Schneider Electric GV2P20 — Manual Starter Specs & Buying Guide

By Abdullah Zahid
14 min read
Schneider Electric GV2P20 TeSys Deca manual starter and protector with rotary handle for 3-phase motor control panels

Schneider Electric GV2P20 TeSys Deca Manual Starter and Protector — Thermal Magnetic Circuit Protector with Rotary Handle: Complete Specs, Pricing, and Alternatives Guide

Controls engineers and panel builders searching for the Schneider Electric GV2P20 are typically at the final confirmation stage — motor nameplate is in hand, panel layout is drafted, and the only question remaining is whether this specific TeSys Deca manual starter covers the amperage, voltage, and compliance requirements before the purchase order goes out. The GV2P20 is a 3-pole thermal-magnetic manual starter and protector rated for 13–18 A continuous, up to 690V AC, and capable of protecting motors from 1 HP at 115V up to 15 HP at 575V — all in a single integrated package measuring 45 mm wide by 97 mm tall.

If you have already confirmed this is the right part, check current pricing and availability for the GV2P20 at LeadTime.ca — ships worldwide.

Who Should Buy the GV2P20 — and Who Shouldn't

The Schneider Electric GV2P20 is the right choice for panel builders and maintenance teams installing direct-on-line motor starters for small 3-phase industrial motors. You are in the right place if all of the following apply to your application:

  • Motor nameplate full-load amps fall within the 13–18 A thermal-magnetic trip range
  • Supply voltage does not exceed 690V AC (typically 230V, 460V, or 575V in North American installations)
  • Motor horsepower is within the rated range — 3 HP at 230V, 10 HP at 460V, or 15 HP at 575V
  • Panel mounting accommodates a threaded-bush installation (M20 or M25 cutout) — GV2P20 is not DIN rail compatible without a separate adapter
  • Non-reversing motor operation is required — GV2P20 drives the motor in one direction only
  • UL 508, CSA C22.2 No. 60947-4-1, and IEC 60947-2 compliance satisfies your facility or OEM certification requirements

If your motor nameplate shows 20 A or higher, or if the application requires reversing control, this is not the correct part. The GV3P handles motors with 25–40 A ratings, and the GV2M variant is the correct selection for reversing motor applications in the same amperage class.

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What the GV2P20 Actually Does in a Motor Control Panel

The Schneider Electric GV2P20 combines three functions that would otherwise require separate components — manual isolation, motor starting control, and overcurrent protection — into a single 3-pole unit. The integrated thermal-magnetic trip responds to sustained overload conditions through a bimetallic thermal element and provides instantaneous magnetic trip for short-circuit events, with a rated short-circuit capacity of 100 kA at 230/240V AC under IEC 60947-2. No external power supply is required to arm the protection circuit, and no calibration is needed after installation.

The rotary knob handle gives the operator a clear, tactile ON and OFF interface. Unlike a standard circuit breaker, the GV2P20 is specifically designed to start and stop motor loads within the 13–18 A range without nuisance tripping from motor inrush — the thermal-magnetic trip curve accounts for normal starting transients. The unit does not include remote trip coils, PLC interface contacts, or soft-start ramp capability; it is strictly a direct-on-line device for manual operation by a technician or operator standing at the panel.

The compact 45 mm × 97 mm footprint eliminates the width overhead of a separate contactor and thermal relay combination, which becomes meaningful in dense panels where DIN rail space is shared with drives, power supplies, and terminal blocks. That said, it is worth stating clearly: the GV2P20 is a threaded-bush device, not a DIN rail device, and panel layout must account for the M20 or M25 panel cutout accordingly.

Typical System Architecture for a GV2P20 Installation

The GV2P20 sits between the upstream supply distribution and the motor terminals, acting simultaneously as the isolation point and the protective element. Understanding its position in the chain prevents misapplication and clarifies panel design.

  • Upstream: 3-phase supply bus or branch circuit fusing provides upstream fault current protection and coordinates with the GV2P20's 100 kA rated short-circuit capacity at 230/240V AC
  • At the starter: GV2P20 screw clamp terminals L1, L2, L3 receive incoming 3-phase supply power; T1, T2, T3 output to the motor load
  • Handle operation: operator rotates the knob to ON for starting and OFF for stopping or isolation; thermal-magnetic trip overrides to OFF on fault
  • Downstream: motor load wires run directly to the motor terminal box — no contactor, no external overload relay required
  • Optional signaling: some GV2P variant configurations support auxiliary contacts for pilot light or PLC input indication; verify the specific variant before specifying

Industries and Applications Where the GV2P20 Is the Standard Choice

The GV2P20 appears most frequently in panels for small pump stations, where a 3-phase motor driving a centrifugal or submersible pump falls comfortably within the 10 HP at 460V rating and the application calls for simple manual start/stop at the panel face. HVAC equipment manufacturers specify it for fan and blower motors in air handling units where the motor nameplate runs in the 13–18 A range and direct-on-line starting is acceptable given the low inertia of the fan load.

Food and beverage facilities use the GV2P20 in conveyor and small mixer motor circuits, particularly where the Schneider Electric TeSys architecture is already standardized across the facility's motor control centers. The UL 508 and CSA C22.2 No. 60947-4-1 certifications satisfy North American inspectors without requiring additional documentation.

OEM panel builders targeting cost-sensitive small machine applications — woodworking equipment, small compressors, and materials handling lines — find the GV2P20 attractive because a single SKU eliminates the separate contactor and thermal relay bill of materials. Retrofit projects in existing facilities benefit from the 45 mm width when replacing failed starters in panels where real estate was already fully allocated.

Application Typical Deployment
Small pump station 3-phase centrifugal pump motor, 10 HP at 460V, direct-on-line start from panel face
HVAC air handler Fan motor, 13–18 A nameplate, manual isolation for maintenance access
Conveyor system Belt or roller conveyor drive, Schneider-standardized facility, low-complexity motor circuit
OEM small machine panel Cost-constrained panel build, single-motor circuit, no reversing or speed control required
Retrofit panel repair Failed starter replacement in existing enclosure, threaded-bush panel cutout already present
Compressor control Small reciprocating or scroll compressor, 5–15 HP, direct-on-line starting at 230–575V

GV2P20 Specifications and Motor Compatibility Tables

Parameter Rating
Pole Configuration 3-Pole (3P) — three-phase motor control only
Amperage Range 13–18 A thermal-magnetic trip; non-adjustable
Maximum Voltage 690V AC — verify system voltage before installation
Frequency 50/60 Hz — dual frequency, no change required
Short-Circuit Rating 100 kA @ 230/240V AC; 10 kA @ 500V AC; 4 kA @ 690V AC (IEC 60947-2)
Protection Type Thermal-Magnetic Overload — manual reset, no external power supply required
Actuator Style Rotary Knob
Terminal Type Screw Clamp — #12–#14 AWG typical; verify wire gauge before installation
Enclosure Rating IP20 / IK04 — control panel installation; not washdown-rated
Operating Temperature −20 to +60°C

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

Supply Voltage Single-Phase HP Three-Phase HP
115V AC 1 HP N/A
230V AC N/A 3 HP
200–230V AC N/A 5 HP
460V AC N/A 10 HP
575V AC N/A 15 HP

GV2P20 vs. GV3P, GV2M, and Competitive Alternatives

Selecting the wrong variant is the most common ordering mistake in this product family. The table below maps the decision gates clearly.

Model Type Amperage Max Voltage HP Range When to Choose Instead
GV2P20 TeSys Manual Starter (Non-Reversing) 13–18 A 690V AC 1–15 HP Baseline selection for this amperage class
GV3P TeSys GV3 Manual Starter 25–40 A 690V AC 7.5–30 HP Motor nameplate current at 25 A or above
GV2M TeSys GV2 Reversing 13–18 A 690V AC 1–15 HP Application requires reversing motor control
ABB MS116 Manual Motor Starter 20–25 A 690V AC 5–15 HP Facility standardized on ABB motor protection
Siemens 3RV2 Motor Starter Protector 20–32 A 690V AC 5.5–22 HP Siemens ecosystem integration required
Contactor + Separate Breaker Combination Starter 13–18 A 690V AC 1–15 HP Reversing, complex logic, or larger footprint acceptable

If your motor nameplate exceeds 18 A, the GV3P is the direct step-up within the TeSys family — confirm the GV2P20 is in stock and check availability at LeadTime.ca before placing your order.

Expert Verdict: Is the GV2P20 the Right Starter for Your Panel?

The Schneider Electric GV2P20 delivers genuine, practical value for electricians, maintenance teams, and OEM panel builders working with small 3-phase motors in the 13–18 A range. Its thermal-magnetic protection circuit requires no calibration, no external power supply, and no programming — qualities that matter most when a panel shop needs a proven part that goes in correctly the first time. The 100 kA short-circuit rating at 230/240V AC provides fault current margin well above what most small industrial panels will ever see, and the dual 50/60 Hz rating means it moves across supply systems without substitution. For facilities already standardized on Schneider Electric motor control architecture, specifying GV2P20 for HVAC, pump, conveyor, and small compressor circuits reduces procurement complexity and maintains parts interchangeability across the site.

The limits are real and worth stating plainly. The GV2P20 is non-reversing — if the application needs the motor to run in both directions, the GV2M is the correct selection and the GV2P20 will not substitute. Motors with nameplate current exceeding 18 A must move to the GV3P; ordering the GV2P20 for a 20 A motor will produce nuisance trips or failure to start under load, which technicians sometimes misread as a defective unit. Applications with high mechanical inertia at startup — piston compressors, large centrifugal fans — may push the thermal-magnetic trip curve into marginal territory during inrush, and those applications deserve either a soft starter or a carefully selected overload relay with an adjustable trip class. Electronic overload protection is also not available on this device; facilities requiring PLC-integrated fault diagnostics or adjustable trip curves should evaluate electronic overload relay combinations instead.

From a procurement standpoint, the GV2P20 is a standard-stock item at major industrial distributors worldwide, with same-day to two-business-day lead times in most territories. The threaded-bush mounting requires a pre-drilled or punched panel cutout — a detail that catches first-time specifiers off guard when they assume DIN rail compatibility. Ordering through a specialist industrial distributor rather than a general online retailer gives you pre-sale technical confirmation that the amperage class, mounting style, and compliance certifications match the application before the order ships. View current pricing and stock status for the GV2P20 at LeadTime.ca — we stock this part and ship worldwide.

For volume pricing on OEM builds or to confirm lead time before committing to a panel schedule, contact the LeadTime.ca team directly — we ship worldwide and support procurement teams at every stage of the sourcing process.

What Engineers Need to Know Before Ordering the GV2P20

Because community forum data for this specific model is limited, the most useful resource for pre-order validation is the engineering experience accumulated across thousands of TeSys installations — and the ordering mistakes that surface when buyers skip the nameplate verification step. The wrong-part scenarios for the GV2P20 are well-documented in the Schneider Electric TeSys product family, and the patterns are consistent enough to treat as field intelligence even without a large public discussion thread.

The single most common ordering error in this amperage class is specifying the GV2P20 for a motor whose nameplate shows full-load amps above 18 A. The thermal-magnetic trip is factory-set and non-adjustable — there is no field calibration available to stretch the range upward. Buyers who encounter nuisance trips on startup almost always find, after the fact, that the motor's FLA was at or above 18 A and the inrush transient pushed the thermal element into trip territory within the first few seconds of operation. The fix is a GV3P, not a warranty return.

The second pattern worth knowing before ordering involves panel mounting assumptions. Technicians accustomed to DIN rail devices sometimes specify the GV2P20 expecting snap-in installation and discover on delivery that it requires a threaded-bush cutout in the panel door or sub-plate. This does not affect function, but it adds panel modification time on a job where the schedule was set assuming DIN rail work. Reviewing the physical and installation specifications — 45 mm W × 89 mm D × 97 mm H, M20 or M25 threaded-bush mounting — before the panel is fabricated prevents that delay. When in doubt about which GV2 variant fits your panel layout, LeadTime.ca's technical team can confirm the correct selection before the order is placed, preventing return freight and panel rework.

Wiring and Installation Overview

The following points summarize the key installation requirements for the GV2P20. For full wiring diagrams and torque specifications, consult the Schneider Electric GV2P20 installation manual.

  • The GV2P20 uses threaded-bush panel mounting — verify that the panel cutout matches M20 or M25 thread before installation; do not force fit or use non-standard cutout dimensions
  • Screw clamp terminals L1, L2, L3 accept incoming 3-phase supply power (#12 AWG typical for North American installations); T1, T2, T3 connect to the motor load — do not reverse these connections
  • Wire gauge #12 to #14 AWG is typical for the screw clamp terminals; verify compatibility with local electrical code and actual conductor size before terminating
  • After terminating all six screw clamp connections, verify tightness by hand before energizing — under-tightened terminals cause intermittent power loss; over-tightening strips screw threads permanently
  • The thermal-magnetic trip requires manual reset — after a fault trip, de-energize the panel, allow the unit to cool, then rotate the handle to reset; GV2P20 does not auto-reset, and maintenance documentation should state this clearly to avoid troubleshooting delays

Compatible Accessories and System Expansion

The GV2P20 is part of the broader Schneider Electric TeSys GV2 product family, which supports a range of accessories for system integration and expanded functionality. Confirm compatibility with Schneider Electric's current accessory catalog before ordering.

  • Auxiliary contact blocks — add signaling contacts for pilot lights or PLC discrete inputs indicating ON, OFF, or trip status
  • Voltage release or shunt trip accessories — enable remote trip or undervoltage release for applications requiring automatic disconnect on power loss
  • Enclosure and guard accessories — IP-rated enclosures and handle guards for installations where the GV2P20 is mounted in environments with higher contamination risk than IP20 allows
  • Line termination accessories — pre-formed connector kits for TeSys wiring harnesses in high-density panel builds

Wrong-Part Prevention Checklist

Before placing your order for the GV2P20, confirm every item on this checklist against the motor nameplate and panel design drawings:

  1. Verify motor nameplate amps fall within 13–18 A rated range for GV2P20
  2. Confirm system voltage does not exceed 690V AC
  3. Check motor HP at operating voltage: GV2P20 supports 1 HP @ 115V, 3 HP @ 230V, 5 HP @ 200–230V, 10 HP @ 460V, 15 HP @ 575V
  4. Confirm non-reversing operation (GV2P20 is non-reversing; reversing motors need GV2M variant)
  5. Verify threaded-bush mounting is compatible with control panel design (not DIN rail compatible)
  6. Ensure 50/60 Hz compatibility (GV2P20 operates across both frequencies)
  7. Check thermal-magnetic trip is acceptable (some applications require electronic overload protection instead)
  8. Verify screw clamp terminal size matches motor and panel wiring gauges (support #12 to #14 AWG typical)

If any item on this checklist cannot be confirmed against your motor nameplate and panel drawings, contact the LeadTime.ca technical team before ordering — we can verify the correct GV2P variant for your application and prevent a costly return.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can the GV2P20 be used for reversing motor control by wiring the output phases in reverse?

No. The GV2P20 is a non-reversing manual starter. Reversing motor direction requires the GV2M variant, which includes the appropriate mechanical and electrical interlocking for safe reversing operation. Attempting to achieve reversing by swapping load-side phase connections at the GV2P20 terminals is not a supported configuration and creates safety and compliance risks.

Does the thermal-magnetic trip in the GV2P20 handle motor inrush without nuisance tripping?

The GV2P20's thermal-magnetic trip curve is designed for motor starting loads within the 13–18 A range, accounting for normal inrush transients associated with direct-on-line starting of motors in that class. If nuisance trips occur during startup, the most likely cause is that the motor's full-load amps are at or above 18 A, or the motor has abnormally high inrush due to mechanical loading at start. Verify the motor nameplate FLA first before assuming a device fault.

Is the GV2P20 compatible with DIN rail mounting without any modification?

No. The GV2P20 uses threaded-bush panel mounting and is not directly compatible with standard DIN rail. The panel must have an M20 or M25 cutout for the threaded bush. If DIN rail mounting is required in your panel, consult the Schneider Electric TeSys accessory catalog for compatible DIN rail adapter options or consider an alternative GV2 variant specified for DIN rail installation.

What does the GV2P20 do after a thermal-magnetic trip — does it auto-reset?

The GV2P20 requires a manual reset after any thermal or magnetic trip event. The rotary handle must be manually returned to the ON position by the operator after the fault condition has been cleared and the unit has been allowed to cool. There is no automatic reset function. Panel documentation and maintenance procedures should explicitly note this requirement to prevent troubleshooting delays by technicians unfamiliar with the device.

What short-circuit rating does the GV2P20 carry, and how does it affect panel coordination?

The GV2P20 is rated at 100 kA at 230/240V AC, 10 kA at 500V AC, and 4 kA at 690V AC under IEC 60947-2. For North American installations at 460V, coordinate the upstream fusing or branch circuit protection against the 10 kA available fault current rating at that voltage tier. Verify that upstream protection does not allow available fault current to exceed the GV2P20's rated interrupting capacity at the installed voltage.

Is the GV2P20 certified for both UL and CSA standards for North American panel installations?

Yes. The GV2P20 carries UL 508, UL 60947-4-1, CSA C22.2 No. 60947-4-1, and IEC 60947-2 compliance certifications. This combination satisfies North American inspector requirements for both US and Canadian electrical panel certifications. ATEX approval is also noted for applications in classified hazardous areas where specified.

Why Order the GV2P20 from LeadTime.ca

  • The GV2P20 is a standard stocked item — same-day to two-business-day lead times available for panel shops and maintenance facilities
  • Technical pre-sale support confirms the correct GV2P variant (amperage class, mounting style, reversing vs. non-reversing) before the order ships, preventing return freight costs
  • Volume pricing available for OEM panel builds — contact for current pricing on multi-unit orders
  • Ships worldwide — no regional restriction on order fulfillment
  • Authorized industrial distributor access to Schneider Electric TeSys product family including accessories, replacement parts, and non-standard variants

GV2P20 At-a-Glance Summary

  • 3-pole thermal-magnetic manual starter and protector; 13–18 A continuous, non-adjustable trip
  • Maximum supply voltage 690V AC; rated for 50 Hz and 60 Hz without modification
  • Supports motors from 1 HP at 115V up to 15 HP at 575V across five standard voltage classes
  • Short-circuit rating: 100 kA at 230/240V AC under IEC 60947-2
  • Compact form factor: 45 mm W × 89 mm D × 97 mm H — integrated protection eliminates separate contactor and thermal relay
  • Threaded-bush panel mounting (M20 or M25); not DIN rail compatible without adapter
  • Screw clamp terminals rated for #12–#14 AWG typical conductor; manual reset after thermal or magnetic trip
  • Certified: UL 508, UL 60947-4-1, CSA C22.2 No. 60947-4-1, IEC 60947-2, RoHS, ATEX
  • Non-reversing only — reversing applications require GV2M; motors above 18 A require GV3P
  • Standard stock item; same-day to two-business-day lead time through authorized distributors worldwide

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