IEC 61439 has been introduced to enable low voltage assemblies to be produced that meet essential quality standards. However, Andy Garfield Customer Marketing Engineer at Schneider Electric is warning the advantages of these changes are not being reaped as panel and systems builders stick to traditional practices; potentially losing them valuable business.
Under past legislation it was perfectly acceptable to use the casing of an MCCB as the barrier between live parts and components. However, because it was not clearly specified in the old IEC 60439 standard, panel builders were reluctant to use them, instead opting for configurations with metal barriers built into the switchboard. Consequently, this became common practise, despite it being more costly and resulting in a larger footprint.
Andy Garfield explains: “ Even though IEC 61439 clearly states: the case of a moulded case circuit breaker is defined as a means of providing separation from an adjacent circuit, some panel builders are still opting for more traditional methods. However these traditional set-ups can cost up to 20 per cent more because of the additional metalwork involved and require more space, as room is needed for the metal partitions. This could result in their quotes being higher than their competitors who embrace the latest technology.”
A major concern many panel builders have is they don’t want to use new, untested technology. However, Schneider Electric’s Megapact, part of the Prisma range of switchgear has been on the market for more than ten years and throughout this time has achieved form 4 segregation by using moulded case circuit breakers as non-metal barriers between the live parts of the MCCB and adjacent circuits. Therefore Megapact is a tried and tested form 4 solution, which is ideal for panel builders who are looking to embrace new methods of switchboard installation.
Schneider Electric also realises some situations still demand a permanent partition between live parts, which is why Okken switchboards can be configured for use in these types of installation, data centres and hospitals, for example, where the switchboard cannot be isolated should a circuit needs changing or upgrading.
Andy concludes: “At Schneider Electric we have always been committed to offering a full range of solutions, which meet with current legislations, however, if panel builders don’t embrace new money and space saving technologies they risk loosing business to competitors that do.”