COMBOTRAB
Combination FLASHTRAB Lightning Protection
and TVSS System Designs
Phoenix Contact Inc. • P.O. Box 4100 • Harrisburg, PA 17111 • Phone: (717) 944-1300 • Fax: (717) 944-1625
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Features
• Protection of AC power mains from direct lightning
strike energy.
• Combination lightning arrester and TVSS. Complete
coordinated hybrid over voltage protection system.
• Discharges 50 kA of surge current as tested by the
only lightning protection test standard-IEC 61024 10
x 350 µS waveform. Similar to energy of 1 million
amps 8 x 20 µS waveform.
• Utilizes the revolutionary Arc Chopping Spark Gap
technology. Discharges complete lightning surge
currents while extinguishing up to 50 kA of follow
current.
• Residual voltage below 900 volts during full surge
current discharge.
• Systems are flexible to meet any user requirement.
• Systems include 200 kA IC surge rated fusing with
disconnect.
• 10 year "No-Nonsense" warranty. Free
replacements of any failed components.
• UL 1449, 2nd Edition. 6D52.
The FLASHTRAB Advantage
Proven Technology and Experience
Phoenix Contact FLASHTRAB technology has been
successfully used to protect electrical and electronic
equipment in over 1 million installations throughout the
world. Phoenix Contact has been successfully solving
surge and lightning problems for industrial, commercial,
telecommunication, and residential customers for over
20 years.
Tested to the Only Lightning Protection Test
Waveform
FLASHTRAB technology can handle up to 50 kA /
mode of surge current based on the only standardized
Figure 1. COMBOTRAB with NEMA 4 enclosure and
diagnostic light indication
Data Sheet 1567A April 2002
lightning test waveform (IEC 61024). MOV and SAD
technologies are NOT designed to address the energy
of a direct lightning discharge event.
Lightning Protection with Pluggable Transient
Voltage Surge Suppression (TVSS)
For installations where transient surge voltage from
utility and other sources are a concern, COMBOTRAB
systems are integrated with additional TVSS protection
eliminating the need for downstream distribution panel
protection. As an added feature, the TVSS protection
modules can be hot-swapped in the unlikely case of
failure.
Simple and Cost Effective
While MOV arrays, Selenium-Enhanced Suppression,
and Diode Arrays sound impressive, FLASHTRAB
technology has been proven effective worldwide and
typically for much less cost.
PROVIDING SUPERIOR SURGE PROTECTION
TO INDUSTRY FOR OVER 20 YEARS
Phoenix Contact Inc. • P.O. Box 4100 • Harrisburg, PA 17111 • Phone: (717) 944-1300 • Fax: (717) 944-1625
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Figure 2. Diagram of Arc Chopping Technique
Data Sheet 1567A
The FLASHTRAB Advantage
High Surge Current and Low Protection Level.
While FLASHTRAB + CTRL is robust enough to handle
50 kA of a long duration test waveform (10 x 350 µS),
the control circuit provides low voltage protection level
as low as 900 volts, even at such high currents. Other
technology sacrifices protection voltage at high
discharge current.
Lifetime Testing
Because FLASHTRAB technology was designed
specifically to handle the long duration lightning
impulse events, the lifetime testing has proven it to be
many times more robust than MOV and SAD
technology. In fact, independent laboratory testing of
the units with lightning impulse testing proved the units
capable of handling over 7000 events before testing
was stopped with no visible failures evident.
Technology Breakthrough
The FLASHTRAB + CTRL components utilized in
COMBOTRAB use a lightning arresting technique
referred to as arc chopping to arrest lightning surge
currents while self-extinguishing follow-current. The
addition of the control circuit allows protection levels
as low as 900 volts independent of current level. This
combination makes the FLASHTRAB + CTRL devices
very unique technology in the surge protection
marketplace.
Superior Energy Handling
Traditional TVSS solutions used for lightning protection
often make use of multiple stacks of electronic grade
silicon components (MOV and / or SAD) to increase
their robustness against lightning strikes. The result is
often theoretical ratings of surge current in the
hundreds of thousands of amps. The problem with this
approach is the components used in this way were
never designed to handle the energy of the typical
lightning event. FLASHTRAB technology is designed
to handle the high currents AND long duration events
typical of a lightning strike. The following diagrams
show the dramatic difference in testing standards. The
10/350 µS test contains 15-20 times the charge of a 8/
20 µS test.
COMBOTRAB
Combination FLASHTRAB Lightning Protection and TVSS System Designs
Figure 3. FLASHTRAB Lightning Arrestor
Figure 4. Energy of a lightning strike is more
accurately represted by the IEC 10/350 µS waveform
Phoenix Contact Inc. • P.O. Box 4100 • Harrisburg, PA 17111 • Phone: (717) 944-1300 • Fax: (717) 944-1625
3Data Sheet 1567A
Product Selection
The modular DIN-rail approach of the COMBOTRAB
lightning arrestor and TVSS systems provide the
flexibility to mount indoors or outdoors in OEM
applications or even in user equipment such as MCCs
and control cabinets. Options such as diagnostic light
indication and remote contacts are also available.
Listed on the next page are part numbers for the most
popular voltage and packaging configurations.
Enclosure systems are designed for indoor or outdoor
installations. NEMA 4X versions use 316 Stainless
Steel enclosures for corrosive environments.
DIN-rail assembly kits are also available for each
voltage configuration to be mounted in user or OEM
equipment. Other voltage and packaging are available
upon request. Contact Phoenix Contact Technical
Service Department for more details at 1-800-322-
3225.
Common Applications:
• Water/Wastewater treatment facilities
• Pumping and lift stations
• Gas pipeline compressor and gate stations
• Mobile phone base stations
• Petrochemical facilities
• Commercial buildings
• Medical facilities
• Data centers
COMBOTRAB
Combination FLASHTRAB Lightning Protection and TVSS System Designs
Figure 6. Water pumping station protected by
COMBOTRAB
Figure 5. The COMBOTRAB protects facilities from
lightning strikes and switching transients Figure 7. COMBOTRAB Rail Assembly installed in
user panel
The information given herein is based on data believed to be reliable, but Phoenix
Contact Inc. makes no warranties expressed or implied as to its accuracy and
assumes no liability arising out of its use by others.This publication is not to be
taken as a license to operate under, or recommendation to infringe, any patent.
Headquarters, U.S.
Technical Support or Information
Headquarters, Canada
Phoenix Contact Inc.
P.O. Box 4100
Harrisburg, PA 17111-0100
Phone: (717) 944-1300
Fax: (717) 944-1625
Email: info@phoenixcon.com
Web Site: www.phoenixcon.com
Phone: 1-800-322-3225
Documentation Fax: 1-800-944-9901
Phoenix Contact Ltd.
235 Watline Avenue
Mississauga, Ontario L4Z 1P3
Phone: (905) 890-2820
Fax: (905) 890-0180
4Data Sheet 1567A
COMBOTRAB
Combination FLASHTRAB Lightning Protection and TVSS System Designs
Ordering Information
COMBOTRAB - Combination Lightning
Arrestor and Integrated TVSS
Power System/Configration
3 Phase 480/277 V AC WYE connected
NEMA 4 Enclosure
NEMA 4X Enclosure
NEMA 4 Enclosure with light indication
NEMA 4X Enclosure with light indication
Rail Assembly Kit
3 Phase 208/120 V AC WYE
NEMA 4 Enclosure
NEMA 4X Enclosure
NEMA 4 Enclosure with light indication
NEMA 4X Enclosure with light indication
Rail Assembly Kit
3 Phase 240 V A C High Leg DEL T A connected
NEMA 4 Enclosure
NEMA 4X Enclosure
NEMA 4 Enclosure with light indication
NEMA 4X Enclosure with light indication
Rail Assembly Kit
Split Single Phase 240/120 V A C connected
NEMA 4 Enclosure
NEMA 4X Enclosure
NEMA 4 Enclosure with light indication
NEMA 4X Enclosure with light indication
Rail Assembly Kit
56 02 74 4
56 02 73 2
56 02 20 1
56 02 74 6
56 02 79 4
56 02 74 5
56 02 73 3
56 02 20 2
56 02 74 7
56 03 41 5
56 02 74 5
56 02 73 3
56 03 46 3
56 03 46 4
56 03 41 5
56 02 85 6
56 03 16 7
56 03 41 6
56 03 41 7
56 03 03 0
Ordering Information
FLASHTRAB + CTRL - Lightning
Arrestor Only (for use in applications
with downstream TVSS already
installed)
Power System/Configration
V oltages <385 V AC L to Ground
NEMA 4 Enclosure - 3 Phase
NEMA 4 Enclosure - Split Single Phase 56 03 41 4
56 03 41 3
Table 1. Typical COMBOTRAB Specifications
