Newson Gale says that whereas multiple items of equipment used in Ex/Hazloc operations require an individual grounding system to monitor each item of equipment, the Multipoint II consists of a monitoring control unit which features an array of red and green LED indicators that verify when the equipment in need of static grounding protection has a resistance to a verified true earth grounding point of 10 ohms or less.
In addition to the LED indicators located in the monitoring control unit, equipment operators can refer to independent remote indicator stations that can be mounted closer to the process hazard. Each indicator station provides operators with a visual ‘Go/No Go’ reference that informs them when the resistance in the static grounding circuit is low enough (less than 10 ohms) to proceed with the operation.
As the remote indicator stations are powered by the monitoring control unit’s safe circuits, power from external sources like 230/110v AC supplies, that would be needed for more expensive Ex(d)/Ex(e) certified indicator stations, are not required.
The Multipoint II’s power supply houses eight volt free contacts, each of which is controlled by the corresponding monitoring channel in the monitoring control unit.