Lightning and Surge Protection
for Photovoltaic Systems
Strikesorb® Provides the Ultimate Lightning and
Surge Protection for Photovoltaic Systems
The remote locations, exposed surface
areas and extensive layouts of solar power
plants put them at high risk of damage from
the elements, particularly electrical storms.
A significant concern for photovoltaic (PV)
power plant operators is equipment damage
caused by direct or indirect lightning strikes.
Damage from these events can bring a PV
installation offline for days or perhaps weeks,
resulting in power interruption and revenue
losses. To avoid the destructive effects of
lightning strikes, overvoltage protection must
be installed at the inverter and at various
other locations in the PV facility.
Lightning strikes propagate inside a PV plant’s
wiring structure, sending powerful electrical
surges throughout the electrical system
and severely damaging sensitive electronic
equipment such as inverters, PV modules,
control circuits and communication systems.
While damage resulting from a direct lightning
strike may be immediate, delayed equipment
failures can also occur at any time due to the
cumulative effect of repetitive exposure to
surge anomalies.
Install Strikesorb lightning
protection at the inverter and the
junction boxes to protect both
the AC and DC sides of the solar
power plant.
There are always serious threats of
operational and economic impact whenever
inappropriate, ineffective surge protective
devices (SPD) are used. These threats
include but are not limited to:
–– Extended down time due to long lead
times for replacement parts
–– Loss of revenue during down time
–– High repair and replacement cost of
damaged PV equipment
–– Control and monitoring system
malfunctions
–– Increased maintenance cost due to the
short life expectancy of conventional
surge protective devices
Many inverter manufacturers have already
discovered the benefits of integrating
Raycap’s Strikesorb lightning protection
modules into their inverter equipment to
provide optimum levels of surge protection
for PV systems against lightning and power
surges.
With Strikesorb integrated into solar inverters
and at junction boxes, liability and damages
can be diminished and profitability secured.
The benefits of using Raycap’s innovative
Strikesorb surge protection include:
–– Continuous equipment protection and
more uptime
–– Longer PV equipment life
–– Safe and maintenance-free operation
resulting in reduced operational costs
–– High availability of the PV system, more
secure revenues
–– Elimination of downtime and the resulting
revenue losses
Raycap’s patented Strikesorb product line is
based on cutting-edge surge technology that
eliminates the common failures associated
with conventional SPDs. Strikesorb SPDs
have a proven ability to sustain multiple
and successive lightning strikes and power
surges without requiring any maintenance.
They are available in configurations that offer
unparalleled overvoltage protection in virtually
every possible low voltage AC and DC
power configuration utilized by photovoltaic
power plants.
Protect the PV system, power inverter
and transformer station with Strikesorb
SPD lightning protection solutions.
Junction box installation
featuring Strikesorb.
Special purpose PV junction
box featuring ten Strikesorb
SPDs to protect several
DC strings and five signal
protectors to protect the data
lines to the central inverter.
Strikesorb 35
Strikesorb surge protection
technology is manufactured
and tested at Raycap’s
state-of-the-art facilities
under the strictest guidelines
for SPD production and
testing standards.
Raycap’s surge protection
systems are manufactured
in the company’s total
quality control ISO 9001
and ISO 14001 certified manufacturing
facilities in Europe and North America. The
products comply with all relevant international
SPD surge performance and safety standards
including IEC, EN, IEEE and UL. Individual
SPD component qualification testing and
monitoring by automatic tracking procedures
ensure the highest quality end products are
delivered to customers worldwide.
Strikesorb SPDs are offered in Class I and
Class II configurations to deliver the most
effective and economic lightning and surge
protection solutions available. They have been
tested to surge current waveforms (8/20 µs
Class II and 10/350 µs Class I), as defined by
international standards for surge protective
devices IEC 61643-11, ANSI UL 1449 3rd
Edition and IEEE C62.41. Strikesorb modules
endure UL 3-cycle testing in order to ensure
their safe operation when exposed to high
levels of short circuit current.
The Strikesorb 35 modules feature enhanced
performance characteristics and are
specifically designed to protect the DC
power circuits of photovoltaic systems rated
up to 1,500 volts DC. These products deliver
high performance lightning surge protection
and reliability while fully complying with the
new EN 50539-11 standard which defines
the requirements and tests for SPDs intended
for installation on the DC side of photovoltaic
power systems.
Lightning Protection Solutions for Photovoltaic Applications
Lightning surges are one of the primary
causes of failures in photovoltaic and solar
power plants.
Strikesorb Benefits
–– High lightning and multiple surge
current handling capability
Operators investing in solutions using
Strikesorb surge protection realize significant
returns resulting from uninterrupted PV and
solar power plant operations, minimized
operating costs, greater revenue security and
a maximization of their investment returns.
–– Maintenance-free operation
–– Safe elimination of internal fusing to
ensure protection at all times and
under all circumstances
–– Low let-through voltage to enhance
system reliability
–– High short circuit current ratings
–– Compliance to ANSI UL 1449 3rd
Edition and to IEC 61643-11 certified
–– Full compliance with the new
EN 50539-11 (Strikesorb 35)
Raycap’s unique Strikesorb SPD technology
resolves the common issues that plague
conventional SPD technologies.
Strikesorb provides state of the art
technology, effective protection, and a well
justified investment.
–– 10 year global product warranty
Strikesorb Electrical Specifications
DC
Strikesorb Modules
35-F-HV
AC
35-G-HV
40-A
40-B
Surge Protective Device (SPD)
Type per UL 1449 3rd Edition
Class per EN 50539-11
40-C
40-D
40-E
40-F
40-G
Type 2 Component Assembly
Class I
Class per IEC 61643-11
Class I
Class I
Class I
Class I
Class I
Class I
Class I
Nominal Operating AC Voltage [Un]
120 V
240 V
277 V
400 V
480 V
600 V
1000 V
Maximum Continuous Operating AC Voltage [Uc]
150 V
300 V
350 V
480 V
600 V
750 V
1200 V
Maximum Continuous Operating DC Voltage [Uc]
Nominal Discharge Current [In]
per UL 1449 3rd Edition
1100 V
1500 V
20 kA 8/20 µs
20 kA 8/20 µs
Maximum Surge Current Capacity [Imax]
per NEMA LS-1
Maximum Impulse Current [limp]per EN 50539-11
140 kA 8/20 µs
12.5 kA 10/350 µs
per IEC 61643-11
12.5 kA 10/350 µs
Voltage Protection Rating (VPR)
per UL 1449 3rd Edition
Voltage Protection Level [Up]
per EN 50539-11
per IEC 61643-11
2800 V
600 V
1200 V
1200 V
1800 V
2000 V
2500 V
4000 V
700 V
1200 V
1300 V
1800 V
2200 V
2800 V
4300 V
4300 V
For additional information on Strikesorb protection technology visit us at: www.raycap.com
Raycap Worldwide Locations
Offices
Manufacturing
Parkring 11,
85748 Garching
Munich Germany
Parkring 11,
85748 Garching
Munich Germany
Telou & Petroutsou 14
15124 Maroussi Athens
Greece
806 South Clearwater Loop
Post Falls, ID 83854
United States of America
806 South Clearwater Loop
Post Falls, ID 83854
United States of America
800 Freeport Parkway
Suite 150
Coppell, TX 75019
United States of America
800 Freeport Parkway
Suite 150
Coppell, TX 75019
United States of America
Industrial Area of Drama
66100 Drama
Greece
Soseaua de Centura 27-28
077040 Chiajna Ilfov
Romania
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Strikesorb and ACData are registered trademarks of Raycap
© 2013 Raycap All rights reserved.
G02-00-361 131023
www.raycap.com info@raycap.com