Zhiwai compares SF6-free switchgear from Schneider Electric and Siemens

Zhiwai has published a document-based comparison of selected SF6-free medium-voltage switchgear from Schneider Electric and Siemens, focused on ratings, installation fit, environmental declarations and monitoring. The guide is aimed at buyers in Singapore and Malaysia weighing equipment choices by circuit duty and project requirements.

Why it matters: - Buyers in Singapore and Malaysia are evaluating SF6-free medium-voltage switchgear based on more than one feature. Circuit duty, installation fit, environmental documentation and monitoring support all affect whether a product works for a specific project. - Zhiwai’s guide is meant to help engineers, buyers and network operators compare Schneider Electric and Siemens offerings without relying on independent lab testing.

What happened: - Zhiwai reviewed selected SF6-free medium-voltage switchgear from Schneider Electric and Siemens using manufacturer documents, environmental declarations and published deployment records. - The comparison covers secondary gas-insulated switchgear, primary gas-insulated switchgear, secondary air-insulated switchgear and primary air-insulated switchgear. - The review is based on document evidence only.

The details: - RM AirSeT and Siemens 8DJH 24 blue GIS are positioned for secondary gas-insulated switchgear and ring main unit applications up to 24 kV. - GM AirSeT and Siemens NXPLUS C 24 can be compared for primary gas-insulated applications where ratings overlap. - SM AirSeT is a secondary air-insulated switchgear product, while MCSeT with EvoPacT HVX is a primary air-insulated switchgear product. - A shared voltage rating does not mean equivalent electrical performance. - Buyers need to compare busbar and feeder current ratings, short-time withstand current, duration, and making and breaking duties separately. - A 33 kV project requires separate review of suitable 36 kV-class equipment, plus local availability and utility acceptance. - Pure Air and Clean Air use natural components of atmospheric air and do not use fluorinated greenhouse gases. - Schneider Electric states a global warming potential of zero for its air insulation. - Siemens publishes a global warming potential below one for Clean Air. - Those figures describe the insulating media, not full lifecycle impacts of the equipment. - For load switching, RM AirSeT uses a three-position switch-disconnector with Shunt Vacuum Interruption. - The 8DJH 24 load-break switch uses a vacuum interrupter in an auxiliary path. - Primary circuit-breaker versions require separate review of their ratings and operating arrangements. - Siemens states that 8DJH 24 keeps the compact dimensions of its SF6-based predecessor. - Schneider Electric says SM AirSeT keeps the same footprint and connection positions as SM6 and uses familiar operation. - Those fit claims apply to different equipment categories and product families. - Buyers should verify cubicle dimensions, cable interfaces, foundations, clearances, protection and extension arrangements for the exact replacement being proposed. - Configuration-specific documentation should be checked against the applicable edition of IEC 62271-200. - Buyers should confirm internal-arc classification, loss-of-service-continuity category and partition class where relevant, along with test conditions and coverage of the offered arrangement. - Reliability should be assessed through switching endurance, maintenance requirements, operating references and available failure data. - Schneider Electric’s 2025 framework agreement with E.ON followed a Westnetz pilot and covers GM AirSeT primary switchgear and RM AirSeT secondary switchgear. - Siemens reports an 8DJH 24 installation with Netze BW operating since fall 2020. - Those records show procurement and deployment experience, not comparative failure rates. - Schneider Electric’s SM AirSeT-DMVL-A Product Environmental Profile covers the declared SM configuration. - Siemens’ externally verified ISO 14025 declaration, NEPD-7270-6672-EN, covers an 8DJH 24 RRT block and excludes low-voltage components. - Neither document covers an entire portfolio. - Buyers should compare declarations only after checking functional units, reference lifetimes, load assumptions, lifecycle boundaries and program comparability requirements. - Connected AirSeT configurations can integrate condition data with EcoStruxure. - Siemens offers sensors and communications interfaces for blue GIS. - Buyers should specify the sensor package, monitored parameters, protocols, supervisory-system integration, software or service fees, cybersecurity responsibilities and local response commitments. - Standard features, optional features and service-dependent functions should be separated in the bid review.

Between the lines: - Zhiwai is steering buyers away from headline claims about SF6-free technology and toward configuration-level scrutiny. - The guide suggests that environmental claims, monitoring features and compactness only matter if they match the project’s actual duty, interfaces and operating model. - The comparisons also show that similar voltage classes can still differ on ratings, fit and lifecycle documentation.

What's next: - Buyers will need to request configuration-specific type-test data, environmental declarations and installation drawings before making a procurement decision. - Zhiwai’s recommended next step is to start with circuit duty, then check type-test coverage, installation interfaces, environmental declarations and the monitoring and support included in the bid.

The bottom line: - The right SF6-free switchgear choice depends on the exact configuration, not just the brand or the voltage rating.