The use of switchgear under normal operating conditions is specified in the EN 62271-1 as follows:
• The maximum ambient temperature is 40 °C, the average value over a period of 24 h is max. 35 °C. The minimum ambient temperature is –5 °C. For our indoor switches the class "Minus 5 indoors” is speci- fied.
• Solar radiation has no significant impact.
• The altitude at the place of installation is max. 1000 m above sea level.
• The ambient air is to have no significant contamina- tion through dust, smoke, corrosive and/or flamma- ble gasses, fumes or salts.
• The following conditions apply with regard to humidity:
- average value of relative air moisture measured over 24 h is max. 95 %,
- average value of water vapour pressure over 24 h is max. 2.2 kPa;
- average value of the relative air moisture over a period of one month is max. 90%
- average value of the water vapour pressure over one month is max. 1.8 kPa;
One of the robust, low-maintenance energy storagemechanisms of type EK or EA is mounted on the baseframe, on which the three switch poles are installed.Many hundred thousands of these devices havealready been used successfully.The EK energy storage mechanism operates with onlya single torsion spring for quick-make and quick-breakoperation without trip-free release. The torsion spring istensioned for switching ON or OFF. After tensioning, thespring energy is released for the particular switchingoperation (ON or OFF).The EA energy storage mechanism operates with twotorsion springs for trip-free quick-make and quick-breakoperation. Both torsion springs are tensioned when theswitch is closed.