Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M — Specs & Selection Guide

By Abdullah Zahid
14 min read
Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M residual current protection relay mounted on DIN rail in industrial control panel

Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M Residual Current Relay: Specifications, Sensitivity Range and Selection Guide

When a controls engineer or panel builder searches for the Schneider Electric 56170, they are typically at one of two moments: replacing a relay in an existing ComPacT-equipped panel, or validating that this part fits a new design before committing to an order. The 56170 is the VigiPacT RH99M — a standalone residual current protection relay that monitors for earth leakage faults across a sensitivity range of 30mA to 30A and coordinates with ComPacT circuit breakers to trip within 40 milliseconds. It runs on 12-24VAC (50-60Hz) or 12-48VDC control power, mounts on a standard DIN rail at 54mm wide, and delivers manual reset with reinforced overvoltage category IV insulation.

If you have already confirmed this is the right part, check current pricing and availability for the Schneider Electric 56170 at LeadTime.ca — ships worldwide.

Who Should Buy the Schneider Electric 56170 — and Who Shouldn't

The Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M is the right choice for panel builders and electrical integrators who are already operating within a Schneider ComPacT ecosystem and need a proven standalone residual current relay with manual reset behavior. It fits when all of the following are true:

  • Your control circuit supplies 12-24VAC (50-60Hz) or 12-48VDC — confirm this with a meter before ordering
  • The earth leakage fault threshold required falls within the 30mA to 30A adjustable range
  • Your DIN rail panel has a minimum of 54mm contiguous width available for mounting
  • Manual reset after a fault trip is acceptable — or required — by your site safety procedure
  • Your circuit breaker is a ComPacT model, or you have confirmed toroid compatibility with an existing breaker
  • Overvoltage category IV insulation is a procurement requirement or adds value for your electrical environment

If your application demands automatic self-reset for lights-out or continuous operation, the VigiPacT RH99 automatic-reset variant is the correct choice instead. If your site operates only higher-voltage AC supplies without a 12-48VDC or 12-24VAC control circuit, this relay will not energize and a different product family is required.

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What the Schneider Electric 56170 Actually Does in a Live Panel

The 56170 is a monitoring relay, not a circuit breaker. This distinction matters at the ordering stage: the VigiPacT RH99M detects earth leakage current and signals a connected circuit breaker to trip — it does not interrupt the circuit on its own. This relay-only architecture is precisely why panel builders specify it when a ComPacT breaker is already sized and installed for main circuit protection. Adding the 56170 layers residual current detection without replacing or upsizing the breaker, which eliminates a significant cost and panel redesign.

The relay continuously monitors three things simultaneously: the control power supply, the toroid link between relay and breaker, and its own internal electronics. This continuous self-monitoring architecture means the 56170 will flag a diagnostic fault if the toroid cable is severed or control voltage drops — it does not silently fail into an unprotected state. The reinforced insulation rated to overvoltage category IV confirms this relay can sit in close proximity to switching equipment and power distribution without degradation from transient voltage events. Access to the sensitivity adjustment is protected by a lead-sealable cover or password, satisfying tamper-resistance requirements in regulated manufacturing environments.

The adjustable sensitivity from 30mA to 30A covers both personnel protection thresholds and equipment-level leakage detection on heavier industrial circuits. The 40-millisecond coordination response with ComPacT breakers is a manufacturer-verified figure from official Schneider Electric documentation — competitive for personnel protection applications where faster fault clearing directly reduces injury severity.

Typical System Architecture for the VigiPacT RH99M

The 56170 sits between the control power supply and the ComPacT circuit breaker's trip input, acting as the detection and signaling layer in the earth leakage protection chain. A typical deployment looks like this:

  • Control circuit power source (12-24VAC or 12-48VDC) feeds the relay's supply terminals
  • The 56170 continuously monitors the toroid link — the toroid is integrated in ComPacT breakers or supplied externally for other breaker types
  • Phase and neutral conductors pass through the toroid sensing window; any imbalance above the set threshold is detected
  • On fault detection, the relay output de-energizes the ComPacT trip coil within 40 milliseconds, opening the circuit
  • Alarm contacts can simultaneously activate external indicators — beacons, horns, or SCADA inputs — for fault notification upstream

Where the 56170 Gets Specified: Industries and Use Cases

Industrial manufacturing facilities represent the primary deployment environment for the 56170. In multi-stage production lines, each machine circuit can carry its own residual current relay so a fault on one leg does not cascade through the panel. This relay is especially common in retrofit scenarios where the main ComPacT breaker is already installed and the project scope is to add earth leakage monitoring without a full panel rebuild.

Water treatment and distribution systems frequently specify residual current relays on motor circuits and pump control panels. The 12-48VDC supply compatibility makes the 56170 practical for remote pump stations that run on battery-backed DC control systems where standard 230VAC control power is unavailable.

Switchgear OEMs and electrical panel assemblers building to customer specifications with Schneider ComPacT breakers as the primary protection device find the 56170 a natural companion. The established supply chain for Schneider Electric products means consistent availability for ongoing panel builds without sourcing exceptions.

Portable or temporary power distribution setups — including mobile generator distribution boards for construction sites or event power — benefit from the manual reset requirement: a technician must physically verify and reset the relay after any fault trip before power can be restored, which is the correct safety behavior in temporary installations with variable cable routing.

Application Typical Deployment
Industrial machinery retrofit Added to existing ComPacT-protected machine circuit to layer earth leakage detection without breaker replacement
Water treatment pump panels DC control circuit power (12-48VDC) on remote pump stations; manual reset confirms safe restart
Switchgear OEM panel builds Paired with ComPacT breakers in new-build control enclosures; DIN rail mounting on standard 35mm rail
Portable power distribution Temporary site generator boards requiring manual fault verification before re-energization
Commercial HVAC control panels 24VAC control circuits with earth leakage monitoring on compressor and fan motor branches
Food and beverage processing Regulated environments requiring tamper-resistant sensitivity settings and personnel protection at 30mA threshold

Specifications and Variant Comparison for the Schneider Electric 56170

Specification Value
Supply Voltage 12-24VAC (50-60Hz) or 12-48VDC
Sensitivity Range 30mA to 30A (adjustable)
Reset Type Manual
Trip Response Time 40 milliseconds (coordination with ComPacT circuit breakers)
Mounting Type DIN rail (standard 35mm)
Dimensions (W x H x D) 54mm x 81mm x 74mm
Insulation Category Overvoltage Category IV (reinforced insulation)
Monitoring Architecture Continuous monitoring of power supply, toroid link, and internal electronics
Settings Protection Lead-sealable cover or password
EAN Code 3303430561705

Full technical specifications are available on the product page at LeadTime.ca.

Model Sensitivity Range Supply Voltage Reset Type Key Difference Choose When
Schneider Electric 56170 (VigiPacT RH99M) 30mA to 30A 12-24VAC / 12-48VDC Manual Reinforced insulation; ComPacT integration; continuous self-monitoring Schneider ComPacT ecosystem; manual reset required or acceptable
VigiPacT RH99 (auto-reset variant) 30mA to 30A 12-24VAC / 12-48VDC Automatic Same sensitivity range; self-resetting after fault clears Continuous or lights-out operation where manual intervention is not acceptable

If your site procedure requires automatic fault recovery without operator intervention, the VigiPacT RH99 automatic-reset variant is the correct specification — check current availability and confirm the right variant at LeadTime.ca.

Expert Verdict: Is the 56170 the Right Relay for Your Project?

The Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M earns its place in industrial panels because it solves a specific problem cleanly: adding earth leakage protection to an existing ComPacT-equipped circuit without replacing or re-engineering the main breaker. The 40-millisecond trip coordination is a manufacturer-verified performance figure, not marketing language, and it holds up in applications where personnel protection response time is a design criterion. The continuous self-monitoring of power supply, toroid link, and internal electronics means this relay does not silently degrade — it tells you when something is wrong with the monitoring chain itself. Overvoltage category IV insulation is the right specification for industrial environments with frequent switching surges. The buyer this relay fits best is a panel builder or controls integrator who has standardized on Schneider ComPacT protection, runs 12-24VAC or 12-48VDC control circuits, and operates sites where a manual reset after fault trip is a safety feature rather than an inconvenience.

The 56170 is honestly not the right choice for every project. If your operation demands zero-downtime, lights-out manufacturing where manual reset would require an unacceptable plant shutdown, the VigiPacT RH99 automatic-reset variant removes that constraint. If your broader automation platform leans toward other major brands and the ComPacT toroid integration creates additional verification overhead, the setup friction may outweigh the benefit of brand familiarity. The sensitivity range of 30mA to 30A is broad enough for most industrial applications, but if your application requires multi-configurable threshold profiles or solid-state relay architecture for extended cycle life, those requirements point toward a different product family entirely.

From a procurement standpoint, the 56170 is an active product — Schneider Electric confirms it has not been replaced as of 2026 — and it carries standard distributor availability with typical lead times measured in days rather than weeks. The single most important step before placing an order is confirming toroid compatibility with your existing circuit breaker model. A mismatch here is the most common source of installation failure and re-order delays. Ordering through a specialist distributor who validates voltage, sensitivity, and toroid compatibility before shipping is a practical safeguard that prevents costly do-overs. View current pricing and availability for the Schneider Electric 56170 at LeadTime.ca — we ship worldwide.

For volume pricing or to confirm lead time before committing to a build, contact the LeadTime.ca team directly — we ship worldwide.

What Engineers Need to Know Before Ordering the 56170

Because the Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M is a specialist protection relay serving a defined role in the Schneider ComPacT ecosystem, most of the technical questions buyers encounter are not discussed in general automation forums — they arise at the panel layout stage, during commissioning, or when a replacement relay is needed urgently and the original installation documentation is incomplete. This is precisely where pre-order technical validation matters more than price comparison.

The three mistakes that generate the most field problems with this relay are supply voltage mismatches, toroid positioning errors, and sensitivity setting misselection. On voltage: technicians who assume all control circuits run at 24VAC without metering the actual panel supply will install a relay that never energizes — leaving earth leakage faults completely undetected. On toroid positioning: the toroid must be positioned so fault current passes through the toroid window, not simply near the breaker. A toroid coiled around the breaker housing rather than around the trip coil wire will read zero fault current regardless of actual leakage. On sensitivity: selecting a 30A threshold on a circuit that requires 30mA personnel protection creates a safety gap — a 50mA leakage event will not trip the relay. These are not edge cases; they are the documented failure patterns for this product class.

The protected settings access feature — a lead-sealable cover or password — exists precisely because inadvertent or unauthorized sensitivity adjustments have real consequences. In regulated environments such as pharmaceutical manufacturing or food processing, the ability to seal and audit the sensitivity setting is a procurement requirement, not an optional feature. If your site standard calls for post-installation verification that settings match the design specification, the 56170's protected access architecture directly supports that compliance step. When community documentation for a specific part is sparse, the correct response is to engage a technical distributor who can validate specifications against your panel documentation before the order ships — not to proceed on assumption.

Wiring and Installation Overview for the Schneider Electric 56170

The following overview covers the key steps and verification points for installing the 56170. For complete wiring diagrams and step-by-step procedures, refer to the official Schneider Electric datasheet and installation manual available through se.com.

  • Confirm control circuit supply voltage with a multimeter before terminating any wires — the relay accepts 12-24VAC (50-60Hz) or 12-48VDC; connecting to an out-of-range supply will prevent the relay from energizing
  • Mount the relay on a 35mm DIN rail with a minimum 54mm contiguous width; snap the relay firmly until it seats without gaps and cannot be dislodged by hand
  • Connect the toroid link correctly — for ComPacT breakers, use the toroid cable as specified in the breaker documentation; for other breaker types, loop the external toroid core around the trip coil cable so fault current passes through the toroid window
  • Set the sensitivity adjustment dial to the required mA or ampere threshold per the design specification before energizing — personnel protection circuits typically require 30mA; use a plastic adjustment tool and do not force the dial past its stops
  • After initial power-on, verify the LED status indicator illuminates and perform a manual fault simulation to confirm the relay trips the breaker within 40 milliseconds; reset via the manual reset button and confirm the relay returns to a ready state before sealing the settings cover

Wrong-Part Prevention Checklist for the Schneider Electric 56170

Before placing your order, work through every item on this checklist. Each point corresponds to a documented failure mode or ordering mistake for this relay class.

  1. Confirm supply voltage available at control circuit matches 12-24VAC (50-60Hz) or 12-48VDC requirement
  2. Verify earth leakage fault threshold needed in application falls within 30mA to 30A range
  3. Confirm DIN rail mounting is required and panel has minimum 54mm contiguous width
  4. Check whether manual reset (as provided) or automatic reset is required by site procedure
  5. Verify ComPacT circuit breaker model in use or confirm toroid compatibility if upgrading existing installation
  6. Confirm cable entry orientation and conduit routing will not conflict with control terminals
  7. Check that overvoltage category IV rating meets site electrical environment classification
  8. Verify country of manufacture (India per distributor listings) meets procurement requirements if applicable

If any item on this checklist raises a question before you order, contact the LeadTime.ca technical team — we can validate compatibility against your panel documentation before the order ships, worldwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the Schneider Electric 56170 still an active product or has it been discontinued?

The 56170 VigiPacT RH99M is an active product. Schneider Electric confirms that this model has not been replaced as of 2026. It carries standard distributor availability with typical lead times from authorized stock rather than special-order lead times. If you are replacing an existing unit and need to confirm current availability, check the product page or contact a specialist distributor before committing to a maintenance window.

Can the 56170 be used with circuit breakers other than ComPacT models?

The 56170 is designed and verified for coordination with Schneider ComPacT circuit breakers. Use with other breaker types is possible if external toroid compatibility is confirmed — but this requires cross-referencing the breaker's trip coil documentation with the toroid specifications for the relay. Do not assume compatibility; verify against the breaker manual or contact Schneider Electric technical support before specifying the relay in a non-ComPacT installation.

What is the practical difference between manual reset and automatic reset for this relay?

The 56170 provides manual reset only: after a fault trip, the relay requires a deliberate manual action — pressing the reset button — before the circuit can be re-energized. This is a safety feature in installations where an operator must physically verify that a fault has been cleared before restoring power. If your site requires the relay to recover automatically once the fault clears — for example, in remote or lights-out locations where manual intervention is impractical — the VigiPacT RH99 automatic-reset variant is the correct specification.

What sensitivity setting should I select for personnel protection versus equipment protection?

Personnel protection applications — where the risk is direct human contact with a live conductor — typically require a 30mA sensitivity setting, which is the minimum threshold on the 56170. Equipment protection circuits, where the goal is detecting insulation degradation on motors or cables, typically use higher thresholds ranging from 100mA up to 30A depending on circuit size and the acceptable leakage level before tripping. The sensitivity setting must be specified in the design document before installation; do not select a threshold on-site without a written reference to the design specification.

What does the continuous monitoring feature actually protect against in the field?

The 56170's continuous monitoring covers three systems simultaneously: the control power supply, the toroid link between the relay and the circuit breaker, and the relay's internal electronics. This means if the toroid cable is damaged or disconnected, or if control voltage drops, the relay generates a diagnostic fault rather than silently failing into an unprotected state. In critical applications — water treatment, medical manufacturing, food processing — this self-diagnostic behavior is a significant operational advantage over relays that only report a fault when a leakage event occurs.

Does the overvoltage category IV rating affect how I install or specify this relay?

Overvoltage category IV indicates the relay is rated to withstand transient overvoltages at the origin of the installation — near the power source, in switchgear, or in circuits exposed to high switching surges. If your panel is located close to the main distribution point or operates in an environment with frequent voltage transients, the category IV rating confirms the 56170 is correctly specified for that environment. If your project specification sheet includes an overvoltage category requirement, verify that category IV meets or exceeds that requirement before finalizing the selection.

Why Order the Schneider Electric 56170 from LeadTime.ca

  • Ships worldwide — LeadTime.ca sources and ships to any location, not limited to a single country or region
  • Technical validation before order placement — specialist team can cross-check your control circuit voltage, sensitivity requirement, and breaker model before the order ships
  • Hard-to-find and replacement parts — if standard distributor channels are out of stock, LeadTime.ca sources from authorized supply networks
  • Volume pricing available — contact for current pricing on multi-unit orders or recurring panel build requirements
  • Fast response — quotations and availability confirmations turned around quickly for procurement teams working against build schedules

At-a-Glance Summary: Schneider Electric 56170 VigiPacT RH99M

  • Official product name: Residual current protection relay, VigiPacT RH99M — catalog number 56170
  • Supply voltage: 12-24VAC (50-60Hz) or 12-48VDC — must match control circuit before ordering
  • Sensitivity range: 30mA to 30A adjustable — 30mA for personnel protection; higher settings for equipment circuits
  • Trip response: 40 milliseconds coordination with ComPacT circuit breakers — manufacturer-verified figure
  • Reset type: Manual only — automatic-reset applications require the VigiPacT RH99 variant
  • Mounting: DIN rail, 54mm W x 81mm H x 74mm D — confirm panel space before ordering
  • Insulation: Overvoltage category IV (reinforced) — suitable for switching-heavy industrial environments
  • Self-monitoring: Continuous monitoring of power supply, toroid link, and internal electronics — no silent failure mode
  • Settings protection: Lead-sealable cover or password — required in regulated manufacturing environments
  • Product status: Active, not replaced as of 2026 — standard availability through authorized distributors
  • EAN code: 3303430561705 — use for inventory tracking and order verification

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