Cooper Bussmann, St. Louis, has developed a full range of PV Fuses specifically for protecting solar panel photovoltaic (PV) cell strings. Solar panel systems contain photovoltaic strings that consist of small solar power cells connected in series or parallel. Recent, accelerated development of this technology has created a demand for high-performance fuses. The specific area of concern is the limited current condition that exists with a solar panel fault. The short-circuit current levels associated with solar panels do not produce sufficient current to open standard fuses in a way that effectively isolates faulted photovoltaic cell strings.
Fuses with full range low-fault current operation are recognized by design engineers as the tried-and-tested means for protecting PV arrays. With ratings from 8A to 15A at 1,000V DC, the new Cooper Bussmann PV Fuse line complies with the ‘gR’ operating Class and is manufactured to meet global standards of the 10 × 38mm fuse package for coordination with 4-inch, 5-inch and 6-inch solar cell panels. The fuses are tested and approved to IEC 60269.
The 10 × 38mm cylindrical fuse package allows using off-the-shelf modular fuse holders, fuse blocks, PCB clips, bolt fixing blocks, and also come with available tabs for direct soldering onto a circuit board.
“These unique Cooper Bussmann PV Fuses will assist design engineers in ensuring worker safety and equipment protection without sacrificing performance in alternative energy applications,” says Dan Dunlap, senior product manager for Cooper Bussmann.