The UNE-EN 50550 standard regulates Permanent Overvoltage Protectors, “Power frequency overvoltage protective devices for household and similar applications (POP)”, with the aim of ensuring their quality, safety and reliability.
What are Permanent Overvoltages?
They are voltage increases of hundreds of volts, lasting for an undefined period of time, caused by phase imbalance. They are usually caused by a broken neutral conductor, which can lead to a reduced service life of the connected equipment, immediate destruction and even fires.
What does the UNE-EN 50550 standard say
UNE-EN 50550, “Power frequency overvoltage protective devices for household and similar applications (POP)”, published on 16 March 2011, and its Spanish transposition, UNE-EN 50550, published in January 2012, is the first standard to regulate Permanent Overvoltage Protectors, “Power frequency overvoltage protective devices for household and similar applications (POP)”.
Objective: To regulate the design of equipment intended to protect against Permanent Overvoltages.
Scope of application: Permanent Overvoltage Protectors (POP) for household and similar applications.
What does the standard establish?
- Progressive voltage/time tripping curve. The operating time depends on the magnitude of the overvoltage, ensuring rapid response to severe disturbances while preventing nuisance tripping caused by small voltage increases.
- Common manufacturer for the Permanent Overvoltage Protector and the disconnecting element, such as the main circuit breaker / miniature circuit breaker.
- It is not possible to use earth leakage or residual current imbalance as operating principles.
What does the UNE-EN 50550 standard involve?
Before the publication of UNE-EN 50550, there was no standard regulating protection against Permanent Overvoltages. This standard normalises the design of this type of protection device.
Benefits
- Ensures high standards of quality and reliability.
- Guarantees operation and protection against Permanent Overvoltages.
- Ensures high standards of quality and reliability.
The UNE-EN 50550 standard supports the specific technical regulations of utility companies, which require installation in some Spanish Autonomous Communities such as Andalusia, Catalonia, the Canary Islands and Aragon in the field of Permanent Overvoltages, paving the way for standardisation across the remaining Autonomous Communities. All Cirprotec Permanent Overvoltage Protectors (POP) comply with this new standard: guaranteed operation and protection.
