Take advantage of Technology

As a consistent connector system, RST fulfils all of the requirements of an economical electrical installation and thanks to its compact size it fills a gap in the connector market. Mark Redfern, Managing Director of Wieland Electric talks about why RST offers a lower cost alternative to standard connectors which you, the wholesaler can use to your advantage.

RST is an innovative round connector system which forms part of the gesis IP+ pluggable electrical installation system, the main benefit of which is that it is a plug and play system which provides numerous time savings during installation. The components are pre-assembled in the factory and simply plugged together on site meaning that cutting to length, stripping of sheath and insulation are now a thing of the past.

One of the main benefits of the RST system is that because of the high degree of pre-assembly, it is both quick and easy to use. All of the components including the cable assemblies are available fully assembled and ready to use, however if the preference is for on-site assembly this can be achieved very quickly, reducing the installation time to a minimum.

Safety is another key factor which has been well thought out with the RST range. Because the system can be pre-assembled for a specific installation, the cabling comes complete with either a male or female connector meaning that it is impossible to make an incorrect connection. While this may seem obvious, sadly there are still numerous instances where the wrong cables have been connected which can often have disastrous results. Anyone using this system can be safe in the knowledge that they are making the right connection every time thus avoiding costly accidents or callbacks when the installation fails.

There are however numerous other benefits which are worth bearing in mind. On a site where equipment is often vulnerable, RST connectors are less likely to be stolen or used for other jobs because they are preassembled for a specific installation. In addition, because the connection between the device and the pre-assembled cable is protected against accidental loosening through an integrated safe locking device it cannot be tampered with, and with connectors available for IP65 – IP68 protection, you can be sure that your power supply is protected against everything from brick dust right through to sudden blasts of water.

New markets
There are obvious benefits for the RST system on site but one of the most exciting new opportunities which RST has opened up is in the solar market – one of the main markets for which it was designed. Everyone wants to be in at the sharp end when new opportunities arise and as the Government continues to get tough on carbon reduction legislation solar power is becoming a hot topic.

Although the benefits of RST connectors have been tried and tested in numerous applications, up until now it hasn’t been suitable for a complete solar installation due to the fact that the use of connectors has been restricted to single pole connectors on the DC side of the photovoltaic system with the AC connection having to be made in the conventional way.

This has all changed with the new RST AC round connector which is pre-assembled with components to provide a quick and safe installation even under the most arduous of conditions. The RST system includes connectors for assembly on site, device connections for inverter housing installation, cable assemblies for connection from the inverter to the collective distribution box, collective distribution boxes that are delivered pre-assembled as well as a flat cable system.

Because the whole system works on a Lego principle, complete solar installations can be carried out with four basic components, reducing installation times and enabling faster servicing and maintenance.

It isn’t just in the solar market where RST connectors come into their own because the simplicity of the system means that it opens up numerous other opportunities such as outdoor lighting, event technology, shipbuilding and construction power systems to name but a few. In fact because the RST system counts on completely preassembled components which only have to be plugged in on site, the installation opportunities are endless.

Wholesaler benefits
In the current economic climate everyone is looking for new ways to make a profit, and the RST system provides you with just that. Put simply RST connectors offer a lower cost alternative to standard connectors, something which you can take advantage of when your customer is putting you under pressure on a project.

Because it is smaller, lower cost and has the same performance as a standard connector, RST has become a firm favourite with installers who recognise the benefits of a plug and play installation – mainly because time savings of 70% and cost reductions of 30% basically speak for themselves.

From your point of view there are also huge stock benefits because a standard RST connector is moulded to the device end and therefore it simplifies the amount of stock which you need to hold.

Make it work
While I am not suggesting that the RST connector system will replace the CEE form connectors, there is definitely a place for them in the market due to their compact size and performance benefits. Because it is a plug and play system it is quick and easy to install and the fact that the cables can be pre-assembled to meet the needs of the installation is another added benefit for you to consider.

The simplicity of the system also makes it an easy sell and standard characteristics such as in-built safety in the form of male and female connectors, ingress protection from IP65 to IP68 and the fact that they are tamper proof are just additional reasons why RST connectors are gaining in popularity for installers.

While this may seem like a very simple concept, and indeed it is, it doesn’t make the product any less effective. While some people may believe that a product can only really do the job properly if it involves numerous complicated tasks I don’t agree because often simplicity is far more important providing it does the job properly.

In short the RST system is a fast and easy system which can be used in numerous applications and which saves both time and money for installers. If you add to that the fact that the system also opens up new opportunities such as solar applications, the benefits for you of stocking the system become endless.