Products · Malaysia
Schneider Acti9 iPRD surge arresters (SPD) in Malaysia: which one, what the numbers mean, and prices
A surge protective device (SPD), or surge arrester, sits in the distribution board and diverts brief voltage spikes, such as those from nearby lightning, to earth. Malaysia gets a lot of lightning, so “should I add an SPD?” comes up constantly in electrical groups. Schneider’s modular SPD line on its Malaysian list is the Acti9 iPRD.
Schneider Acti9 iPRD surge arresters
Schneider's Acti9 iPRD modular surge arresters (SPDs) on Schneider Malaysia's product list: 26 references, iPRD8, 20, 40 and 65 in 1P to 4P, with 'r' versions for remote signalling. Rows shown are the 1P+N and 3P+N models.
- Function
- Surge protective device for the distribution board, with replaceable cartridges
- Type
- Type 2 (iPRD20/40/65); iPRD8 is a secondary arrester near loads (Type 2 and 3 values given)
- Risk level (Schneider)
- iPRD20 'medium', iPRD40 'high' risk level, for the incoming panel board (pages checked)
- Earthing
- Compatible with TT and TN-S on the iPRD20 and iPRD40 pages; Malaysian homes use TT
- Voltage protection level Up
- 1.4 kV common mode as Type 2; 1.0–1.6 kV differential mode (pages checked; 2021 list gives 1.6 kV for iPRD40)
- Width
- 36 mm for the 1P+N pages checked
- Malaysian list
- 26 references; IT-system 460 V versions also listed; Easy9 SPD has a Malaysian range page but no products on the list; iPRD65 only as iPRD65r, with two 3P+N references (A9L65301, A9L65601)
| Model | Configuration |
|---|---|
| A9L08500 | Acti9 iPRD8, 1P+N, 8 kA |
| A9L08501 | Acti9 iPRD8r, 1P+N, 8 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L20500 | Acti9 iPRD20, 1P+N, 20 kA |
| A9L20501 | Acti9 iPRD20r, 1P+N, 20 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L40500 | Acti9 iPRD40, 1P+N, 40 kA |
| A9L40501 | Acti9 iPRD40r, 1P+N, 40 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L65501 | Acti9 iPRD65r, 1P+N, 65 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L08600 | Acti9 iPRD8, 3P+N, 8 kA |
| A9L08601 | Acti9 iPRD8r, 3P+N, 8 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L20600 | Acti9 iPRD20, 3P+N, 20 kA |
| A9L20601 | Acti9 iPRD20r, 3P+N, 20 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L40600 | Acti9 iPRD40, 3P+N, 40 kA |
| A9L40601 | Acti9 iPRD40r, 3P+N, 40 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L65301 | Acti9 iPRD65r, 3P+N, 65 kA, remote signalling |
| A9L65601 | Acti9 iPRD65r, 3P+N, 65 kA, remote signalling |
Sources
- Schneider Acti 9 iPF K, iPRD range (Malaysia)
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L08500
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L08501
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L20500
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L20501
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L40500
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L40501
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L65501
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L08600
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L08601
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L20600
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L20601
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L40600
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L40601
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L65301
- Schneider Electric Malaysia – A9L65601
What Schneider Malaysia lists
As of 6 October 2026, Schneider Malaysia’s iPRD list has 26 references:
- Models: iPRD8, iPRD20, iPRD40 and iPRD65. The number is the maximum discharge current (Imax) in kA.
- Remote signalling: an “r” version (iPRD20r, iPRD40r and so on) adds remote reporting of the “cartridge must be changed” message. iPRD65 is listed only as iPRD65r, including two 3P+N references (A9L65301 and A9L65601).
- Poles: 1P, 1P+N, 2P, 3P, 3P+N and 4P. A typical single-phase house uses 1P+N; a three-phase house uses 3P+N.
- Voltage: 350V models for normal supplies, plus a few 460V models for IT earthing systems, which homes don’t use.
Schneider Malaysia also has a page for an Easy9 SPD range, but its Malaysian product list for that range is empty. Schneider’s other modular SPDs on the Malaysian list are the single-piece iPF K (eight references) and the iPRF1 / PRD1 range of Type 1 and Type 1+2 arresters (seven references, including the iPRD1 12.5r).
What the numbers mean
From the Malaysian product pages we checked:
- Type 2: the iPRD20 and iPRD40 pages describe Type 2 arresters for the incoming board, and the 2021 price list groups iPRD65 under Type 2 too. Schneider describes the iPRD20 as recommended for a “medium risk level” and the iPRD40 for a “high risk level”.
- Imax and In: Imax is the largest surge the device is rated to divert. The 2021 list gives 8, 20, 40 and 65kA for the models of those names, and the iPRD8 page gives a nominal discharge current (In) of 2.5kA.
- Up (voltage protection level): the voltage that gets through to your wiring during a surge. Lower is better. The iPRD40 1P+N page gives 1.4kV; the iPRD40r page and the 2021 list give 1.6kV between live and neutral. The iPRD20 page gives 1.1kV between live and neutral.
- Earthing: the iPRD20 and iPRD40 pages state compatibility with TT and TN-S earthing. Malaysian homes use TT, where the house has its own earth rod.
- Replaceable cartridges: when a cartridge reaches end of life it can be swapped. The “r” versions can signal that remotely.
- iPRD8: a smaller secondary arrester. Schneider says it’s needed “when the loads to be protected are at a distance of more than 10m from the incoming surge arrester”.
The iPRD1 12.5r is different. Schneider describes it as a Type 1+2 device with an integrated circuit breaker, protecting “against direct and indirect transient overvoltages”.
Do you need one, and which?
ST’s domestic wiring guideline makes an SPD depend on a lightning risk assessment under MS IEC 62305. A consulting engineer or an ST-registered electrical contractor carries this out. In ST’s example layouts, the SPD sits after the main switch and before the RCCBs.
Electricians in Malaysian groups add a practical condition: an SPD needs a good earth to discharge into. Some aim for under 10 ohms before fitting one, which is stricter than the 200-ohm requirement for RCD protection. Others push back that getting that low can be expensive, and some called SPDs in new houses little more than decoration. Our earthing and surge guide covers the earth test, placement and why houses trip in storms.
Your electrician can choose, for example between iPRD20 and iPRD40, using Schneider’s “medium” and “high” risk guidance and the assessment. The SPD also needs its own upstream protection. In ST’s example layouts it’s fed through its own MCB or fuse, and Schneider’s pages give an associated circuit-breaker breaking capacity of up to 50kA.
Prices: the 2021 list, shop prices, and listings without a reference
Schneider Malaysia’s August 2021 price list, hosted by a Malaysian seller, gives these index prices in RM before trade discounts. The catalogue table in the same PDF is about 4% lower.
| Model | Reference | 2021 list price |
|---|---|---|
| iPRD20, 1P+N | A9L20500 | RM726.60 |
| iPRD40, 1P+N | A9L40500 | RM735.00 |
| iPRD40r, 1P+N | A9L40501 | RM925.90 |
| iPRD40, 3P+N | A9L40600 | RM1,259.10 |
| iPF K 40, 1P+N | A9L15687 | RM631.00 |
Shop prices can be well below list. Malaysian online seller ene2u lists A9L40600 (iPRD40 3P+N) at RM586.44, and A9L40500 (iPRD40 1P+N) at RM400, marked down from RM938.50.
Some marketplace listings are titled “避雷器 Schneider surge protector Device IPR 40KA home”. In search results, one is advertised at RM138 on Shopee (1P+N or 3P+N) and another at RM245 on Lazada (3P+N). Even against ene2u’s discounted RM400 for a genuine iPRD40 1P+N, that’s low. “IPR” also isn’t how Schneider Malaysia names these products, and the listing titles we saw give no A9L reference. These listings couldn’t be verified, and for a device whose whole job is to fail safely during a surge, ask the seller for the exact A9L reference and check the ST-SIRIM label before buying.
Other Malaysian listings in search results use proper codes:
- a Shopee store lists A9L40600 (iPRD40 3P+N);
- a Shopee Mall store lists an iPRD40 1P+N;
- eezee lists the iPRD1 12.5r 3P+N (A9L16482).
A Shopee listing also offers an Easy9 SPD EZ9L33620 (1P+N, 20kA) at RM282.15, a code that isn’t on Schneider Malaysia’s list. A listing shows what a seller advertises, not confirmed stock.