False Trip

A false trip is an unwanted situation that occurs in arc detection systems when the system mistakenly recognizes the presence of an arc due to the detection of visible light, when in fact there is no real arc. This phenomenon is especially problematic because it can lead to shutdowns or unnecessary safety actions in environments where accurate arc detection is crucial. In order to avoid false trips and make this action more reliable, visible light arc detection systems have incorporated instantaneous electric current readings to confirm the arc event. This prevents the panel from shutting down unnecessarily, leading to immeasurable damage through infrastructure losses and production stoppages, for example.

Electric Current

However, the inclusion of the instantaneous electric current reading as a confirmation step for an arc flash event makes the action very slow (tens of milliseconds) and, as a result, the incident energy becomes very high, thus reducing the level of preservation of the panels or the electrical installation. Even so, at high incident energy levels, it is possible to damage the current-reading wiring and if there is no confirmation of an arc flash event, this can lead to the total destruction of electrical panels and installations.

Detection

Another important aspect to take into account is that detection systems that rely on the analysis of visible light, together with the reading of electric current, have significant limitations. These systems cannot identify series arcing events, which occur on connections belonging to the same phase of the electrical system. In addition, these systems are unable to act when an arc develops at a point prior to the position of the current transformer, which is normally used to confirm the occurrence of an arc event.

Fastest on the market

Zyggot Arco is an advanced detection system designed to identify electrical arcs with great precision and immunity to false trips. Its detection approach is based on the ionization of the surrounding air at the site of the event, which generates ultraviolet radiation. This feature makes the system highly reliable in detecting electrical arcs even before the visible light associated with these arcs occurs. In addition, Zyggot Arc is able to operate with an extremely short actuation time of less than 300 microseconds (0.3 milliseconds). This speed of response is critical for minimizing the damage and risks associated with electric arcs.