RectorSeal has introduced the RectorSeal HVACR (RSH) Series of surge protective devices (SPD), the industry’s only surge protection product line designed specifically for HVAC/R equipment that carries a lifetime warranty. The permanently-installed RSH Series is designed to protect all single phase, 120/240-V air conditioning, heat pumps and ductless mini-split systems (DMSS) from transient over-voltage and natural-cause surges.

The UL 1449 listed RSH Series’ inaugural products are the RSH-50 that protects from up to 50,000-amp single surges and up to 10,000-amp repetitive surges; and the RSH-60 that protects from up to 60,000-amp single surges and 20,000-amp repetitive surges.

Besides a lifetime product warranty, the RSH-50 and RSH-60 have an unprecedented five-year/$5,000 and five-year/$7,500, respectively, if the HVAC equipment is surge-damaged.

The warranty is based on RectorSeal’s unique technology. Most SPDs use metal oxide varistors (MOV), which are variable resistors that block voltage surges and re-channels them harmlessly into the ground plain. RectorSeal uses superior and more reliable thermally-fused varistors (TFMOV) and innovatively combines them with a gas discharge tube (GDT)–the HVAC/R industry’s first surge protection integration of TFMOVs with GDTs. The TFMOV handles the everyday workload of commonly occurring surges generated within the building by millisecond transient over-voltages in addition to supply-side utility voltage load transfers that repetitively degrade compressor motors, circuit boards and other electrical components. The GDT makes the RSH Series’ unrivaled lifetime warranty possible, because it safeguards against TFMOV failures from large catastrophic spikes that can occur from large utility invariances and potential occurrences of lightning-generated electric field damage. 

Both models use diagnostic LED lights. The RSH-50’s LED glows green to indicate operational status. The RSH-60 also has a green LED, plus a red LED and an audible alarm if the SPD is no longer providing protection.

The RSH Series is weather-rated under NEMA 4X and can be installed within minutes to the nearby outdoor disconnect box’s knockout access with an included 1/2-inch (12.7-mm) nipple and wired to the contactors. The RSH-50 can also be mounted inside the condenser with an included stainless steel bracket and wired directly. The RSH-60’s molded polymer shell has two screw-hole tabs for fastening to the condenser interior. Both the RSH-50 (1.45 (L) x 1.50-inch (W) (36 x 38-mm)); and the RSH-60 (3.5 (L) x 2.8 (W) x 2.5-inch (D) (89 x 73 x 63.5-mm)) have compact dimensions that can be installed nearly anywhere.   

SPDs are particularly strategic for DMSS, because most have increased over-current susceptibility during their inverter’s AC to DC voltage conversion.    

Other RSH Series features are:   

  • Manufacturer PSP Products Inc., stands behind the product warranties and will service any warranty claims;
  • Makes a profitable add-on sale for new installations or an aftermarket sale for existing units;
  • Reduces surge liabilities and damage that customers can blame on the HVAC installation or the service contractor;
  • Tested under UL 1449 Standard for Surge Protection Devices (Type I);
  • Price is a fraction of the cost to replace circuit boards, compressor motors or entire units damaged by surges;

The RSH-50 and RSH-60 come in a contractor 6-pack and 4-pack, respectively, of individually packaged boxes with a four-color, informative label that’s available at most HVAC/R wholesale distributors.