Inelco Hunter, franchised distributor for FCL Components, has announced availability of a range of ATEX-Certified relays to address safety concerns in potentially explosive environments. This range of relays comply with ATEX directives and IEC 60079 standards, to ensure enhanced protection against ignition risks in hazardous settings.
The European Union mandates compliance with ATEX directives IEC 60079-1 and IEC 60079-15 to ensure the safety of electrical equipment used in explosive atmospheres. During relay operation, arcing between contacts can occur. When combined with flammable gases like R290 in combination with air, arcing could ignite and potentially cause explosions. To mitigate this risk, relays used in such environments must be explosion-proof. FCL Components ATEX-approved relays have undergone rigorous testing according to the IEC 60079 standards.
Hazardous areas are classified into three zones (0, 1 and 2), based on the degree of risk. FCL Components ATEX-approved relays are specifically designed for Zone 2 applications (classed as low-risk areas with minimal likelihood of explosion). Current ratings for the relays range from 5A to 16A. The Flux proof plastic-sealed enclosures have a slim, low-profile design.
FCL Components relays utilise high-resistance plastic materials to enhance fire and ignition protection, effectively mitigating risks associated with overcurrent and short-circuit failures. The range consists of: FTR-F3 (5A, slim type), FTR-MY (5A, slim type with high operating temperature range) and FTR-K1 (16A, low profile).
A combination of ATEX-certified relays and glow wire relays is also available. These relays meet the requirements of the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU for use in hazardous locations and explosion-protected equipment and are in compliance with IEC 60079-0 and IEC 60079-15 standards, as well as the IEC 60695-2-11 safety standard. FCL Components combined ATEX and Glow wire relays.
The relay range also includes a selection of glow wire relays designed in compliance with IEC 60695-2-11 safety standards.The IEC 60695-2-11 standard outlines a test method applied to end products, simulating thermal stresses caused by electrically heated sources to assess fire hazard risks. This test ensures that, under defined conditions, an end product exposed to such heat sources exhibits either a limited ability to ignite or, if ignition occurs, a restricted capacity to sustain flame propagation.
Inelco Hunter’s in-depth engineering support ensures rapid implementation, speeding up the customer’s time-to-market. This added-value support is at the core of Inelco Hunter’s philosophy, and has been for over 30 years, setting them apart from the “stock and ship” distributors.
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