Quartzelec has recertified its Phase-Segregated Terminal Boxes range to new IEC standards, which includes the addition of full-earth bonding.
The move has been carried out following a significant rise in demand for certified and fault-tested main and neutral high-voltage (HV) terminal boxes due to growing customer safety requirements.
Quartzelec Terminal Boxes design manager Ian Martin said: “Our customers were increasingly looking for quality Phase-Segregated Terminal boxes with Ex eb and Ex ec certification and fully earth-bonded lids and covers. So we now have a range of Ex-certified designs and products available to meet these requirements.
“Without compromising the outstanding capability of our Phase-Segregated terminal boxes to eliminate phase-to-phase faults, we continue to develop the design to meet the ever-changing needs of the market. In recent years, we have added IECEx and dust certification, extended the upper operating temperature range and added many variants to suit particular challenges and markets. Work on the latest earth bonding improvements was started earlier this year and with completion of the development and certification process in late-August, we can now offer terminal boxes with improved integrity to our customers.”
The additional earth bonding ensures all external surfaces remain at the same potential. It is a safety feature that allows any accidental electrical charge such as from a lightning strike or even static and created by the inadvertent energisation from internal or external sources to be safely discharged to earth via a dedicated conductor.
Quartzelec supplies a complete range of fault-tested ATEX and IECEx certified main and neutral terminal boxes suitable for applications up to 15kV for hazardous area applications. Fabricated using quality steel plates to an extremely high engineering standard by Quartzelec’s fabrication and welding business TS Metals, all Quartzelec terminal boxes are typically supplied finished in a grey semi-gloss, two pack epoxy, suitable for over-spraying. Stainless steel fasteners and warning plates are supplied as standard.
Replacement terminal boxes and sealing chambers can be supplied either to the latest design and standards or identical to the original. A full range of spares to support all terminal boxes previously manufactured by its heritage companies, including English Electric, AEI and GEC Large Machines Ltd, is also available.