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E-T-A provides Grand Prix circuit protection

An E-T-A Circuit Breakers product story
Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team May 9, 2000

E-T-A electrical circuit breakers provide circuit protection for the Jordan Grand Prix motor racing team.

E-T-A electrical circuit breakers (CBEs) have their own small part to play in making up a successful Grand Prix team.

While Heinz-Harald Frentzen and Jano Trulli are battling their way to move Benson and Hedges Jordan Grand Prix up from third place in the Constructors' Championship in the new season, the ultra-reliability of E-T-A CBEs provide both electrical switching and over-current protection, in the pits as well as on the start line.

Jordan Grand Prix transports equipment to each venue to support three car bays inside the pit buildings.

The equipment includes 'pods' above each of the two race cars and the spare T-car parked between them.

As well as supporting monitors, the pod provides a number of other functions.

It accepts the mains 240V input lead and distributes this electricity around six circuits, each switched and protected by an E-T-A 2-5700 CBE.

The protected circuits include weighing machines under each of the wheels, cooling fans which fit into the radiator intakes when the engine is running and the car is being worked on, and tyre warmers.

Single pole E-T-A 3130 CBEs are employed to provide both illuminated switching and overcurrent protection for portable pre-heater units.

These units provide pre-heating of the engine and cooling system to close to operating temperatures by circulating the lubricating oil and engine water coolant through the heater unit within the pits.

Jordan also uses a battery pack, which is attached to the car while it is sitting on the grid.

This is switched and protected by an E-T-A 482 circuit breaker, ensuring that various systems, such as the engine management system, the start-up telemetry, voice communications with the driver, on-board television cameras, and many on-board sensors, can be used or checked out.

"The E-T-A CBEs have proved extremely reliable.

Their efficient operation is now taken for granted.

They provide vital protection for electrical circuits in the lead up to the race as well as on race day," says Phill Spencer, Chief Mechanic for the Jordan Test Team.

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