Arteche is a Spanish manufacturer known in substations for its instrument transformers and its auxiliary relays: RD-2, RF-4, RJ-8 and RI-16 contact multipliers, BF-3, BF-4 and BJ-8 bistable relays, fast trip relays, 86 lockout relays and VDF-10 and VDJ-30 trip circuit supervisors. The smART P500 family is its line of numerical protective relays, with the smART P500-RC variant for reclosers.
What it is and where it is used
Arteche is a Spanish manufacturer of power grid equipment, widely installed in Latin America for its instrument transformers and its auxiliary relays. Under «Arteche relay» there are two different things: the smART P500 family of numerical protective relays, and the auxiliary relays of the control panels, such as the RF-4, RD-2, RJ-8, BF-3 or BJ-8. This sheet covers both.
Auxiliaries are in almost every control and protection panel of medium-, high- and extra-high-voltage substations, and in industrial panels: they multiply contacts, store states, speed up trips and monitor the trip circuit. Their role within the panel is explained in control and protection panel.
Variants: smART P500, RF-4, RD-2, RJ-8, BF-3 and BJ-8
| Model | Application | Main difference |
|---|---|---|
| smART P500 | Numerical protective relay | Arteche multifunction relay family |
| smART P500-RC | Control of the Arteche smART RC recloser | Overcurrent, reclosing and breaker failure, with voltage, power, synchronism and frequency functions |
| RD-2 / RF-4 / RJ-8 / RI-16 | Contact multiplication | Instantaneous with 2, 4, 8 and 16 changeover contacts |
| DI, V and SY versions | Same functions | DI and V protect the contact that feeds the coil; SY withstands vibration and shock |
| BF-3 / BF-4 / BJ-8 / BI-16 | Position memory | Bistable, 3 to 16 contacts, no power draw in a stable position |
| RD-2R / RF-4R / RJ-8R / RXR4 | Master trip (ANSI 94) | Fast trip relays; Arteche states operating times of a few milliseconds depending on the model |
| 86 lockout relays | Trip and lockout | Latching with electrical or manual reset |
| VDF-10 / VDJ-30 | Trip circuit supervision | For single-pole and three-pole operated breakers |
| RUT / UJ | Supply and voltage supervision | Monitor the auxiliary control circuits |
Arteche also makes contactor relays (CD-2, CF-4, CJ-8) for inductive loads in direct current, and bases and accessories for its plug-in relays.
Main functions
For the smART P500-RC, the available technical information lists these functions:
| Function | ANSI | What it provides |
|---|---|---|
| Instantaneous and time overcurrent | 50/51 | Main feeder protection (guide) |
| Negative sequence | 46 | Unbalance and open phases (guide) |
| Reclosing | 79 | Transient faults on overhead networks (guide) |
| Breaker failure | 50BF | Backup if the breaker does not open (guide) |
| Voltage, power, synchronism and frequency | 27/59, 32, 25, 81 | Abnormal conditions and safe closing |
In the auxiliaries the «function» is simpler, but critical: the master trip relay (94) distributes the protection’s command to the breaker coils. The lockout relay (86) prevents closing until someone reviews the fault. The trip circuit supervisor (74TC) warns if the coil or its wiring has gone open. Arteche offers high-burden versions, in accordance with ESI 48-4 class EB2, to avoid false operations caused by the capacitance of long wiring.
What Arteche’s datasheets say about the auxiliaries
Arteche’s product pages (in English) give useful data to recognize an auxiliary in a panel and to understand what cannot be swapped for another:
- Declared standards: the RF-4, RD-2, BF-3 and RD-2XR cite IEC 61000, IEC 60947, IEC 60255 and ANSI C37.90.
- Contacts and base. Each family uses a different base:
| Relay | Contacts | Base according to the datasheet |
|---|---|---|
| RF-4 (instantaneous) | 4 changeover (4PDT, Form C) | Type F, or short F for flush mounting |
| RD-2 (instantaneous) | 2 changeover (DPDT, Form C) | Type D, or short D for flush mounting |
| BF-3 (bistable) | 3 changeover (3PDT, Form C) | Type F, or large F for flush mounting |
| RD-2XR (trip) | 2 changeover (DPDT, Form C) | Type D |
- Bistable relays. Arteche defines the BF-3 as a two-stable-position relay, needed when the position has to be kept (open-closed, automatic-manual, local-remote). The BF-3R is the trip and lockout variant for applications with high demands on operating time and breaking capacity, and the BF-3BB protects the contact of the device that feeds the coil.
- Fast trip. Arteche states a trip time of 8 ms to 3 ms for the RF-4R and the RD-2XR, trip relays for applications with high operating-time demands. The RD-2XR datasheet assigns it to tripping high- and medium-voltage breakers. It is offered with reduced consumption (low burden) per ESI 48-4 EB1:1983. The datasheet does not give the operating time of the standard RF-4 or RD-2.
- Use variants. The RF-4SY is intended for applications with frequent vibration and shock, such as railways, or for nuclear plant safety requirements. The RF-4DI protects the contact of the device that feeds the coil. The CF-4 is a contactor relay for breaking inductive loads in direct current circuits. The VDF-10 supervises the trip circuit of single-pole breakers.
- Documentation. The datasheets, manuals and brochures of the auxiliaries are in the downloads section of each product page, and several are obtained with Arteche access (Arteche passport). Coil voltages do not appear on the public pages consulted: they are taken from the relay nameplate or its datasheet.
To replace an auxiliary, this translates into a short list: contacts, base, coil voltage and variant (instantaneous, bistable, trip, with contact protection or anti-vibration). Each type plays a different role in the panel: see trip relay 94, lockout relay 86 and trip circuit supervision.
Communications and integration
Auxiliary relays do not communicate: they are electromechanical and their state reaches SCADA through the contacts read by the bay controller or the protective relay. The smART P500 is an IED; Arteche works on substation automation with IEC 61850 in its saTECH range. Which protocols each smART P500 includes depends on the model and the firmware, and must be confirmed with the datasheet of the installed device before integrating it. On this point, read substation trip matrix.
Frequently asked technical questions
- Arteche RF4 and RD2 auxiliary relays: they are the instantaneous auxiliaries with four and two contacts. When replacing them, respect the coil voltage, the base type and the variant (DI, V, SY or fast trip R/XR).
- Arteche BF series: the BF series is bistable. If it is replaced with an instantaneous one, the state memory is lost, and the panel behaves differently after a loss of supply.
- Trips with no apparent cause: a low-burden auxiliary with long wiring can operate through stray capacitance or a DC ground; that is why high-burden versions exist. See DC ground.
- smART P500 manual: it is requested from the manufacturer with the model and firmware; the configuration changes between versions.
- Testing: auxiliaries are tested with the full panel logic (trip, lockout, supervision), not in isolation.
If your equipment is no longer made
If a smART P500 or an old auxiliary has no spare parts, the replacement starts with the inventory of functions and contacts that the panel actually uses. We design the change, update the drawings and test the full logic before energizing; see engineering design and studies.
How we help
At Tiza Group we configure and review protective relays remotely, worldwide, including less common brands: we start from the approved settings, keep a backup and document the change. See remote relay configuration. If a trip has no clear explanation, we quote the relay trip analysis with the event and the configuration. For on-site panel testing, in Colombia or elsewhere on request, see secondary injection. Write to us through contact.
Related guides
- Lockout relay 86
- Trip circuit supervision
- Trip and close coils
- Control and protection panel
- Automatic reclosing 79
- Recloser
- Protective relays
- Arteche instrument transformers
- Substation Trip Matrix: How It Is Built and Checked
References
- IEEE C37.2, device function numbers for power systems (86, 94, 74).
- ESI 48-4, high-burden trip relays (class EB2).
- Arteche, product pages for auxiliary, trip and lockout, and supervision relays.
- Conprove, technical note on testing the Arteche smART P500-RC relay.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Arteche RF-4 relay?
It is an Arteche instantaneous auxiliary relay with four changeover contacts. It is used to multiply contacts in trip and control circuits: a single command from a protection or a control switch operates several outputs. The family includes the RD-2 (two contacts), the RJ-8 (eight) and the RI-16 (sixteen).
What is the difference between the Arteche BJ-8 and the RJ-8?
The RJ-8 is instantaneous: its contacts change while the coil is energized. The BJ-8 is bistable (latching): it has two coils and two stable positions, and keeps its last position without consuming power. It is used for state memories such as local/remote or open/closed.
Where do I find the Arteche smART P500 manual?
The documentation is requested from Arteche with the full model reference and the firmware version. The smART P500 family does not currently appear on the manufacturer's public product pages, so confirm the current support and replacement with Arteche before an extension.