Test Device
To guarantee that plants will function permanently and safely, regular inspections in the form of preventive maintenance are of great importance. VDE 0185 part 3 and 4 therefore requires repeated tests of all surge protection components as part of the maintenance work. Due to the nature of their function, surge protection devices are subjected to particularly high stress and this can lead to an overload of individual components after a certain length of time, even in the case of powerful protective devices.
Most cascade protective circuits consisting of gas-filled surge arresters, varistors and suppressor diodes (coarse, medium and fine protection) can only be tested in a laboratory by qualified test and measurement personnel. Phoenix Contact, however, has developed an intelligent tester for the pluggable TRABTECH surge protection devices.
CHECKMASTER
The CHECKMASTER and the seamless pluggability of FLASHTRAB compact make it possible for the first time to carry out comprehensive electrical testing of triggered spark gaps and the ignition electronics of triggered spark gaps.
The result of the functional check is not just an OK/Fault statement. If the "tolerance level" of an arrester has been reached, a corresponding message is sent. The "tolerance level" means that the arrester can still function, but has in the past several times been subjected to stress. As part of preventive maintenance, it is recommended to replace such an arrester.
Fields of application
A particular asset of the CHECKMASTER is the fact that it can be utilized in systems in which many protective devices are used, and/or where high safety and performance requirements are set for the system to be protected. Special test sockets are used to adapt the various designs and circuits of the protective devices to the tester. There are currently eight test sockets with which most pluggable protective devices can be tested, for example, the plugs from the following product ranges:
- PLUGTRAB PT
- COMTRAB modular
- VALVETRAB
- FLASHTRAB / VALVETRAB compact
Handling
Documentation and logging
A safe investment for the future
The Checkmaster is also prepared for future new developments in the field of surge protection devices. Both the firmware of the Checkmaster and the component database can be updated.
To perform an update, you need the free "CHECKMASTER Update Tool", the corresponding project file, and a programming cable (Order No.: 288 15 57). The software components can be downloaded from the download center. Connect the CHECKMASTER to the computer and start CHECKMASTER Update Tool, the application program. Follow the instructions in the help file. Once the update has been completed successfully, you have the latest version with all the functions.
Summary
The CHECKMASTER is a tester that fulfills all the requirements of standards for function tests for surge arresters. This latest standard gives system availability a new quality.