Cost-effective solutions for isolating, protecting and switching from direct to alternating current will be the primary focus for power management company Eaton on its stand at this year's Intersolar Europe. Running from 10 to 12 June in Munich, visitors to Stand A2.620 will be able to find out more about the broad product range of economical and safe direct current switchgear to help provide efficient and safe solutions for general contractors, system manufacturers and inverter manufacturers.
As a key provider of renewable energy, the solar industry is undergoing significant growth and innovation. Eaton has a solution portfolio that covers all the bases – from home installations to large-scale systems. The products help meet the demands of both technological developers focused on higher productivity and reliability coupled with lower costs, and the end users who are interested in reducing downtimes and simplifying service and maintenance.
As experts in electrical power distribution, Eaton has been an active supporter of the solar industry and has helped customers create safe and highly efficient PV power plants. Dumeco DC switch disconnectors as well as the new N2, N3 and N4 switch disconnectors are a huge help to the PV industry and will be presented in Munich. The new Dumeco switch disconnectors have an IEC certification for up to 1000 V DC and the N4 switch disconnectors are also certified under UL489B for 1000 V DC and 1500 V DC. As one of the few providers on the market, Eaton now offers a new series of devices covering the complete switching range from 16 to 1600 A. Users can now equip even the most complicated photovoltaic applications with a very robust, compact and reliable switch disconnector between the module and the inverter.
In addition, Eaton will present the two-pole P-SOL DC switch disconnector, which was developed for installation in customer-specific housings or inverters. It is available in two sizes for 20/30 A and 63 A and, thanks to the two-pole system; it can also be used in unearthed systems.
Visitors to the fair can also see for themselves the high performance of the PV junction boxes from the Bussmann product line in the IP65 protection class. The boxes are designed for system voltages between 600 and 1200 V DC and can be easily and affordably configured to meet customer specifications. The junction boxes provide safe current and voltage surge protection as well as extensive monitoring possibilities. The Bussmann photovoltaic portfolio also includes a broad range of fuse sets, which can be used for current strengths of up to 1600 A; as well as fuse holders, sockets and overvoltage protection systems.
In the event of a fire or flood, first responders are often placed in extreme danger. To help them, Eaton has created the firemans switch SOL30-Safety. If an inverter is open, the DC lines between the solar modules and the inverter can have up to 1000 V DC voltage flowing through them. In dangerous situations involving fires at power generation sites, the fire brigade can switch off the voltage from the local power supplier or use the local PV Off button to disconnect the solar modules automatically by means of the undervoltage release in the firemans switch. The voltage-free lines then allow for a safe firefighting and damage limitation. At the fair stand, visitors will find extensive information about the SOL30-Safety switch for installation in the immediate proximity of photovoltaic modules in the direct current line.
