E-T-A ‘push-in’ terminal block technology

E-T-A Circuit Breakers, quality designer and manufacturer of a broad range of electro-mechanical and electronic products for circuit protection, has extended its range of terminal blocks with the sockets 80plus, for direct line insertion without tools, and the 81plus. Both can be populated selectively with the pluggable E-T-A thermal-magnetic circuit breaker 2216-S or with the pluggable E-T-A electronic circuit overcurrent protector REF16-S. The new one-way and side-by-side mountable sockets offer a space-saving overall width of just 12.5mm and can easily be snapped onto a DIN rail.

The new E-T-A 80plus is the first socket made by E-T-A with ‘push-in’ technology for direct line insertion. This means that rigid, flexible or compressed wires can be pushed directly into the terminals without any additional tools. The new socket type 80plus has a 6mm² supply terminal, two 4mm² load output terminals and three 1.5mm² signalling terminals.

For the new E-T-A 81plus, all terminals are fitted with screw terminals for multi-lead connection: the screw head taking a standard or Phillips screwdriver. The clamps are made of top quality copper alloys ensuring maximum contact forces in minimum space. The type 81plus has a 10mm² supply terminal, a 10mm² load output terminal and three 2.5mm² signalling terminals.

For both types, plug-in type jumpers allow time-saving power distribution and signalling. In addition, so-called coding pins allow customer coding of the current rating of each of the slots: devices with higher current ratings can no longer erroneously be inserted, so that any hazards caused by wrong current ratings are excluded. An integral retaining clip ensures a tight and reliable fit in the socket even under harsh shock and vibration conditions.

The new plug-in type 80plus can be combined with the new type 81plus with screw terminals: for instance, the 81plus can be used as a supply terminal while socket 80plus is used for power and signal distribution. Accessories are identical. Both new E-T-A sockets have been designed for voltages up to AC 277 V and DC 80 V.

Once the sockets have been installed, the E-T-A types 2216-S and REF16-S can easily be plugged in. The single or double pole E-T-A 2216-S enables cost-effective integration of protection against overcurrent in a control cabinet or in a local area for automation in industrial and buildings applications. The REF 16-S provides selective protection for 24V DC load circuits powered by switch-mode power supplies, offering a combination of active electronic current limitation in the event of a short circuit and overload disconnection at typically 1.25 times rated current.

Even the exchange of devices, e.g. when a higher current rating is required before the system is brought into service, is straight forward thanks to the E-T-A plug-in design: simply by pulling the device out of the socket and putting in the new circuit breaker. This can really save time for many users, all the more so as the devices feature hot-swap capability allowing them to be exchanged when the system is live.

E-T-A designs and manufactures a broad range of electro-mechanical and electronic products for circuit protection, control and instrumentation, including the world’s largest range of circuit breakers for equipment (CBEs). E-T-A equipment is specified and installed by a wide variety of industrial OEMs and end-users, with key markets including air, sea and land transport, process control, computers and communications, medical equipment, domestic appliances, machine tools and robotics.

E-T-A is an international company with headquarters in Altdorf, Germany and production facilities in several other countries, together with marketing, sales and technical operations throughout the industrial world. Its European, North American and Far Eastern markets are served by some 1,500 employees.