electrical isolation EGX150 - IFE

[Koen_Rowies]

Hello,

A customer ask me what electrical isolation class the EGX150 and IFE have. They have two cabinets on a differential earth potential and he is afraid when connecting the EGX150/IFE(earth connection of electrical cabinet) to the switch  (earth connection of the IT equipment cabinet) with an STP cable, there can be a different potential between both earths...

If shieldings are connected on both sides there is a ground loop current, This volatge can rise up to 1000V and higher... and damage the devices...

Any one familiar with this problem or are there some guidelines that Schneider Electric advices?

Kind regards

Koen

[enrgyautomation]

Hi Koen,

It is good practice, and also depending on your medium, to only ever connect to ground/earth on one end of your comms cable, and not both, for exactly the reason you have stated. If there is a potential for a difference in earth potential, then isolate at the IT end. The purpose of the shielding is to drain away any induced EMFs or eddy currents, but, if you are relying on the shield as a 0V reference then you will need an additional conductor/ core in the cable to serve this purpose.

Hope this helps.

Kind regards.