Ditek (www.ditekcorp.com) recently announced a product called SnapLite-a surge protector for 66-block multiple-line systems. The product incorporates a visible LED light on the face of the unit to allow "troubleshooting at a glance," the company says. The light only goes out if the surge protector has blown.
"66 blocks remain ever-susceptible to electrical surges that can be devastatingly costly to vital communication systems," the company said in a release announcing the product. "Until now, facility engineers and electrical contractors had to contend with pico fuses and bridge clips that gave little or not indication as to their status. If a phone line went down, a technician would have to use a butt set with special probes to test if the protector was working or not. With the diagnostic LED on the SnapLite surge protector, a building or plant manager can avoid a nuisance call simply by noting if the light is on or off."
"The SnapLite can withstand thousands of small 'hits,' but when it has finally self-sacrificed, you just pop it off, stick another one on, and you're back in business," says Dave Dinsmore, strategic market development manager at Ditek. "For a facility manager that has somebody handling their phone-room equipment, it's a no-brainer to take care of. You can't even install it backwards or upside down; there's only one way it can go onto a 66 block. It clamps right over the pins themselves; no tools are necessary."
Each SnapLite model features sneak current protection and guards against both over-amperage and over-voltage conditions. The product allows a continuous current of 150 mA (maximum) and gives protection modes of tip-to-ground and ring-to-ground. All models measure 3.25x1.6x0.38 inches and weigh 14 grams.
"In real-world telephone operations, there are going to be situations where you will need a variety of different clamping voltages on the same block," Dinsmore adds. "So this gives you the ability to custom tailor each pair.
"There's a lot of small commercial operations where they have a 66 block, but they only have six lines or less coming in, for example," he says. "You really don't need a 12-pair or 25-pair surge protector to protect just six lines. By using SnapLites, you only use as many as you need."
