With an ever-increasing number of distributed energy resources (DERs) coming online, medium-voltage protection relays have become vital guardians of our distribution systems. The REF650 is a compact, modular solution that covers the essential functions of maintaining the reliability and safety of distribution systems loaded with customer-sited generation, storage, electric vehicles, and more.  

A medium-voltage relay for primary distribution feeder and transformer applications, the REF650 provides feeder protection and control. It also monitors current and voltage to quickly detect faults inside the asset, such as overloads, shorts, or insulation breakdowns. By isolating faults quickly, all these functions help minimize system damage.

Flexibility is another benefit of the REF650. It can interface with conventional transformers, bringing the advantages of a digital substation to your existing installations. The relay is flexible enough to support industrial as well as subtransmission applications. 

In addition, the REF650 has a reduced number of parameter settings and simplified configurations that enable system operators to quickly set their own parameters and reduce commissioning time. 

It also has a Field Service Tool (FST) that integrates with Hitachi Energy’s PCM600 protection and control IED management software. Validating your relay will help ensure that it performs reliably in real fault conditions. The REF650 makes the testing and validation process simple and convenient.

• Compact form factor: The REF650 is perfect for space-limited environments, like low voltage compartments of medium voltage switchgear panels.
• Cost-efficient:  The new product's single-box, multi-function, modular design significantly reduces the overall unit cost to meet protection and control functionalities, making it a budget-friendly option. 
• Touch screen local human machine interface (LHMI): The optional touch screen delivers clear views of measurements and switching status while making the REF650 easy to use for system operators. 
• Modular design: You can reconfigure and extend the relay with hardware modules, gaining flexibility to incorporate design changes. 
• Accuracy: The REF650 employs a highly accurate Analog to Digital (A/D) system for all analog inputs.  
• Disturbance recording at 4.8 kHz: With a sampling rate of 4,800 samples per second, the REF650 accurately records detailed waveforms of voltage and current, which provides valuable data for analysis.