Please enter keywords to search

Global |EN

Choose your country & Language

Asia Pacific

Australia & New Zealand
India
Indonesia
Korea
Malaysia
Singapore (Sunlight)
Vietnam

West Asia and Africa

CHINT-EGEMAC
South Africa
UAE

Europe

Italy
Spain
Turkey

North America

Mexico

Latin America

Brazil
Peru

Choose your country & Language

Australia & New Zealand
India
Indonesia
Korea
Malaysia
Singapore (Sunlight)
Vietnam
CHINT-EGEMAC
South Africa
UAE
Italy
Spain
Turkey
Mexico
Brazil
Peru

Please enter keywords to search

Your search term contains restricted words. Please use different keywords.

What Is A DIN Rail? Basics and Different Types | CHINT Blog

DECEMBER 20, 2022

Table of Contents

  1. What Is A DIN Rail?
  2. Why Are DIN Rails Important?
  3. Din Rail History
  4. Types Of DIN Rails
  5. CHINT Modular DIN Rail Products
  6. Conclusion

Still widely underrated, DIN rails play a pivotal role in structural and mechanical support when dealing with standardized cabinet mounting in small, mid, and large-size electrical installation projects. Their main objective is to provide a unified international standard in measurements and components that can remain independent from manufacturers, regardless of time and place.

What Is A DIN Rail?

DIN rails are relatively simple to grasp; they’re long metal strips that allow you to attach different pieces of electrical hardware to cabinet racks. Of the many kinds of electrical equipment, most fall into the control group category, such as meters, circuit breakers, terminal blocks, solenoids, actuators, power supplies, electrical relays, motor controllers, and programmable logic controllers.

DIN rails can either go directly onto the wall or within the interior panel of electrical enclosures. In the first scenario, you can attach all electrical components directly onto the rail or use another electrical partition. In the second scenario, all pieces of equipment go straight onto the rail.

Why Are DIN Rails Important?

DIN rails offer several advantages to an electrical installation. First and foremost, we must speak about standardization. DIN rails allow you to choose from a wide selection of components and manufacturers to seamlessly install these pieces of hardware into the panels, regardless of project size or geolocation.

This feature of cross-sectional availability provides you with the flexibility and creativity to design your customized electrical solutions without compromising the integrity and functionality of the project. Other noteworthy benefits of using DIN rails on your installations include:

  • Smooth installation: when working with non-DIN panels, sometimes you have to dismantle the entire structure to fit additional hardware. DIN rails ensure that all new components slide or snap right into position.
  • Space optimization: as part of the much-mentioned standards, DIN rails provide an easy installation even in the tightest spaces, providing a convenient way of connecting internal and external wirings.
  • Cost-effectiveness: less effort and less utilized space translate into a money-saving project, reducing downtimes and leaving you with extra time to perform other duties.
  • Organized layout: DIN rails provide an aesthetical and pleasant arrangement that allows for a well-structured map to facilitate maintenance access and overall safety.

Din Rail History

DIN stands for Deutsche Institut für Normung, which from German translates as German Institute for Standards in English. The rack-mounting system that we now so commonly see in several industries in the market was born in Germany in the late ’20s. But, it wasn’t until the early ’50s that it became more widely accepted and readily available, domestically and internationally.

The original DIN standards were born in 1928 at the hands of a company called Rheinisch-Westfälisches Elektrizitätswerk (Rhenish-Westphalian Power Station), a company that still exists to this day. In the 1900s, there were no standards whatsoever for electrical panel development. People built them using whatever components they could find in whichever way they saw fit.

RWE saw this problem and turned it into an opportunity, devising what we know today as the G-rail. Initially built from porcelain, these rails attached a metal bus bar running along its center. Eventually, manufacturers realized that porcelain was too fragile to serve its purpose, and metal rails became the new trend.

In the ’50s, DIN acquired the original designs by RWE and further developed the standardization process of these rails. In the USA, NEMA (National Electrical Manufacturers Association) also adopted the normative standards, and, ever since, virtually all electrical control hardware components have been complying with DIN standards.

Types Of DIN Rails

Top Hat Rails

Also known as TS35, the Top Hat Din Rails are the most common, most readily available, and most versatile rails according to the DIN industry standards. The name refers to the fact that its cross-section resembles a deep hat (basically, a rectangular bowl), and the number indicates these rails are 35mm wide. The standard channel depth is 7.5mm, but a 15mm (deep hat) channel depth is also available.

Mini Top Hat Rails

The TS15 is, by all means, a miniature version of the TS35. The two differences are the edge-to-edge measurement of only 15mm and the standard channel depth of 5.5mm. These rails are ideal if your available space is a premium or if you only need to attach compact components, such as relays or smaller junction boxes.

C-Rails

Once regarded as the industry standard (before the TS35 came along), these rails feature a 32mm edge-to-edge measurement and a C-shape cross-section. Due to its excellent wall support, this DIN rail is still widely preferred when mounting heavier components, such as transformers and power supplies.

G-Rails

Also known as TS32, these rails feature a deeper cavity on one of their extremities, resembling the letter G, measuring 32mm from edge to edge. This deeper channel usually goes at the lower edge of the panel, offering more robust support for those heavy-duty components. It also prevents unintentional backward installation.

DTSU666 Three Phase DIN Rail Meter
DTSU666 Three Phase DIN Rail Meter
DTSU666-Three-Phase-DIN-Rail-Meter

CHINT Modular DIN Rail Products

DTSU666 Three Phase DIN Rail Meter

This DIN rail meter is lightweight (400g) and compact (98x65x72mm), making it easy to install on all types of panels. It can accurately measure frequency, power factor, total kWh and kVarh, and instantaneous kW, kVar, Irms, and Vrms. With a low power consumption, at less than 1W, 5VA, it also includes the following specs:

  • Operating Range Limit: -40C to +75C
  • IP Rating: IP54 (protected from limited dust ingress and low-pressure water jets from any direction)
  • Operating Frequency: 50Hz or 60Hz

The DTSU666 Three Phase DIN-Rail Meter is ideal for accurately measuring the energy consumption at industrial factories, nautical ports, corporate buildings, large housing blocks, etc.

DDSU666 Single Phase DIN-Rail Meter

This DIN rail meter is even more lightweight (200g) and compact (98x65x36mm), making it ideal for panel installations with limited space. It can accurately measure power factor, frequency, total kWh, instantaneous kW, Irms, and Vrms. Also featuring a low power consumption (less than 1W, 5VA), this single-phase meter also includes the same specs as the three-phase model:

  • Operating Range Limit: -40C to +75C
  • IP Rating: IP54 (protected from limited dust ingress and low-pressure water jets from any direction)
  • Operating Frequency: 50Hz or 60Hz

The DDSU666 Single Phase DIN-Rail Meter is ideal for smaller projects that require only a single-phase connection, such as residential homes, small offices, storage units, etc.

Conclusion

Despite being underrated by some, DIN rails offer a crucial performance at all kinds of electrical installations. They save time, space, and money, all while ensuring that the project remains unified under international standards and easily upscalable for the future.

That, combined with chint top-notch meters for single-phase (DDSU666 Single Phase DIN-Rail Meter) and three-phase (DTSU666 Three Phase DIN-Rail Meter), there’s no project you can’t boost.

The Latest
DECEMBER 25, 2024 Understand the Applications of Graphene in Electromagnetic Relays

This article gives a comprehensive introduction to graphene surface treatment technology and how it empowers CHINT electromagnetic relays.

DECEMBER 24, 2024 How Distributed Energy Storage Empowers Business

Discover how distributed energy storage empowers businesses by reducing electricity costs, enhancing reliability, and supporting sustainability with CHINT’s comprehensive solutions.

NOVEMBER 28, 2024 DC Meter: Principles, Technology, and Applications

This article will explore the working principles of DC meters, their technical composition, and the applications in various scenarios.

NOVEMBER 26, 2024 Beyond the Basics: Smart Circuit Breakers for Intelligent Protection

Smart circuit breakers are a solution for the needs of today’s world. This article explores the advantages of these intelligent devices and more.

NOVEMBER 5, 2024 Can I Use General Miniature Circuit Breaker (MCB) for PV?

Miniature circuit breakers are widely adopted. They are used for branch circuit protection in many electrical systems. However, as solar photovoltaic technology continues to expand rapidly, one question arises: Can I use a general miniature circuit breaker for PV?

NOVEMBER 5, 2024 Top 3 Pain Points of Data Center Operations

In today’s digital age, data centers have become critical infrastructure. They enable our increasingly online lives and economies. They store massive amounts of data and power cloud services and applications.

SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 A Complete Guide to LV Distribution Board

LV distribution boards, part of the electrical distribution system, securely distribute low-voltage power to facility circuits.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 A Guide to Ring Main Units (RMU) in Wind Power Industry

An RMU, or ring main unit, is a type of medium-voltage switchgear. It consists of one or more circuit-breaker units with associated disconnectors, earthing switches, and instrument transformers.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 How to Choose a House Distribution Box

A well-chosen distribution box ensures the safety and efficiency of your household electrical system. This article guides you through selecting a distribution box.

SEPTEMBER 9, 2024 How Does a Variable Frequency Drive Work?

This article discusses in detail how a variable frequency drive works. Its working generally includes rectification, filtration, and inversion.