Smart. Reliable. Future-Ready Protection for Industrial, Utility Power and Railway Systems – also for retrofit
Welcome to trafoschutzrelais.de, your specialist for next-generation protection relays for power transformers and electrical motors. Our high-performance digital devices combine proven protection algorithms with modern communication protocols and AI-driven diagnostics — ensuring maximum reliability, fast fault detection and seamless integration into your SCADA or control systems.
Whether you operate medium- or high-voltage transformers, industrial motors, or complete energy systems, ICE protection relays deliver the performance, safety and visibility required for today’s demanding power environments.
Transformer and motor protection relays – customer references
Why Choose Our Protection Relays?
✅ Multi-Function Protection in One Device
One relay replaces multiple individual units:
- Differential protection
- Over-current / Earth-fault
- Voltage / Frequency protection
- Thermal & overload protection
- Locked-rotor and stall protection (motors)
- Start supervision, unbalance and phase-loss monitoring
- Transformer inrush detection & harmonic filtering
✅ Reduce Downtime, Increase Lifetime
Early fault detection prevents expensive transformer failures and motor burnouts. Our relays minimise:
- Unscheduled outages
- Thermal overload
- Mechanical stress on motors
- Energy losses
- Repair and replacement costs
✅ AI-Supported Predictive Maintenance
Using waveform capture, event logs and thermal data, the relay generates early indicators for:
- Winding degradation
- Phase imbalance
- Pending motor failures
- Transformer insulation ageing
- Harmonics & resonance issues
This enables condition-based maintenance instead of costly emergency repairs.
✅ IEC 61850 & Modern Interfaces
Our relays integrate into any automation system:
- IEC 61850 MMS & GOOSE
- Modbus TCP/RTU
- DNP3
- Webserver UI
- Fast event recording
Transformer Protection Relays
For MV/HV Transformers in Industrial Plants and Utility Networks
Our transformer protection relays provide full-spectrum protection for oil-filled and dry-type transformers.
Core Functions:
- Differential protection 87T
- Over-current 50/51
- Earth-fault 50N/51N
- Overload thermal monitoring
- Over-/Under-voltage 27/59
- Frequency protection 81
- Inrush blocking (2nd harmonic)
- Tank/temperature inputs
- Buchholz / pressure switch integration
Applications:
- Industrial substations
- Manufacturing & chemical plants
- Power utilities
- Wind farms, PV fields & storage systems
- Railway power systems (including 16.7 Hz grids)
Motor Protection Relays
For LV/MV Motors in Harsh Industrial Environments
Our motor protection relays are built for continuous operation in demanding facilities, including pumps, compressors, conveyors and production lines.
Core Functions:
- Thermal overload (ANSI 49) / electric motor overload protection
- Locked rotor / Stall protection
- Start-time supervision
- Phase failure / unbalance / reversal
- Undercurrent monitoring for pump protection
- Ground-fault monitoring
- Motor health and temperature trending
- AI-enhanced vibration/thermal anomaly detection
Benefits:
- Protects motors during start-up and heavy loads
- Prevents overheating and mechanical damage
- Extends bearing and winding life
- Reduces energy waste and unplanned stoppages
About ICE — smart protection for modern power systems
ICE (Innovative Controls for Energy) is a leading French manufacturer of digital protection relays for transformers, motors and industrial power systems. For over 75 years ICE has supplied protection and automation technology to utilities, heavy industry, EPCs, OEMs and renewable-energy operators worldwide.
ICE relays are known for:
- High reliability and European manufacturing
- Fast, accurate protection for MV/HV equipment
- IEC 61850, Modbus and DNP3 communication
- Multi-function protection in one compact device
- Detailed diagnostics and event recording
- Innovation: It spends 20% of its revenue for R&D.
With installations in more than 70 countries, ICE technology protects critical assets in chemical plants, data centers, rail networks, wind/PV farms and even nuclear facilities.
We partner with ICE because their products offer top-tier performance, short lead times, and future-ready digital protection for modern industrial and utility applications.
Industries We Serve
- Chemicals & heavy industry
- Utility & grid operators
- Oil, gas & water infrastructure
- Data centers & critical facilities
- Automotive and manufacturing plants
- Renewables: wind, PV, hydro, BESS
- Railway traction and substations
Tranformator protection relays, also for retrofit
How Our Protection System Works
1. Installation & Setup
Simple replacement or retrofit. CT/VT wiring matches standard configurations.
2. Real-Time Monitoring
Continuous analysis of current, voltage, harmonics, and thermal conditions.
3. Fast Fault Detection
Trip times as low as 2–5 ms prevent equipment damage and arc-flash events.
4. Data & AI Analytics
- Health score
- Event & disturbance records
- Trend curves
- Predictive maintenance alerts
5. SCADA / DCS Integration
IEC 61850, GOOSE and Modbus ensure instant communication and safe interlocking.
Key Advantages at a Glance
- One system for transformers and motors
- Full protection from overload to differential faults
- Rapid commissioning and intuitive configuration
- High-speed tripping performance
- Rugged construction for industrial environments
- Supports future digitalization and smart-grid requirements
- Lower total cost of ownership
Contact
Protect your electric equipment with next-generation reliability.
Request a quote for transformer or motor proctection relays, book a live demo or send us your technical requirements.
📞 Phone (Germany): +49 6151 7877805
📧 Email: info@trafoschutzrelais.de
FAQ – Transformer & Motor Protection Relays
1. What is a transformer protection relay and why is it needed?
A transformer protection relay is an intelligent device that monitors electrical and thermal conditions inside a transformer. It identifies faults such as short circuits, winding failures, earth faults, overloads, or abnormal voltage/frequency events. Without a protective relay, even small internal defects can escalate quickly and cause catastrophic failures, fires, long outages, or total transformer loss.
2. What is a motor protection relay and why is it essential for industrial motors?
A motor protection relay safeguards electric motors from conditions that cause overheating, mechanical stress, loss of torque, insulation damage, or breakdown. It protects against stall, overload, unbalance, phase failure, locked rotor, frequent starting, or dry-running (pumps). Motor relays substantially increase motor lifetime, reduce downtime, and prevent unplanned production stoppages.
3. Can one relay protect both transformers and motors?
Yes. Modern multi-function digital relays are capable of protecting both types of equipment by enabling different protection „profiles“. You can configure transformer protection, motor protection, feeder protection, or generator protection within one device depending on your requirements.
4. Are these relays suitable for retrofitting older installations?
Absolutely. The relays are designed for simple retrofit into existing panels using standard CT and VT ratios. They replace outdated electromechanical or static relays and bring older substations or motor control centers up to modern protection standards without major rewiring.
5. Does the relay support IEC 61850 and modern communication protocols?
Yes. Full support for IEC 61850 MMS and GOOSE, Modbus TCP/RTU, and DNP3 is included. This enables real-time communication with SCADA, DCS, PLCs, and substation automation systems, ensuring fast switching, interlocking and detailed status reporting.
6. Can the relay detect transformer inrush current correctly?
Yes. Advanced inrush detection with 2nd-harmonic restraint differentiates true faults from transformer energization. This prevents false tripping and increases system stability during switching operations.
7. How does AI-assisted predictive maintenance work?
The relay continuously records current, voltage, harmonics, temperature, and waveform data. AI algorithms analyze these patterns over time to:
- Detect anomalies in transformer winding temperature
- Identify early stages of motor bearing degradation
- Predict overload trends
- Highlight harmonic issues or resonance
- Estimate the remaining lifetime of components
The relay provides early warnings long before traditional protection would react.
8. How fast does the relay trip during faults?
Typical trip times are between 2–7 milliseconds, depending on the protection element. This fast response minimizes equipment damage, prevents arc-flash escalation, and enhances operator safety.
9. Can the relay record fault events for later analysis?
Yes. Each device includes:
- Fault records
- Disturbance files
- Oscillographic waveform captures
- Time-stamped event logs
- Sequence of events (SOE) with millisecond accuracy
These are essential for post-fault analysis, troubleshooting, and grid stability assessments.
10. What kind of transformer faults can the relay identify?
Typical transformer faults detected include:
- Internal winding short circuits
- Earth faults
- Phase faults
- Interturn faults
- Overexcitation
- Overload thermal stress
- Insulation degradation
- Temperature anomalies
- Buchholz or pressure-relay activation
- Voltage/frequency abnormalities
11. What kind of motor faults can the relay prevent?
The protection relays detect and prevent a wide range of motor issues, such as:
- Locked rotor
- Stall / jammed load
- Frequent starting
- Overcurrent during start-up
- Single phasing
- Phase reversal
- Undercurrent (pump dry-running)
- Thermal overload
- Mechanical friction increase
- Unbalanced load conditions
12. What industries typically use these protection relays?
They are widely used in:
- Power generation & utilities
- Chemical and petrochemical plants
- Manufacturing & heavy industry
- Mining & metals
- Oil and gas
- Water treatment
- HVAC, pumping stations & pipelines
- Data centers & semiconductor plants
- Wind, PV and hydro plants
- Railway traction substations
13. Can the relays be used on renewable energy systems?
Yes. They are installed on:
- Wind turbine transformers
- PV inverter transformers
- Battery-storage transformers
- PV station motors and tracking systems
- Hydro and pumped-storage motor drives
They handle fluctuating power quality, harmonics, and rapidly changing load conditions common in renewables.
14. What happens if a relay fails — does protection stop?
Relays are designed with self-supervision. In case of an internal device fault, they trigger alarm outputs and fallback mechanisms. Depending on configuration, the system can default to a safe shutdown mode. Many installations use redundant relays for critical transformers.
15. Are the relays compliant with international standards?
Yes. The relays comply with major protection and communication standards, including:
- IEC 60255
- IEC 61850
- IEC 60076 (transformer protection requirements)
- UL/CE electrical safety certifications
- Utility and industrial grid codes
16. How long does installation and commissioning take?
Typically 1–3 hours for replacement installations and 1–2 days for full panel upgrades. Pre-configured settings and auto-testing tools significantly accelerate commissioning.
17. Can the relay integrate temperature sensors or external devices?
Yes. You can connect:
- PT100/RTD temperature sensors
- Buchholz relays
- Pressure switches
- Fan/cooling controls
- Oil level switches
- Motor thermistors (PTC/NTC)
- Vibration sensors (via analog input modules)
18. What are the advantages over electromechanical relays?
Compared to old mechanical relays, digital protection relays provide:
- Higher accuracy and stability
- Faster fault clearing
- More protection functions per device
- Built-in self-monitoring
- Event recording and waveform capture
- Remote access and SCADA integration
- AI diagnostics and predictive maintenance
19. How often should the relay be tested or calibrated?
Most modern digital relays require testing every 3–5 years, depending on company standards. They include internal self-tests that monitor performance continuously.
20. Can these relays reduce energy losses?
Indirectly, yes. By ensuring motors and transformers operate within safe thermal and voltage limits, they:
- Prevent overload operation
- Improve power factor
- Reduce heat-related losses
- Extend asset life
- Increase operational efficiency
AI trending also helps optimize loading patterns.
21. What support is available for installation and configuration?
Customers can receive:
- Remote engineering support
- Commissioning assistance
- On-site installation
- Training for operators and technicians
- Custom parameter settings
- Integration help for IEC 61850
22. Can your protection relays replace Siemens, ABB or Schneider devices?
Yes. They are compatible in terms of:
- CT/VT inputs
- Protection functions
- Mounting dimensions (with retrofit frames)
- Communication protocols
- Trip logic and interlocking
Customers often choose ICE for faster delivery times, lower complexity, and AI-enhanced monitoring.
23. Are the relays suitable for harsh environments?
Yes. They are tested for:
- High vibration locations
- Extreme temperatures
- Dust, humidity and chemical exposure
- Industrial EMC requirements
They are frequently used in mining, offshore, chemical and railway applications.
24. Do the relays provide cybersecurity features?
Yes. Communication channels support:
- Role-based access
- Encrypted protocols
- Password protection
- Event logging
- Secure firmware updates
Compliant with modern industrial cybersecurity guidelines.
25. What documentation comes with each relay?
Each protection relay unit includes:
- Complete user manual
- Protection function guide
- Wiring diagrams
- Communication & IEC 61850 model
- Commissioning checklist
- Firmware release notes
In addition you can conact our technical support anytime or get onsite support / installation service.
26. How can I request a quote or technical consultation?
Simply send us info@trafoschutzrelais.de an email with your transformer/motor specifications to: info@trafoschutzrelais.de You can also request:
- A live demo
- A sample configuration file
- A data sheet bundle
- A consultation call
