ProTec ZPS follows ZP: New Surge Protection from Raycap

Announcing Second Generation Surge Protection Device for the German Building Market

Garching/Munich, 13 March 2019: At eltefa, Raycap (Hall 4, Stand B61) will show for the first time the second generation of its successful ProTec ZP series, which is mounted on the 40mm busbar. The ProTec ZPS is available in two versions, 7.5kA and 12.5kA. The manufacturer's innovations include an auxiliary power contact as well as a remote monitoring contact.

Like its predecessor model the ZP, Raycap's newest Surge Protection Device (SPD) the ZPS is designed especially for installations at buildings - residential, commercial and light industry - as required since December 2018 by the VDE 0100-443/-534 standards for new buildings. The ZPS is installed in front of the power meter by plugging it onto the 40 mm conductor rail instead of on the TS35 carrier rail. The special remote contact mentioned above offers the advantage of integrating remote monitoring into Smart Home applications.

The innovative auxiliary power contact helps the user to save costs and space. If a double counter panel with two SLS switches and the SPD is installed, the increasingly prescribed gateway must obtain its power supply from the pre-meter position - this was previously only possible with an extension of the connection compartment. ZPS, on the other hand, can now take over this phase tap from the same field without such an extension. ZPS also fits into all installation cabinets from various manufacturers and can therefore be used universally.

In addition, Raycap's R&D department has also further optimized the installation on the busbar: Neither screws nor tools are required for installation. Instead, a special spring contact is used and the ZPS is simply plugged onto both the 5mm and 10mm busbars. An appropriate housing design prevents incorrect positioning during installation, leaving enough space to dissipate heat generated by the SLS. According to the company, all product innovations enjoy patent protection.

Like all ProTec products, the new ZPS is leakage current free. The combination of gas discharge tubes (GDT) and metal oxide varistors (MOV) mean the SPD can withstand even high current peaks and reacts extremely quickly. The thermal cut-off device adopted from the predecessor model does not itself consume any current and is distinguished from other solutions by its long service life, which is also supported by the aforementioned plug-in mechanism for the busbar. Also proven and therefore still included in the next generation model: the so-called fault signaling, which indicates the necessity of an exchange when triggered. Due to its one-piece design, manipulations and thus power theft are not possible.

"Because of our great depth of added value, we can offer our customers very good quality and thus a technologically mature product. Raycap itself is responsible for the development and production of all components. We have built up this expertise over decades in the field of industrial surge protection systems and are now bringing it to the building market with the ZPS," explains Ralf Güthoff, who is responsible for the general management of Raycap in Germany. "This naturally also means that our products meet all current safety regulations, including the EN/IEC 61643-11 product standard".

Suitable for new VDE standards and technical extension rules

The use of type 1 and type 2 protective systems has been mandatory in new installations since 14 December 2018 in accordance with the amendment to the VDE 0100-443/-534 standards; the corresponding requirement had already been in force since 2016 with a transitional period and had been initiated in order to reduce damage to property and persons caused by the effects of lightning strikes and mains fluctuations on all buildings. Furthermore, VDE-AR-N 4100, a new technical extension rule (TAR) for a coherent procedure in the area of low voltage, has been published. The components include the definition of the meter position and a paragraph for the handling of lightning protection components; this clearly describes how a corresponding SPD must be designed - Raycap also fulfils this standard with ZPS.

DC Protection

Raycap will present the ProBloc B 1000 DC at the e-Mobility (Hall 10, Stand B76) area of eltefa. Also recently announced, the product is especially designed for overvoltage protection in DC applications and is targeted for protection of numerous systems in the growing electro mobility market.

About Raycap

Raycap is the technology leader for high-performance industrial Surge Protection Devices (SPD) for both power and signal transmission. The company develops solutions globally for mission-critical applications where availability is a top priority and provides products for telecommunications, energy, transportation and other infrastructure. Raycap’s corporate philosophy is to combine advanced engineering, superior product design, system integration and production capability through proprietary MOV and GDT manufacturing with a deep understanding of customer needs to create unique solutions. Since 1987 Raycap has built a worldwide organization in Europe and North America. SPD products are marketed under the Strikesorb®, Rayvoss®, ACData® ProTec, SafeTec, SafeBloc and ProBloc brands.