Is there a "DC Panel board"??

[mfische]

I have a battery bank and I want to distribute the load via a panel board (48VDC). As I am looking for panel boards, I only see their rating for AC voltage...I very rarely I see a DC voltage rating.

Question is, is there really a such thing as a DC Panelboard? And for what its worth, I cant think of what the difference between being rated for AC vs DC would be.. If its a 480V rated AC panel.. why couldn't that handle 480VDC?

Anybody know of where to look for DC rated panel boards anyways?

 

[DanEE]

There are many types and sizes of DC Panel Boards available for the telecomm industry that uses 48VDC power plants.. A key question is the energy levels you are dealing with...that is the instantaneous interrupt rating required.

Alpha Technologies is one of them...

http://www.alpha.ca/WEB2/products/standard-systems/dc-power-solutions

another ... Emerson Power

http://www.emersonnetworkpower.com/en-US/Products/DCPower/ensys_ACDCPowerSystems/Pages/default.aspx

GE DC Power System Distribution

https://www.geindustrial.com/products/dc-power-systems/dc-distribution-bdfbs

Yes there are differences in AC and DC ratings, a key one being the ability of fuses, breakers, disconnects to extinguish the arc upon opening... AC power has two opportunities per cycle for the arc to extinguish (the 2 zero crossings) that DC doesn't have.. If you are knowledgeable with Instantaneous Interrupt Ratings and all that implies, the above will be familiar to you..

Contact distance must be greater, a higher rate of contact separation or other means to deal with the plasma arc that can rapidly build up after a breaker, fuse, disconnect opens... If the arc doesn't extinguish, it turns into an electrical fire.

Some MCB breakers I've used have both AC and DC ratings and are agency listed for use in DC configurations that those who haven't worked in high energy DC power would not be aware of .. For example, using a 3 phase breaker with the 3 breakers all wired in series to interrupt one load circuit. The 3x increase the total contact separation provides a higher rated instantanous current interrrupt rating.. (namely addressing the arc suppression)

AIRPAX magnetic breakers are a common brand I've seen in DC circuits that are designed specifically to handle DC loads, namely for their fast contact movement that a magnetic breaker can provide.

 

[mfische]

Thanks for the info! I really just need DC rated panelboards though. I am aware of the DC circuit breaker stuff.. and why there are differences, etc.. I am just curious as to who makes DC rated panelboards.. who knows.

 

[mcgyvr]

Common terms in the industry to search for would be "power board", "BDFB" and "dc fuse panel" depending on the current levels
Typically the "power board" and BDFB are whats considered "primary distribution" and the fuse panel would be the "secondary distribution"
As stated above Emerson/GE and Eaton (Powerware) are the big players there for primary distribution..
Trimm and Telect are the 2 main players in the fuse panel industry
Most of its all 19" or 23" (ETSI across the pond,etc..) rack mount vs wall mount

"panel board" is typically used as an "AC" term