecting 5.5 kW centrifugal pump at 400V three-phase
Conveyor drive motor circuit Installed in compact motor control panel; replaces fused starter with single integrated device on 39 mm rail
HVAC fan motor circuit Direct protection for fan motor in air handling unit; thermal-magnetic trip sufficient, no soft-start required
Legacy Telemecanique retrofit Drop-in replacement for failed GV2P16 in existing panel; same DIN rail and voltage compatibility
Compressor motor branch circuit Space-constrained panel; 0.35 kg, 97 mm depth allows installation where larger starters do not fit
OEM small motor control panel New build; GV2P16 specified to minimize BOM cost and panel footprint for motors in 9-14A FLA range

Key Specifications and Variant Comparison for the GV2P16

Parameter GV2P16 Specification
Poles 3P (Three-phase)
Adjustable Current Range 9–14A
Voltage Rating 690V AC (typical operation at 400V three-phase)
Frequency 50/60 Hz
Rated Motor Power at 400V 5.5 kW
Instantaneous Magnetic Trip Approximately 170A (confirm with official datasheet)
Trip Characteristic Inverse time thermal / instantaneous magnetic
Mounting DIN Rail (39 mm standard) or panel mount
Weight 0.35 kg
Connection Type EverLink screw terminals (multistandard compatible)

Full technical specifications are available on the product page at LeadTime.ca.

GV2P16 vs. GV2P Variants and Competitive Alternatives

Feature GV2P16 (Schneider) GV2P08 (Schneider) GV2P20 (Schneider) ABB MS116 Eaton PKZM0
Current Rating 9–14A 4–6.3A 16–24A 10–16A 6–10A
Voltage Rating 690V AC 690V AC 690V AC 690V AC 690V AC
Trip Type Thermal-Magnetic Thermal-Magnetic Thermal-Magnetic Thermal-Magnetic Thermal-Magnetic
Motor Power at 400V ~5.5 kW ~3 kW ~7.5 kW ~5.5 kW ~3 kW
DIN Rail Mount Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
EverLink Terminal Yes Yes Yes No (standard) No (standard)
Adjustable Range Yes (9–14A) Yes (4–6.3A) Yes (16–24A) Yes Yes

If your motor FLA falls outside the 9–14A window, selecting the wrong variant is the most common ordering error on this product line. Confirm your motor nameplate current before placing the order — view current GV2P16 availability and pricing at LeadTime.ca and contact the team if you need help confirming the right size.

Expert Verdict: Is the GV2P16 the Right Motor Breaker for Your Project?

The Schneider Electric GV2P16 occupies a specific and well-defined niche in motor protection: small-to-medium three-phase motors in the 9–14A FLA range, applications where thermal-magnetic protection is electrically sufficient, and installations where cost and panel footprint are primary design constraints. The 0.35 kg weight and 97 mm depth make it genuinely compact. The absence of any external power supply dependency means it continues to protect the motor circuit regardless of what else is happening in the control system. For maintenance technicians replacing failed legacy Telemecanique GV2P16 units, OEM builders minimizing panel BOM cost, and facility engineers protecting pump, fan, or conveyor motors in the 5.5 kW class at 400V, this device does exactly what it needs to do — reliably and without complication. Compliance with IEC 60947-5-5 confirms it meets international safety benchmarks required across North America and beyond.

The GV2P16 has real limits that are worth stating directly. It produces no digital output, no alarm contact you can wire to a SCADA system, and no trip history log. When a thermal overload trips the device, a technician must physically reset the lever — there is no automatic restart or remote reset capability. If your application involves unmanned operation with critical motors, or if your facility has a condition monitoring mandate requiring predictive maintenance data, the GV2P16 will not meet those requirements and you should specify an electronic motor starter or soft-start VFD instead. Similarly, if motor FLA sits at 15A or above, the GV2P20 is the correct selection; the GV2P16's 14A upper limit is not adjustable beyond that point. Single-phase motor applications and any DC or specialty voltage above 690V AC are outside this product's design envelope entirely.

From a procurement standpoint, the GV2P16 is routinely stocked through industrial electrical distributors with same-day to two-business-day availability — lead time is rarely the constraint for this SKU. The more common procurement risk is ordering the wrong current variant. A specialist industrial distributor like LeadTime.ca provides the combination of warehouse stock, access to Schneider technical documentation, and direct application support that makes same-call resolution of sizing and terminal compatibility questions possible — reducing the risk of a wrong-part return delaying your installation. Check current GV2P16 stock and pricing at LeadTime.ca — available to buyers worldwide.

For volume pricing or to confirm availability before committing to a build schedule, contact the LeadTime.ca team directly — we ship worldwide.

What Engineers Need to Know Before Ordering the GV2P16

Community-level discussion on the Schneider Electric GV2P16 specifically is sparse — this is a component-level industrial device that tends to be specified, installed, and forgotten rather than debated on automation forums. What the TeSys GV product family does attract, however, is consistent praise for a core set of design attributes: the compact DIN-rail footprint that reduces panel size and installation labor versus larger motor starters or traditional fused configurations, the thermal-magnetic mechanism that delivers cost-effective proven protection without any external power supply dependency or software licensing overhead, and the EverLink multistandard screw terminal system that makes it straightforward to drop a replacement unit into an existing wiring harness originally built for legacy Telemecanique hardware. These are not marketing claims — they reflect the practical reasons this product line has remained a default selection in European and North American motor protection for decades.

The recurring technical caveats that experienced engineers raise when specifying compact thermal-magnetic motor breakers are equally consistent. The absence of any digital fault output is the most frequently cited limitation: if your facility's control architecture expects a fault contact wired to a PLC input or a SCADA alarm, the GV2P16 cannot provide it. The manual lever reset requirement after an overload trip is a genuine operational consideration in unattended or remote installations — if a motor trips at 2 AM in an unmanned pump station, someone has to go physically reset it. And the purely mechanical trip mechanism means there is no trip event logging, no threshold adjustment via software, and no path to predictive maintenance integration. For the applications where none of those capabilities are required, these are non-issues. For applications where any one of them matters, they are disqualifying.

The ordering mistake that causes the most rework in this product family is current rating confusion. The GV2P08, GV2P16, GV2P20, and GV2P32 share a nearly identical physical appearance and part number structure. Engineers and procurement specialists who do not verify motor nameplate FLA before specifying regularly end up with the wrong variant — most commonly confusing GV2P08 (4–6.3A maximum) with GV2P16 (9–14A range) when the motor FLA is somewhere in the middle. The right habit is simple: read the motor nameplate, confirm the FLA, cross-reference against the GV2P current rating table, and include the confirmed FLA on the purchase order. If you have any uncertainty about which variant applies to your motor, the LeadTime.ca team can work through the selection with you before you commit to the order.

Installation and Wiring Overview for the GV2P16

The following is an overview of key installation requirements. For complete wiring diagrams and step-by-step procedures, consult the official Schneider Electric GV2P16 user manual and your site electrical drawings.

  • Mount on a 39 mm standard DIN rail by hooking the top clip onto the rail and pressing down until the bottom latch snaps into position — always isolate the circuit from live supply before mounting
  • Three-phase supply connects to the line-side (top) EverLink terminals; motor load connects to the load-side (bottom) terminals — verify wire gauge is within the supported range (typically 0.5–2.5 mm²) and confirm with the terminal specification table in the manual
  • Strip wire ends to the length specified in the manual, insert fully into the EverLink terminal socket until the wire bottoms out, and tighten the screw firmly — perform a pull-test on each connection after tightening to verify retention
  • Set the adjustable thermal trip dial to match the motor nameplate FLA before energizing — the dial on the front face of the GV2P16 is mechanical and adjustable within the 9–14A range
  • Verify upstream short-circuit protection is appropriate for the installation; the GV2P16 provides integral motor protection, but site electrical code requirements for upstream coordination should be confirmed with the local authority having jurisdiction and Schneider regional technical support

Wrong-Part Prevention Checklist Before You Order

Before placing your GV2P16 order, work through each item on this checklist. This list is drawn directly from the most common ordering errors on the TeSys GV2P product line:

  1. Confirm motor FLA falls within 9-14A adjustable range (check motor nameplate; if FLA > 14A or < 9A, do not use)
  2. Verify site supply voltage is at or below 690V AC three-phase
  3. Confirm three-phase motor application (GV2P16 is 3-pole only; single-phase requires different SKU)
  4. Check that thermal-magnetic trip is acceptable (electronic/digitally monitored protection not required)
  5. Verify EverLink terminal compatibility with existing wiring gauge and connector type
  6. Confirm no prior ordering of GV2P08 or GV2P32 by mistake (check purchase order history for GV2P16 specifically)

If any item on this checklist cannot be confirmed, contact LeadTime.ca before ordering — our team can help verify the correct GV2P variant for your application and confirm terminal compatibility with your existing panel wiring.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the GV2P16 the correct protection device for a 5.5 kW motor running at 400V three-phase?

Yes, with one condition: the motor's full-load current (FLA) as shown on the nameplate must fall within the 9–14A adjustable range of the GV2P16. The 5.5 kW at 400V rating confirmed by Schneider Electric's official product data aligns with this current window for typical induction motors, but nameplate FLA should always be verified before finalizing the selection.

Can the trip current be adjusted after the GV2P16 is installed in the panel?

Yes. The thermal trip adjustment dial on the front face of the GV2P16 is accessible after installation and can be set anywhere within the 9–14A range. The adjustment is mechanical only — there is no software interface or remote adjustment capability. Always confirm the circuit is isolated from load before making adjustments during commissioning, and refer to the official Schneider Electric datasheet for the complete trip curve data.

What is the practical difference between the GV2P08 and the GV2P16, and how do I know which to order?

The GV2P08 covers a 4–6.3A adjustable range and is rated for motors up to approximately 3 kW at 400V. The GV2P16 covers 9–14A and is rated to 5.5 kW at 400V. The devices are physically similar — the only reliable way to select the correct one is to read the motor nameplate FLA and match it to the appropriate current window. Installing a GV2P08 on a motor with a 12A FLA will result in nuisance tripping under normal operating current.

Does the GV2P16 replace the need for a separate overload relay?

Yes. The thermal element of the GV2P16 provides integral overload protection — a separate overload relay is not required for the motor branch circuit. Depending on your site electrical code and upstream fault level, coordination with upstream short-circuit protection devices may still be required; confirm this with the authority having jurisdiction and Schneider regional technical support for your installation.

Can I use the GV2P16 on a single-phase motor or a DC load?

No. The GV2P16 is a 3-pole device rated for three-phase AC applications only, with a voltage rating of 690V AC. It is not suitable for single-phase motors or DC applications. Single-phase motor protection requires a different product SKU; DC applications are outside the rated voltage type of this device entirely.

Is the current Schneider Electric GV2P16 a direct replacement for legacy Telemecanique GV2P16 units?

Yes. Telemecanique was acquired by Schneider Electric, and the GV2P16 specifications have remained backward-compatible. The same 39 mm DIN rail mounting and voltage rating apply. However, terminal type and connector hardware should be verified before ordering replacement connector accessories, as terminal designs may differ between production runs. The EAN code 3389110213508 confirms the current production unit identity.

Why Order the GV2P16 from LeadTime.ca

  • Global shipping — LeadTime.ca sources and ships industrial automation components worldwide, not limited to any single region
  • In-stock inventory on GV2P family products with same-day to next-business-day availability typical for stocked items
  • Direct application support for current rating selection, terminal compatibility confirmation, and variant cross-referencing before you commit to an order
  • Volume pricing available for multi-unit and multi-site procurement — contact the team for current quotes
  • Access to Schneider Electric technical documentation and distributor resources to resolve sizing questions on the same call

GV2P16 At-a-Glance Summary

  • Adjustable current range: 9–14A — must match motor nameplate FLA; do not apply outside this window
  • Rated motor power: 5.5 kW at 400V three-phase AC (confirmed on Schneider Electric official product pages)
  • Voltage rating: 690V AC maximum; 50/60 Hz; three-phase only
  • Protection type: Thermal-magnetic — integral overload and short-circuit protection; no digital output or remote monitoring capability
  • Approximate instantaneous magnetic trip threshold: 170A (verify with official datasheet before configuring panel coordination)
  • Mounting: 39 mm standard DIN rail; depth 97 mm; weight 0.35 kg
  • Terminal type: EverLink multistandard screw terminals; wire gauge typically 0.5–2.5 mm² (confirm with terminal specification table)
  • EAN code: 3389110213508
  • Closest smaller variant: GV2P08 (4–6.3A, ~3 kW at 400V); closest larger variant: GV2P20 (16–24A, ~7.5 kW at 400V)
  • Compliance: IEC 60947-5-5 — meets international safety and performance standards applicable in North America and globally
  • Legacy compatibility: Direct replacement for Telemecanique GV2P16 — verify terminal hardware before ordering connector accessories

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