AVX Intros New VC Series Medium-Power Varistors

AVX Corp. (Myrtle Beach, SC), a manufacturer and supplier of passive electronic components and related products, introduced the VC Series of medium-power varistors to protect against automotive-related transients. The new varistor series offers both EMC filtering and large energy transient suppression in a single package. The devices are capable of "jump-start" and "load-dump" conditions, and exhibit little or no degradation to repetitive electrical surges.

The VC Series provide complete solutions to inductively generated transients (ISO 7637) and are load-dump-rated to 25 J. The varistors are a natural extension of the AVX communication bus protection series – the LIN, CAN and J1850, and are suitable in suppressing transients in hybrid vehicle applications such as regenerative braking, electric drive and engine start/stop transition circuitry.

The VC Series features Pd/Ag terminations and is available in case sizes 1206 to 2220. The varistors can be specified to different levels of load-dump and jump-start test requirements, and provide a broad EMC response as a result of intentional capacitance built into the varistor. Operating voltages are from 14 Vrms to 34 Vdc, and the operating temperature range is from –55 °C to +125 °C. Pricing starts at $0.25 each for the VJ13 Series. Lead times are from stock to 10 weeks.