High Exposure Protection for High Value Control Equipment

KENICK, Inc. (KENICK) has been serving the surge protection needs of the electric utility industry for over 30 years. With over a million devices installed in the field, we have successfully provided surge protection solutions in response to our utility client needs.

Several years ago, we were approached by a large cable provider seeking help protecting their field amplifiers. They were losing up to 30 field amplifiers per storm along coastal areas of Florida.

In response to their need, we developed a high-exposure multi-stage hybrid surge protector for field testing to determine its effectiveness in reducing amplifier failures. These “utility-grade” devices use three-stage hybrid circuitry that blocks a transient surge from passing through and causes damage to critical utility infrastructure.

A short time into the pilot test, we were advised by the client that they were stopping their pilot test and would be proceeding to implementation. Why? Because their failure rate went to “zero” after installing our VSS20 hybrid surge protector.

The VSS20 surge protector is a “series” device, with an initial set of metal oxide Varistors™, an “X-coil™” inductive choke and a follow-up set of MOV’s. This configuration stops transient surges from passing through and causing damage.

Being a series device, the VSS20 will safely disconnect power to an amplifier should a transient surge event exceed the design of the surge protector. A local utility inadvertently carried out an “ultimate” test of a VSS20 by accidentally dropping a 7200 volt distribution line on a field amplifier below the distribution line. After several minutes of “line dancing”, the utility was able to disconnect power, and… upon replacing the VSS20, the amplifier restarted and worked fine!

The VSS20 can be hard-wired into a circuit or have a NEMA 5-15 or 5-20 plug/receptacle connections. They are available in 120 or 240 volt configurations.

Where can you install VSS20 high-exposure surge protectors?

• Voltage regulator controls
• Capacitor bank controls
• CATV field amplifiers
• SCADA equipment
• Substation equipment/computers
• AMI/AMR field control units
• Radio tower equipment
• Any 120/240 volt device that would benefit from protection.

We also offer an HSP121 multi-stage hybrid surge protector for hard-wire installation in control and alarm cabinets.

With over 10,000 VSS20 units installed across the country, we welcome the opportunity to work with you in protecting your high-value/high-exposure critical control equipment.

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