The last edition of the IET Wiring Regulations, the 18th, was released in July 2018, becoming effective in January 2019, which features some important changes for the protection of electrical and electronic equipment and people around them from damaging overvoltage surges.
The 18th Edition – What Changed?
Surge protection devices that guard against the harmful effects of transient overvoltage will need to be installed in situations which may pose a worse-case threat, including:
- Loss of life or serious injury
- Interruption to public service or commercial activity
- Damage to cultural heritage
- Impact a large populated area
These changes apply to all new electrical system designs and installations and all alterations to existing systems as well, both will need to be fully assessed for protection against transient overvoltage risks and protected as required using the appropriate SPD.
The 18th Edition IET also urges installers of SPDs to comply with BS EN/IEC 62305 if there is potential for a direct lightning strike to a building or overhead power lines that are connected to a building and Type 1 Surge protection devices would be used for dealing with such a threat.
Dealing with the Change
To cater for the changes to the 18th Edition IET and how society is embracing more and more technology, Kempston Controls has a fantastic range of Type 2 and Type 3 Surge Protection Devices from CITEL. The perfect transient overvoltage solution to help you keep your electrical/electronic installations and the people around them protected from those troublesome surges.
CITEL show you how to protect your site from transient voltages in this video:
Got the Surge?
Switching transient overvoltage issues that require Type 2 and 3 protection are generally small, yet frequent, and this can imply continual stress on electronic device components, cause RCD tripping and other problems. Ultimately these continual surges can lead to a whole host of potential issues from downtime to life-saving hospital equipment going offline.
- Type 2 and 3 surge protection devices protect electrical and electronic systems reducing the size of overvoltage surges to safe levels.
- Type 2 SPDs are used at the distribution board
- Type 3 SPDs protect critical load equipment further down the line
*Type 2 and 3 are generally used in conjunction with a Type 1 SPD installed at the origin of the installation
Single Phase Type 2 DS240S-230 and DS240S-230G
DS240S-230 and DS240s-230G Type 2 SPDs
To deal with those single-phase Type 2 SPD requirements at the main switchboard CITEL offers these two compact single-phase surge protection devices with 2 protected poles and a remote signal option as standard.
- DS240S-230: L/PE and N/PE, AC System TN with common mode
- DS240S-230G: L/N and N/PE, AC system TT-TN with common and differential mode
3 Phase Options –Type 2 DS440S-230 and DS440S-230G
DS440-230 and DS440-230G Type 2 SPDs
For those 3 phase switchboard instances, these Type 2 SPD devices are offered in two compact pluggable module options, each with 4 protected poles and a remote signal option as standard, ready to protect your essentials electronics.
- DS440S-230: L/PE and N/PE, AC System TN with common mode
- DS440S-230G: L/N and N/PE, AC system TT-TN with common and differential mode
Additional Features of DS240 and DS440 SPDs:
- In: 20 kA
- Imax: 40 kA
- Pluggable module
- Complies with EN/IEC 61643-11 and UL1449 ed.4
CITEL Single Phase Type 2 or 3 Surge Protection Device DS98-400
When single phase Type 3 surge protection is required this durable little unit from CITEL is the ideal choice when it comes to protecting those critical load devices, complete with a built-in failsafe SPD disconnection function with LED.
Additional Features:
- In: 5 kA
- Imax: 10 kA
- L/N/PE, AC System TN
- Common/differential mode
- Failsafe operation: SPD disconnection with LED
- Complies with EN/IEC 61643-11 and UL1449 ed.4
Driven by Society
As Society has become more dependent on equipment that controls production processes, hospital equipment and more, the need to protect these devices and the people who can be affected by their failure has increased. Subsequently, all of these devices, as they tend to do, have shrunk in size, resulting in smaller components inside that are more susceptible to damage. The CITEL offering of Type 2 and 3 SPDs from Kempston Controls ensures your critical and expensive equipment and the people around them have the protection they need.
You can contact Kempston Controls on +44(0) 1933 411411 & email sales@kempstoncontrols.co.uk
Kempston Controls is committed to finding you the ideal solution for your application. Call us today on +44 (0) 1933 411 411, email us at sales@kempstoncontrols.co.uk, or alternatively contact us here, we will be happy to help.
