Company Announcement - Lightning and surge protection expert, Dehn Africa, has launched DEHNguard SE DC, a powerful DC switching device DCD that ensures safe operation. The modular DEHNguardSE DC type 2 surge arrester is designed in such a way that the protective device is safely disconnected in case of overload, thus preventing DC switching arcs and fire damage. Depending on the voltage level, DEHNguard SE DC can even be used without an additional backup fuse in case of direct currents up to 300 A. It is ideally suited for use in safety lighting systems, emergency power supply systems, DC systems for direct supply of DC drives, control circuits, and any kind of battery-operated supply systems.

The DEHNguard SE DC product line has been designed for DC applications, eliminating the potential safety risk which occurs if conventional AC SPDs are used in DC systems. The arrester provides a high degree of safety and comfort, thanks to its modular design, and incorporates the unique vibration-proof module locking system of the latest Red/Line design. The mechanical operating state/fault indication of DEHNguard immediately indicates the state of the device. It is combined with the proven thermal disconnector for varistors which is connected to the additional powerful DC switching device DCD. As is also the case with the DEHNguard product series for AC systems, the protected installation is not disconnected from the supply voltage as soon as the disconnector trips, thus ensuring a reliable power supply to the installation. These new DC arresters were tested based on the requirements for type 2 arresters according to EN 61643-11 and IEC 61643-1/11.

Thanks to voltage levels of 60 V DC, 242 V DC, 550 V DC and 900 V DC, DEHNguard SE DC is ideally adapted to the different technical fields of application of DC systems such as:

Safety lighting systems, emergency supply systems
DG SE DC 242 (FM) has been developed for protecting safety lighting and emergency supply systems. The device can be used up to a maximum DC voltage of 242 V and up to a maximum AC voltage of 253 V (in case of a maximum backup fuse of 10 A gG), which are typically used in this environment. It safely protects the control systems and illuminants from the effects of surges.

Data centres
DG SE DC 550 (FM) covers a voltage range used to operate data centres, which are generally directly supplied with 380 V DC. It ensures that sensitive systems are protected in case of surges and effectively ensures the reliable supply and availability of a data centre.

Charging stations for electric vehicles
Fast charging stations for electric vehicles are directly operated with DC voltages from 400 V DC to a maximum 850 V DC to provide energy for the short charging cycles. DG SE DC 900 (FM) is designed in such a way that it can be ideally used for such applications.

DC drives of railway systems
Typically, city and underground railways are supplied with a traction voltage of 750 V DC, making the DG SE DC 900 (FM) an ideally adapted surge protective device for rectifier units and drives. It safely protects traction power supply systems, which are an integral part of the infrastructure of public transport, against surges caused by indirect lightning strikes or switching operations.

Cell sites (remote radio heads)
Active antennas (remote radio heads) are supplied with a nominal voltage of 48 V DC. The DG SE DC 60 (FM) is optimally adapted to this field of application and protects voltage supply systems and antennas against surges.

The market leader DEHN, a globally active family-owned electrotechnical company with more than 1600 employees worldwide, offers innovative products and solutions as well as comprehensive services in the field of surge protection, lightning protection and safety equipment. DEHN focuses on the protection of system and building technology, the transportation, telecommunication and process sector, photovoltaic systems, wind turbines, etc. The company's continuous growth is based on more than 100 years of tradition and experience as well as highest quality standards and consistent customer and market orientation throughout the world.