Clipsal MAX9 New Energy Protection Kit with MAXBAR+

The transition to solar energy and electric-powered appliances is rapidly growing in Australia. Ensuring electrical safety in residential switchboards is crucial as the demand for electric vehicles and energy-intensive appliances puts an immense strain on electrical systems. To prevent overloads that potentially lead to overheating, damage, and potential fire hazards, it is essential to help end users understand the function and necessity of circuit protection. The design challenge was to provide innovations that rectify pain points for electricians seen in legacy or competitor products during the installation process while also making the product more relevant to the residential homeowner.

With Clipsal’s MAX9 circuit breakers as the foundation for the MAXBAR+ protection kit, it is the leading product available in the market for electricians as it is one of the neatest and fastest installation systems. MAXBAR+ simplifies the installation process by using clear icon indicators that ensure grid, solar, and battery sources are positioned in a way that optimises energy flow. This design ensures the energy passing through the busbar remains within the system’s limits, whereas competitor busbars lack this fail-safe mechanism. In addition, MAXBAR+ includes a dedicated circuit breaker for the residential general loads, adding an extra safety barrier.

Circuit protection is often seen as a technical product, rather than something that is the focus of quality design. Clipsal understood that the lack of attention in this area would negatively impact electricians’ jobs and potentially risk the safety of our end users. Through incorporating the design team into this product, it allowed Clipsal to achieve a higher quality look and feel than its price point would suggest and the system approach reinforces a perception of quality and innovation around the brand. The MAXBAR+ kit also brings our end users one step closer towards fully understanding their home’s electric ecosystem.

•Futureproof electrical switchboards by allocating space on the busbar for solar, battery, and EV charging •Protects switchboard against overloading from bi-directional and multiple energy sources •Easy-to-understand pictograms ensuring correct placement of protection devices •Busbars help prevent bad terminations and potential hazards such as hot joints •Faster, neater, tidier, and more professional-looking installations with busbars •Simple selection process with 1P & 3P kits