Electric.ie March/April 2020

48 ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • Schneider Electric E lectrical fires caused by dangerous arcs in final sub- circuits could soon become a thing of the past with the launch of a new arc fault detection device (AFDD) by Schneider Electric. Designed to cut power the moment a dangerous arc occurs, the new AFDD promises to do for fire prevention what RCDs have done for electric shock prevention in homes and premises worldwide. The launch of the new AFDD completes Schneider Electric's array of protection devices for final distribution circuits, says product manager Éirin Madden. "We now offer distribution board based protection against all significant risks to people and property along with protection of the electrical installation itself, appliances and circuits plugged into it." He says not only do the new fire prevention devices help protect installation owners from catastrophic loss, they also provide an additional means for electricians to look after their clients’ interests more effectively and upgrade the safety of their premises simply by installing an additional DIN-mount product. "Arc fault protection devices have been around for a long time in medium voltage installations, but now we finally have a device to take care of low voltage distribution". Schneider Electric developed its first arc fault circuit interrupter more than 15 years ago, for the North American market, where it has been compulsory for more than 10 years in residential installations in the United States and Canada. The new AFDD has been developed following the recent release of IEC/EN 62606, a design standard for the operation of AFDDs. Ireland will be the next European country to get access to Schneider Electric's latest arc fault protection technology and is doing so with the assurance of full compliance with the latest national and international standard. "MCBs do not afford reliable protection against lower current arc faults because they are not designed for that purpose. MCBs will ensure protection against short circuits and overloads, but they will not detect sudden dangerous arcs which occur below their characteristic curve line." Schneider Electrics AFDD detects these dangerous arcs in milliseconds before enough energy is released to cause a fire. AFDD Technology The protection is achieved through sophisticated electronics that monitor in real time several different electrical parameters in the circuit it protects. "It is designed to pick Offer your customer the best protection from electrical fires Arc Fault Detection Device (AFDD) - an easy to install, solution to help keep your customers safe from electrical fires caused by arc faults.