Electric.ie May/June 2021

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 7 Phoenix Contact Preventative Maintenance To correctly maintain your surge protection, it should be checked at regular intervals and replaced immediately once discovered to be faulty. Always choose an SPD that has indication on the front which is easily visible. It is also possible to connect remotely where the device is not accessible. When using Phoenix Contact surge protection, for preventative maintenance, it is possible to test the SPD with our test equipment; Checkmaster. For easy maintenance, it is preferable to use an SPD with a two- piece design i.e. base and element/plug. This allows the easy replacement of the active component of the SPD without the need to disconnect the wiring, saving money & time, as there is no need to replace the base unit. Phoenix Contact SEC range of surge protection plugs come with a five- year warranty as standard. FAQ’s Q: Is a single pole SPD sufficient for a single-phase supply? Ans: Typically, we have a TN- C-S, 3 wire supply in Ireland. This means that a single pole SPD will only provide protection across 2 conductors. Offers possibility for misinterpretation as a typical power socket has only one phase Q: But Neutral and Earth are at the same potential? Ans: Under normal conditions this is true but when we talk about surge and lightning events, these are not normal events. In fact, your electrical equipment is probably more vulnerable to damage from a potential rise on the earth conductor. Most equipment is not built to withstand a potential difference between earth and neutral. Q: My LED lights have failed. Would surge protection be help? Ans: Absolutely, this is a great example where an SPD can help prolong the life of your electrical system. LED lighting is typically not as robust as old-style filament lamps and so can be prone to overvoltage’s. Q: Do I need to put an MCB in front of my SPD? Ans: This depends on the manufacturer and the way you install the SPD, so it is always recommended to check the manufacturer’s instructions. Phoenix Contact SEC SPD’s do not require any OCPD when the supply fuse is less than 315A gG. Q: Can I just turn off the power when we have lightning nearby to protect my equipment? Ans: This will not help. During a lightning event, the earth potential will rise, and this will cause damage. The only way to prevent damage is to disconnect your device from power supply, but this is not that easy for some devices like e.g. heating system Q: Is it possible to monitor your surge protection remotely Ans: Yes, there are two ways you can achieve this. Firstly, every SPD from Phoenix Contact has a relay contact on the SPD which you can connect to whatever you want. Second, a more advanced option is to connect your SPD to the cloud to be monitored by Phoenix Contact using the Impulse check system. Q: Is there a standard for SPD’s? Ans: Yes, all SPD’s should be manufactured and tested in accordance to IEC 61643-11 and it is important that you check this. If you are not sure, go to the manufacturers website and look for proof. Please note that nearly every manufacturer claims that their SPDs are designed acc. IEC 61643 -11. The only way for the end user to be on the safe side is a certificate that confirms the same. For further details please visit www.phoenixcontact.ie/newsletter and register for the phoenix contact newsletter to receive regular product news and information. Outer conductor Protective conductor Protection level Backup fuse if required a+b+c 0,5m < Terminal point B Terminal point A Length b Length c Length a SP D To obtain more information on surge protection technology please access this link www.phoenixcontact.ie/brochure_sp_basics for a copy of the “Lightning and Surge Protection Basics” brochure or email info@phoenixcontact.ie Figure 3 : Connection of the SPD Figure 4 : Checkmaster - Tester for SPD's