Why are IEC 500mT motorized latching relays the perfect choice for smart meters?
The term "IEC 500mT relay" most likely refers to a motorized(motor-driven) latching relay that offers 500mT of magnetic field immunity to comply with new IEC standards for smart energy meters and similar applications.
Key Features and Compliance
This type of relay is specifically designed for applications requiring high resistance to external magnetic interference, such as smart energy meters, EV chargers, and power distribution systems.
Magnetic Immunity: The primary feature is a high permanent magnetic immunity of 500mT (millitesla), which prevents tampering or interference from external magnetic fields, as required by the IEC 62052-11:2020 standard.
Motor-Driven Latching: Unlike traditional magnetic latching relays, these use a small electric motor to set the contacts, providing better stability and resistance to shock and vibration.
High Power/Current: These relays can handle high switching currents, with models available from 60A up to 200A.
Compact Design: They feature a miniature, compact body despite their high power capabilities.
Standards: They are compliant with various international standards, including IEC 62052-11, IEC 60404-5, and IEC 62055-31 UC3.
Smart meters require IEC standards to ensure safety, accuracy, reliability, and interoperability across global power systems, while the specification for a 500mT relay is a technical requirement to ensure the meter's immunity to strong magnetic tampering.
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) publishes a comprehensive set of standards (e.g., the IEC 62052 and IEC 62055 series) that govern the design, manufacturing, and operation of smart meters. Adherence to these standards is often a regulatory requirement.
The "500mT" requirement refers to a specific technical feature of the internal latching relay, which acts as a remote-controlled on/off switch for the power supply.
Compliance with Specific Standards: Relays with 500mT immunity are specifically designed to comply with the magnetic immunity clauses of standards like IEC 62052-11 and IEC 62055-31.
In short, IEC standards provide the comprehensive framework for smart meter quality and function, while the 500mT relay is a component designed to meet a specific requirement within those standards for tamper-proof, efficient service control. IVY Metering: A prominent Relay manufacturer specializing in latching relays for smart meters, offering various models (e.g., IM-M1202, IM-M1201T) with 500mT immunity.
