Written by Mark Lloyd, Product Manager- Trabtech & Power Supplies

For my first blog, I wanted to steer away from just another product piece extolling features and benefits, but in this case it is almost unavoidable.

A few days ago at Hannover Messe, we unveiled TERMITRAB COMPLETE (TTC) the world’s narrowest range of surge protective devices for MCR technology. In the Phoenix Contact world, MCR stands for Measurement, Control and Regulation, or in other words surge protection devices for signal lines.

The protection of signal lines is an often forgotten concept with many machine builders and system integrators either fitting no SPD (Surge Protection Device) because they have never had a surge issue that they know about, or at the very least they have only protected the power lines with a Type 1, Type 2 or combination of the two.

In sectors such as the Process industry and water/wastewater, the protection of signal lines is much more common, particularly where there are sensitive sensors and transmitters out in the field sending signals back to a controller or PLC on long cable runs. In such instances protection of devices connected on signal lines is often written into end user specifications, and it is best practice to fit a SPD before the transmitter and another at the controller end. Where there are multiple signals to bring back to a controller, size matters and fitting as many SPDs as needed in as small amount of space is critical.

For many years, Phoenix Contact had various product solutions for MCR protection from the simplest Termitrab that combines SPD components in a terminal block, through to Plugtrab which features pluggable SPDs that can be removed if required for testing or replacement. Termitrab Complete brings all the features and benefits of these existing products into one new family.

With a total of 109 order numbers on its market launch, TERMITRAB complete offers a comprehensive product range.

The main features include:

• Narrow overall width – with versions starting from 3.5mm this is by far the smallest SPD for signals in the world
• Tailored portfolio meaning, quite literally, there is a version for almost any MCR application whether it is protection current loops, analog, digital or temperature signals
• Status indicator and remote signalling option – many types feature a mechanical indicator enabled by a thermal disconnect, and there is also an optional remote signalling module that allows a floating contact to transmit a group message to the control room.

There are many more features, too many to cover in such a short blog. Such things as ATEX/IECEx approvals, knife disconnection for loop testing…. But I hope this has given you a flavour of what this range offers.  Please contact me if you want more information or a visit to discuss your application:  tel: 07717 335477 or email mlloyd@phoenixcontact.com

Here is a link to a short video that may be of interest: