Date: December 16, 2004

IPC “BLACK BOX” PRODUCT FIELD UPGRADE

Dear Customer:

In 1998 IPC responded to a need in the electrical distribution system with a series of wall mounted products that provided safe neutral grounding capability combined with added features. These products were designed to mount on a wall near a local distribution transformer and allow immediate protection and indication to the local user community.
IPC Stoplight provides a neutral grounding resistor and local fault indication with remote alarm capability.


IPC Sleuth provides a neutral grounding resistor and local fault indication with remote alarm capability plus the ability to pulse the ground fault current to make finding and correcting the fault an easy rather than an onerous operation.


IPC Gemini provides a monitored dual path neutral grounding resistor and local fault indication with remote alarm capability. Should one path fail, the other path remains to limit the ground fault current and an alarm is indicated. Optionally, the Gemini can use the Sleuth pulsing technology to help find the fault as well.


IPC Fusion incorporates a circuit breaker allowing the circuit to be solidly grounded until a ground fault develops. When the ground fault occurs and the breaker activates the Fusion provides a neutral grounding resistor and local fault indication with remote alarm capability


All of these products were designed for ease of installation and use. Thus the “Black Box” family of products incorporated multiple knock out positions, large easy to read meters, proud standing push buttons and easy access knurled thumbscrews.


The last feature was in retrospect a bit too convenient. Under certain circumstances it allows access to current carrying components without using a tool. IPC has removed this feature from all new production and recommends field removal of this feature for all existing installations.

Fortunately the modification is simple in the extreme. The black plastic top that provides the thumbscrew with a gripping head is molded directly over a conventional
Allen key style head. Simply breaking the plastic off with hand held pliers removes the ability to operate the screws by hand and secures access to electrically energized components.

Should you prefer, IPC will provide upon request and at no charge Allen key screws to replace the thumbscrews in the existing installations.

This upgrade is required for all IPC model:

Stoplight SL
Sleuth PS
Gemini GS
Fusion FS
Turbo Sleuth TSS

Doug Gonyou P. Eng.
IPC Resistors