Auxiliary compartment for a switchgear system

1. A switchgear system, comprising:

an enclosure for switchgear including a number of sections, wherein a first section of the enclosure includes a plurality of circuit breakers and electrical devices for controlling the plurality of circuit breakers, wherein the first section includes:

at least one circuit breaker cubicle for housing at least one of the circuit breakers; at least one auxiliary cubicle associated with the at least one circuit breaker cubicle; and

at least one auxiliary compartment removably engaged in the at least one auxiliary cubicle, wherein the at least one auxiliary compartment houses at least one of the electrical devices for controlling a respective one of the circuit breakers of the at least one circuit breaker cubicle associated with the at least one auxiliary cubicle, the at least one auxiliary compartment further including a first connector electrically connected to the at least one of the electrical devices housed therein, wherein the at least one auxiliary cubicle includes a second connector therein that is connected to the respective one of the circuit breakers, wherein:

power and communication connections are established by the first and second connectors between the respective one of the circuit breakers and the at least one of the electrical devices associated therewith when the at least one auxiliary compartment is seated within a respective one of the at least one auxiliary cubicle; and

the power and communication connections are terminated when the at least one auxiliary compartment is at least partially withdrawn from the respective one of the at least one auxiliary cubicle.

2. The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary compartment includes a bottom wall, a rear wall, and opposite first and second sidewalls extending from the bottom wall along the rear wall.

3. The switchgear system of claim 2 , wherein the at least one auxiliary compartment includes a door connected by a hinge along the first sidewall opposite the rear wall.

4. The switchgear system of claim 3 , wherein the door includes at least one latch opposite the hinge for releasably engaging the at least one auxiliary compartment.

5. The switchgear system of claim 4 , wherein the door includes a handle adjacent the at least one latch.

6. The switchgear system of claim 2 , further comprising:

a strut extending from the bottom wall at a front of the at least one auxiliary compartment to a flange at a top of the at least one auxiliary compartment, wherein the flange extends from the strut to the second sidewall; and

a window in the at least one auxiliary compartment is defined by the strut, the flange, the second sidewall and the bottom wall.

7. The switchgear system of claim 6 , wherein the first connector is mounted to a side of the second sidewall that is opposite the first sidewall.

8. The switchgear system of claim 7 , wherein the side of the second sidewall is aligned with an inner edge of the strut and the strut extends outwardly from the inner edge to overlap the first connector.

9. The switchgear system of claim 7 , further comprising at least one hole through the second sidewall, and further comprising wires extending through the at least one hole connecting the at least one of the electrical devices in the at least one auxiliary compartment with the first connector.

10. The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein the first connector includes a plurality of communication connection members and a number of longer, elongated power connection members that are received in aligned receptacles of the second connector.

11. The switchgear of claim 1 , wherein the at least one auxiliary cubicle includes a bottom surface and a plurality of rollers extending upwardly from the bottom surface that contact and facilitate the at least one auxiliary compartment withdrawal from and insertion into the at least one auxiliary cubicle.

12. The switchgear system of claim 1 , wherein:

the at least one auxiliary compartment includes a bottom wall, a rear wall, and opposite first and second sidewalls extending from the bottom wall along the rear wall;

the first connector is mounted to a side of the second sidewall that is opposite the first sidewall; and

the second connector is mounted to a rear wall of the at least one auxiliary cubicle.

13. The switchgear system of claim 12 , further comprising at least one hole through the second sidewall, and further comprising wires extending through the at least one hole connecting the at least one of the electrical devices in the at least one auxiliary compartment with the first connector.

14. An electrical switchgear system, comprising:

an enclosure including:

an auxiliary cubicle for removably receiving an auxiliary compartment, the auxiliary compartment housing at least one electrical device structured to control at least one circuit breaker of the switchgear system;

a circuit breaker cubicle adjacent the auxiliary cubicle for housing the at least one circuit breaker and distributing power to the at least one electrical device housed in the auxiliary compartment;

a first connector mounted to a sidewall of the auxiliary compartment, the first connector being electrically connected to the at least one electrical device in the auxiliary compartment; and

a second connector mounted to a rear wall of the auxiliary cubicle, the second connector being electrically connected to the at least one circuit breaker, the first and second connectors being connected when the auxiliary compartment is seated in the auxiliary cubicle and the first and second connectors being disconnected when the auxiliary compartment is at least partially withdrawn from the auxiliary cubicle.

15. The electrical switchgear system of claim 14 , wherein a communications connection between the first and second connectors is disconnected when the auxiliary compartment is withdrawn a first distance from the auxiliary cubicle while a power connection between the first and second connectors remains established at the first distance.

16. The electrical switchgear of claim 14 , wherein:

the first connector is located on a first side of the sidewall; and

the at least one electrical device is located on a second side of the sidewall opposite the first side.

17. A method for accessing control electronics for a circuit breaker of a switchgear system, comprising:

providing power and communications between the circuit breaker and control electronics for controlling the circuit breaker through the electrical connection of first and second connectors, the circuit breaker being housed in a circuit breaker cubicle of a switchgear enclosure, the control electronics being housed in an auxiliary compartment positioned in an auxiliary cubicle of the switchgear enclosure;

partially withdrawing the auxiliary compartment from the auxiliary cubicle of the switchgear to at least partially disconnect the first connector from the second connector, the first connector being mounted to the auxiliary compartment and the second connector being mounted in the auxiliary cubicle; and

removing the auxiliary compartment from the auxiliary cubicle while the circuit breaker is energized and the control electronics are not energized.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein partially withdrawing the auxiliary compartment disconnects communication connections between the circuit breaker and the control electronics while power connections between the circuit breaker and the control electronics remain established.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the removing of the auxiliary compartment disconnects the power connections.

20. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first connector is electrically connected to the control electronics and the second connector is electrically connected to the circuit breaker, the first connector including power connection members and communication connection members that are received in corresponding receptacles of the second connector.