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Kyocera AVX’s new high-current load dump varistors for hybrid electric vehicles

March 05, 2024

KYOCERA AVX has launched a new range of high-current load dump varistors.

These varistors are an extension of the company’s TransGuard Automotive Series, which has been providing reliable bidirectional overvoltage protection and EMI/RFI attenuation in automotive electronics applications for over two decades.

The TransGuard Automotive Series varistors are zinc-oxide-based ceramic semiconductor devices. They offer bidirectional overvoltage protection and EMI/RFI attenuation in a single, space-saving SMT package. The varistors are qualified to AEC-Q200 and have a unique monolithic multilayer construction, nonlinear, bidirectional voltage-current characteristics, high-current and -energy-handling capabilities, multi-strike capabilities, and extremely fast, sub-nanosecond response times. They are also available with glass encapsulation for enhanced resistance against harsh environmental hazards including acids, salts, and chlorite flux.

The new TransGuard Automotive Series load dump varistors are characterized by higher peak current ratings than the rest of the series (2,000A), making them more effective at providing reliable protection against high-energy automotive load dump transients. These varistors are ideal for use hybrid electric plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, including commercial applications. They are particularly suitable for use in CAN, LIN, and FLEXRAY modules, sensors, and induction motors.

The varistors are compact and lightweight, rated for operating temperatures extending from -55°C to +125°C with no derating, and compliant with JASO D001 1994 and ISO 7637-2-2004 standards for protection against transient surges in the automotive industry. They are also RoHS compliant, lead-free compatible, and free of any other substances of very high concern (SVHCs).