Digital RCD
Eaton Adds the Digital RCD to Its Product Range for Building Automation.
Vienna... As one of the leading manufacturers of components and systems for electrical engineering and automation, Eaton is launching a new generation of residual-current devices with the new digital RCD.
Eaton's new digital residual-current device ensures the protection of persons as well as optimum system availability. Eatons Moeller business has been one of the pioneers in the field of personnel protection: The Austrian patent (number 197468) was filed by Gottfried Biegelmeier in 1957, and his residual-current device can now be found in every household. With the digital protective devices, Eaton is pursuing new approaches in protection technology.
The technical requirements placed on a residual-current device are laid down in the product standards IEC/EN 61008 and 61009: A typical 30 mA residual-current device for personnel protection may trip already from a nominal residual current of 15 mA, and at a residual current of 30 mA at the latest. Conventional residual-current devices often trip on account of operational leakage currents or small transient faults. On the other hand, Eaton's digital RCD operates with utmost precision and continuously monitors the entire system. Its traffic light LED system enables it to signal a wide range of system states. In this way, sufficient advice can be obtained already before the system shuts down, or effective counter measures can be taken.
A digital RCD is first choice in modern electrical installations. Thunderstorms or other temporary disturbances won't unsettle the digital RCD thanks to an optimized tripping threshold and a type "G" short-time delay which is independent from the supply voltage. The digital RCD permanently monitors the actual state or indicates possible faults using three LEDs: If the current flow in the system moves to ground in the range between 0 to 30 percent of the rated residual current, a green LED indicates proper operation. A yellow LED current indicates a differential current between 30 and 50 of the rated residual current, thus indicating that the residual current is approaching its response threshold. A red LED indicates that the leakage current is already 50 percent above the rated residual current. Although the system is thus in a critical state, the digital residual current device only trips if there is a further increase in the residual current.
If required, users can also make use of other communication channels available. For example, a visual and/or acoustic signal can be implemented by activating external lights and/or buzzers using an isolated switch contact, or even by connecting to the building management system, including visualization on display or SMS messaging on a cell phone. Furthermore, the trip indication on the digital RCD shows immediately on disconnection whether the trip was activated on account of a fault or leakage current, or on account of a manual command or manual disconnection.
In spite of all its new technical features, the digital RCD is just as simple and easy to install as the conventional RCD, with the additional benefit that it only has to be checked once a year. The digital RCD is also compatible with a wide range of other Eaton devices. The digital RCD also allows users to build a two-stage RC protection concept (RCD as group switch and an RCD behind it for each circuit). In the event of a fault, the selective function therefore enables only the relevant residual-current device to be tripped whilst the remaining system stays active.
Eaton Industries GmbH
Electrical Sector
Hein-Moeller-Straße 7-11
53115 Bonn
Phone: +49 (0)228 602-0
Fax: +49 (0)228 602-2275
E-Mail: PresseEGBonn@Eaton.com
Internet: www.moeller.net
Please direct your enquiries to:
Corporate Communications, Phone: +49 (0)228 602-2915
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Eaton's Moeller Business
Since April 2008, Moeller has been a part of the Eaton Electrical Sector of the Eaton Corporation, a diversified power management company with 70,000 employees and an annual turnover of about US$ 11.9 billion in 2009. www.eaton.com/moellerproducts
Eaton's electrical sector
Eaton's electrical sector is a global leader in power distribution, power quality, control and industrial automation products and services. Eaton's global electrical product lines, including Cutler-Hammer®, Moeller®, Powerware®, Holec®, MEM®, Santak®, and MGE Office Protection Systems™ provide customer-driven PowerChain Management® solutions to serve the power system needs of the data center, industrial, institutional, government, utility, commercial, residential, and OEM markets worldwide.
Eaton Corporation
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management company with 2009 sales of $11.9 billion. Eaton is a global technology leader in electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy and safety. Eaton has approximately 70,000 employees and sells products to customers in more than 150 countries. For more information, visit
For more information, visit www.eaton.com.