CITEL — DS50PV-1000 Type 2 PV surge protector
A pluggable Type 2 PV surge arrester certified to the PV-specific EN 50539-11 and UL 1449 — with mechanical status flags and an optional remote contact.
Reviewed 6 October 2026
CITEL’s DS50PV-1000 is a Type 2 surge protective device for the DC side of a photovoltaic system. It is specified for a nominal PV voltage of 1,000 V DC (maximum PV operating voltage 1,060 V DC), with a nominal discharge current (In) of 20 kA, maximum discharge current (Imax) of 40 kA, a protection level of 3.6 kV at In and a residual voltage of 3 kV at 5 kA.
The standards listed are the right family for this job: IEC/EN 61643-31 and EN 50539-11 (the PV-specific SPD standards) and UL 1449 ed. 5, with UL certification. It protects in common and differential mode, has an internal thermal disconnector, a mechanical red/green indicator on each pole, and a variant (DS50PVS-1000) with a remote-signalling changeover contact.
Practicalities: it is a 35 mm DIN-rail unit with IP20 protection and a UL 94 V-0 housing, so it belongs in a DC distribution box. Terminals take 4–25 mm², operating range is −40 °C to +85 °C, and it weighs 268 g.
For Installers & Engineers
Deeper technical detail beyond the homeowner-facing summary above.
The short-circuit withstand is 1,000 A. Check this against the prospective fault current of your array — for a few strings it is ample, but a large paralleled array can exceed it. Our DEHNcombo review lists the same 1,000 A figure.
Comparing protection levels across datasheets needs care: CITEL gives 3.6 kV at In (20 kA); OBO’s V20 is listed at under 4.0 kV at maximum open-circuit voltage. Test conditions differ, so these are not a like-for-like ranking. The real check is your inverter’s DC-input surge withstand against the SPD’s protection level.
The plain DS50PV-1000 has only mechanical flags — you must open the box to see a tripped module. The remote-contact variant (DS50PVS-1000) lets a monitoring system flag a failed arrester, which is worth the difference in an unattended plant.
This is a Type 2 device. It does not handle direct lightning current; where an external lightning-protection system is specified, a Type 1 + 2 device such as the DEHNcombo we reviewed may be required — a design decision.
The Scorecard
How we scoreStandards & Safety Compliance
Lists the PV-specific EN 50539-11 and IEC/EN 61643-31 alongside UL 1449, with UL certification. Held back only because no India-specific approval is stated.
Build Quality & Durability
UL 94 V-0 housing, a thermal disconnector and a −40 °C to +85 °C range are good; IP20 means the box provides the weather protection.
Fit & Ease of Use
Pluggable DIN-rail unit with per-pole indicators and an optional remote contact; the base version needs a visual check.
Documentation, Warranty & Support
A clear electrical table, but no warranty term, India route or datasheet date on the page we read.
Value for Money
Not assessed — we have not sourced a current India price.
Strengths
- Certified to the PV-specific EN 50539-11 and IEC/EN 61643-31, plus UL 1449 ed. 5
- 20 kA In / 40 kA Imax with a 3.6 kV protection level at In
- Per-pole mechanical status indicators and an internal thermal disconnector
- Remote-signalling variant available; wide −40 °C to +85 °C range
Watch-outs
- IP20 — it must be installed inside a weatherproof enclosure
- Type 2 only; no lightning-current (Type 1) rating
- Short-circuit withstand of 1,000 A should be compared with the array’s fault current
- No warranty or India distributor is stated on the product page
Datasheet Specifications
| Type / classification | Type 2 PV surge protective device · common / differential mode |
|---|---|
| PV voltage | Nominal 1,000 V DC · max operating Ucpv 1,060 V DC |
| Discharge currents | In 20 kA · Imax 40 kA |
| Protection level | 3.6 kV at In · residual 3 kV at 5 kA |
| Short-circuit withstand | 1,000 A |
| Standards | IEC 61643-31 · EN 61643-31 · EN 50539-11 · UL 1449 ed. 5 (UL certified) |
| Indicators / signalling | Red/green mechanical indicator per pole · internal thermal disconnector · remote contact on DS50PVS-1000 variant |
| Enclosure / mounting | IP20 · UL 94 V-0 · 35 mm DIN rail · 0.268 kg |
| Temperature / terminals | −40 °C to +85 °C · 4–25 mm² |
| Warranty / India approval | Not found on the product page as retrieved |
Specifications marked “datasheet-stated” are manufacturer figures we have not independently measured. Always confirm the exact model on its current datasheet before purchase.
Open the manufacturer’s datasheet for CITEL DS50PV-1000 Type 2 PV surge protectorWho It’s For
- Installers fitting DC-side surge protection in a DCDB for strings up to 1,000 V DC
- Designs that need certification to the PV-specific SPD standard rather than a generic AC SPD standard
- Plants that will use the remote-contact variant for fault alerting
Our Verdict
A properly certified Type 2 PV surge arrester with clear electrical data. Choose the remote-contact variant if the plant is unattended, put it inside a weatherproof box, and check that its protection level sits comfortably below your inverter’s DC-input surge withstand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a Type 1 and a Type 2 surge protector?
Type 1 devices are designed to handle partial lightning current, while Type 2 devices handle the smaller surges that reach a system through the wiring. The DS50PV-1000 is Type 2.
Which standard should a DC surge arrester meet?
Look for PV-specific certification such as EN 50539-11 or IEC/EN 61643-31. The CITEL DS50PV-1000 lists both, along with UL 1449 ed. 5.
How do I know if the surge arrester has failed?
This model shows a mechanical red/green flag per pole and has an internal thermal disconnector. The DS50PVS-1000 variant adds a remote contact so a logger or monitoring system can report it.
Data Provenance
- Verified on
- 6 October 2026
- ALMM status
- Unknown — verify directly
- Source datasheet
- View official manufacturer datasheet
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No paid rankings, no affiliate links. No manufacturer can pay for a score or a place on this page. We review published specifications and field reality against a transparent methodology — we are not a laboratory, and we never present a number as a test we did not run.