Microsemi, a provider of semiconductor solutions differentiated by power, security, reliability and performance, has announced the availability of its new high reliability PD-OUT/SP11, an outdoor-rated lightning protection device supporting both Power-over-Ethernet (PoE) and non-PoE enterprise installations.

The new Microsemi PD-OUT/SP11 is a single-port device, protecting all eight wires of the Ethernet cable while enabling data streams of up to 10/100/1000mbps and PoE levels up to 95W. The device is optimised for outdoor devices such as security cameras and wireless LAN access points (AP) and features lightning protection up to 10KV.  According to market research firm Infonetics, around 300,000 outdoor WLAN APs are expected to ship in 2014, growing to 650,000 in 2018.

“Historically there has been a lack of awareness about the danger of lightning to enterprise solutions and the availability of a certified outdoor protection device. Nearby lightning strikes are much more common than most people think and a strike as far as a mile away can induce a voltage level that can damage expensive outdoor enterprise devices. Without lightning protection, surges also can move quickly along the Ethernet cable and damage expensive indoor network switches,” said Sani Ronen, director of product management for Microsemi’s PoE systems. “The PD-OUT/SP11 is designed to provide the most optimal protection in a flexible solution for all types of outdoor Ethernet installations, Wi-Fi APs and outdoor IP cameras—and offers the certified surge protection level for products integrated in an outdoor enclosure, as well.”

The national weather service reported there are approximately 23 million lightning strikes per year in the U.S. Most of the existing Ethernet lightning protection devices are indoor, which limits the location of the protection and installation to the indoor environment only. The PD-OUT/SP11 is outdoor-rated and therefore can be installed in the optimal location—the exact point the Ethernet cable is entering the building—resulting in maximum protection from lightning hitting the outdoor devices or the outdoor cable.

Microsemi’s newest product can be installed in PoE environments or in non-PoE environments and is vendor agnostic, meaning the switch and the PoE solution can come from any vendor. The PD-OUT/SP11 has been tested successfully to the GR-1089, IEC61643-21 and ITU-T K.45 lightning standard for surges up to 10KV. The device low capacitance ensures data rate of up to 1Gbps will pass through with no interruption. In addition, PoE levels of up to 95W can pass through the SP11 device (supporting IEEE 802.3af, IEEE802.3at and HDBaseT).

About the SP11

The PD-OUT-SP11 is a high quality surge protection device designed to protect indoor Ethernet networks from lightning that may come from the outdoor environment through the Ethernet cable. The product is enclosed in a metal weatherproof enclosure, meeting IP66. It can be easily mounted on a wall or a pole. The SP device can be installed before the cable enters the building to protect the indoor network or immediately adjacent to the wall- or pole-mounted outdoor device (i.e., WLAN AP, IP camera, etc.).

Features

•       Supports data rates of up to 1Gbps

•       All eight lines protected including PoE

•       Waterproof (IP66)

•       Surge handling capability: 10kV, 5kA to ground in 80/20us; 800V, 100A PoE

•       Regulatory compliance: REACH, RoHS, WEEE, IEC60529 level IP66, NEMA 250, level 4x

•       Surge compliance: IEC61643-21, GR1089, ITU-T K.45

•       Safety approvals: UL 497B