Bourns Announces Circuit Protection Solution for Generator Low-Voltage Control Interfaces

Riverside, Calif., March 3, 2010 Bourns, Inc. today announced the company has a circuit protection solution for low-voltage control lines on generator interfaces. This advanced solution is presented in a new application note from Bourns that details how the company’s circuit protection devices provide a fast response time to protect exposed low-voltage generator terminals of the generator. This universal circuit protection solution is also important in delivering adequate circuit protection, regardless of installer experience, to guard against miswiring issues that can result in costly, dead on arrival (DOA) equipment failure. The new application note includes installation information for both line voltage (120 VAC split phase, 240 V) and low voltage signals (less than 50 V) that require a resettable overcurrent/overvoltage solution capable of handling line voltage and ESD/EFT/current surge protection to safeguard sensitive circuits.

The application note shows how a Bourns® TBU™ device combined with a multilayer oxide varistor (MOV) and zener diode provides power cross and overcurrent protection. It also describes the use of a zener diode for low voltage clamping to protect sensitive circuits and to create an avalanche current, which triggers the TBU device. Furthermore, the MOV protects the TBU device from excessive common mode voltages when exposed to ESD and EFT surge threats.

Bourns® TBU devices protect low-voltage generators from the following threats:

• Power cross events that typically occur during installation from miswiring
• Pre and post-installation ESD threats from handling EFT and inductive load (relay) switching
• Post-installation current surges from load switching transients

For additional details and specifications, please see Bourns’ new application note on generator interface protection at /docs/application-notes/Bourns_FU0954_Generator_AppNote.pdf.