Weidmüller’s overvoltage protection products for Industrial Ethernet networks Cat. 5 and Cat. 6

Today Industrial Ethernet is realised with different transmission media, as copper or fibre optic amongst others. Data transmission rates range from 10 Mbit/s, 100 Mbit/s up to 10 Gigabit/s. Ethernet networks are primary installed with copper-based twisted-pair lines and RJ45 plugs. This design provokes overvoltages by capacitive and inductive influences in the net, caused by near-by or distant lightning strikes. Distant plant devices, which are addressed by Ethernet, are susceptible to disturbances due to their exposed position. A further disturbance source are transients, caused by switching operations, often they are the reason for electronics damages. In switching cabinets or cable trays it is frequently unavoidable to pass performance-cable parallel to data-cable, this also can create a potential source of danger. Weidmüller offers some new products for overvoltage protection for Industrial Ethernet, they are planed for Ethernet networks Cat. 5 and Cat. 6.

DME100TX-4RJ is Weidmüller’s overvoltage protection module for Ethernet Cat. 5. This overvoltage protection for the Ethernet Cat.5 is designed as an adaptor and installed into the circuit near to the device to be protected. The innovative module ensures a reliable limitation of the interference level. The connection of the devices to be protected takes place with RJ45 sockets. Fast reacting suppressor diodes ensure high protection for the signal lines. The PE connection of the devices is achieved via an M4 screw fixing - with reduction of potential differences through a gas charge eliminator between ground and PE. Additionally Weidmüller offers a variant DME 100TX-4 RJ TS 35 for rail-mounting. The module is crewed to the profile with a mounting base. The separate wiring of the earthing-conductor is not needed and makes additional mounting material dispensable. The solution ensures a high-value electrical contact of the PE connection against the mounting rail. Additionally it offers real Plug & Play.

 

Normally an electronic consumer device is connected parallel to at least two nets, the energy and the information net. The adaptor PU D ZS Cat.6 offers optimum protection for end-devices in an Ethernet-network, for instance a PC up to 250 MHz transmission frequency. Weidmüller offers the so-called overvoltage-adaptor in high protection class IP 20 and IP 67 with connection technology RJ 45 for protection of Cat. 6 Ethernet cabling in industrial applications. The 1-step overvoltage protection comes in a JACKPAC^® housing. The variants JACKPAC^® OVP Cat.6 IP20 and JACKPAC^® OVP Cat.6 IP67 comply with the demands for Class III according to IEC 61643-21.