01 March, 2010 11:27 print this article email this article to a friend

High voltage relays

The current emphasis on green technology has led to Panasonic Electric Works developing  a range of small contactors for high voltage, high current applications, capable of carry loads from 10A/400VDC to 300A/400VDC.

The main switching mechanism of the relay is encapsulated in an IP68 sealed box which is filled with an inert H2 mixed gas.  This allows for a 400VDC high-voltage switching cut-off as the arc is damped by the gas and the arc drawn out and weakened by the presence of a permanent magnet which effectively reduces the length of time of arcing.  The added advantage of this is that the applications  enclosure box can be made smaller as the need for allowing extra space for arcing is eliminated and since the contacts are enclosed in a sealed capsule beyond which the arc will not go, safety in ensured.

As the contacts are hermetically sealed within the H2 mix the contact resistance remains stable regardless of ambient conditions.  The H2 contact environment enables a high capacity cut-off to be made with a small contact gap, thus reducing the operation noise, which does not change even when large currents are cut-off.

The mounting direction of these relays is not specified as the weight of the moveable parts are light and the restoring force is large, hence the relay is relatively unaffected by gravity.

Depending on the load capability these relays are available in PCB, TM (10Amp) screw terminal (60Amp) and connector types (80Amp and 300Amp)

Typical applications that these relays are used in are cogeneration systems, battery testing equipment, Inverter control, solar power generation systems, welding equipment automatic guided vehicles and elevators.


Panasonic
Info-uk@eu.pewg.panasonic.com
www.panasonic-electric-works.co.uk

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