Bus mounted surge protection devices are provided that are configured to be positioned in a panelboard alongside one or more similarly sized circuit breaker devices. The bus mounted surge protection device is configured to be received by a same provisional bus as the one or more circuit breaker devices and the bus mounted surge protection device is configured to protect all of the one or more circuit breaker devices in the panelboard.

An overvoltage protection device having a printed circuit board, varistor, and gas discharge tube, the varistor and discharge tube connected in series between a second and third electrical connection terminal of the circuit board via conductive tracks, wherein the varistor is connected to the first terminal by a third conductive track, the discharge tube is connected to the varistor by a fourth conductive track, the discharge tube is connected to the third electrical connection terminal by a sixth conductive track, and wherein the fourth and sixth conductive tracks have curved portions situated on either side of the discharge tube, having a concavity facing in the same orientation respective to the discharge tube and a thermofusible area able to separate a corresponding track into two parts in response to an overcurrent, a distance between the two parts of each track allowing generation of an arc in response to an overvoltage that activates the discharge tube.

An apparatus includes a housing (e.g., a housing having a form factor of a molded case circuit breaker) and at least two phase terminals supported by the housing and configured to be connected to respective ones of at least two phase buses in an electrical panelboard. The apparatus further includes at least one fault generation device supported by the housing and including an arc containment chamber and first and second spaced-apart electrodes in the arc containment chamber and electrically coupled to respective ones of the at least two phase terminals.

An apparatus includes a housing (e.g., a housing having a form factor of a molded case circuit breaker) and at least two phase terminals supported by the housing and configured to be connected to respective ones of at least two phase buses in an electrical panelboard. The apparatus further includes at least one fault generation device supported by the housing and including an arc containment chamber and first and second spaced-apart electrodes in the arc containment chamber and electrically coupled to respective ones of the at least two phase terminals.

A multi-spark gap having both a high power-follow current extinguishing capacity as well as a relatively low protective level in which a distance x.sub.1 between a first electrode and an adjacent second electrode, which together form a first individual spark gap, is larger than respective distances x.sub.2 between other adjacent electrode pairs of additional individual spark gaps. The distance x1 is at least 0.5 mm and the distances x2 of the additional individual spark gaps are at most 0.2 mm. Additionally, an ignition aid for igniting the first individual spark gap is provided, which aid has at least a resistive ignition element and a voltage-limiting element, wherein the ignition element is connected to an electric-arc combustion chamber of the first individual spark gap and is electrically connected on the one side to the first electrode and on the other side via the voltage-limiting element to the second contact element.

A multi-spark gap having both a high power-follow current extinguishing capacity as well as a relatively low protective level in which a distance x.sub.1 between a first electrode and an adjacent second electrode, which together form a first individual spark gap, is larger than respective distances x.sub.2 between other adjacent electrode pairs of additional individual spark gaps. The distance x1 is at least 0.5 mm and the distances x2 of the additional individual spark gaps are at most 0.2 mm. Additionally, an ignition aid for igniting the first individual spark gap is provided, which aid has at least a resistive ignition element and a voltage-limiting element, wherein the ignition element is connected to an electric-arc combustion chamber of the first individual spark gap and is electrically connected on the one side to the first electrode and on the other side via the voltage-limiting element to the second contact element.

A conductor assembly includes an electrical conductor, a surge arrester which has a longitudinal direction, an operating state in which the surge arrester is configured to limit an overvoltage occurring in the electrical conductor, and a test state in which the surge arrester is not configured to limit the overvoltage. An electrically insulating support is disposed between the surge arrester and the electrical conductor in the longitudinal direction. The support is supported by the electrical conductor, and the surge arrester is supported by the support.

A conductor assembly includes an electrical conductor, a surge arrester which has a longitudinal direction, an operating state in which the surge arrester is configured to limit an overvoltage occurring in the electrical conductor, and a test state in which the surge arrester is not configured to limit the overvoltage. An electrically insulating support is disposed between the surge arrester and the electrical conductor in the longitudinal direction. The support is supported by the electrical conductor, and the surge arrester is supported by the support.

The invention provides a plug-in module (10) for a rail-mounted device (1), comprising a housing (G), which has a first axial end portion (10a) and a second axial end portion (10b); wherein, between the first axial end portion (10a) and the second axial end portion (10b), the housing (G) has a plurality of substantially planar side surfaces (S1, S2, B1, B2); also comprising a first resiliently elastic tongue (12), which is fitted on a first side surface (S1) of the housing (G); wherein the first resiliently elastic tongue (12) has a first axial end portion (12a), which is fitted on the housing (G), and a second axial end portion (12b), which can be moved in a resiliently elastic manner; wherein a first latching nose (12c) is formed between the first and second axial end portions (12a, 12b) and protrudes from the first side surface (S1) of the housing (G); and further comprising a first actuating element (16), which is mounted in a movable manner on the first side surface (S1) and can be moved from a first position (P1), in which it is arranged substantially within the housing (G), into a second position (P2), in which it is located partly outside the housing (G) and is arranged in abutment against the second axial end portion (12b); wherein, in the second position (P2), the first latching nose (12c) can be moved into the housing (G) by a user applying a substantially lateral force (F1).

An apparatus includes a housing (e.g., a housing having a form factor of a molded case circuit breaker) and at least two phase terminals supported by the housing and configured to be connected to respective ones of at least two phase buses in an electrical panelboard. The apparatus further includes at least one fault generation device supported by the housing and including an arc containment chamber and first and second spaced-apart electrodes in the arc containment chamber and electrically coupled to respective ones of the at least two phase terminals.