MEAN WELL ICL-28L is a linear AC inrush current limiter for capacitive loads on 180–264 V AC lines. It limits starting current to the specified 48 A while carrying up to 28 A continuously, subject to temperature derating. An integrated bypass relay reduces nuisance circuit-breaker trips when multiple power supplies share an AC line.
Product Datasheet
Download MEAN WELL ICL-28 Datasheet (PDF)
The ICL-28 section is on PDF pages 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. Refer to the complete mechanical drawings and notes when planning installation.
Model Code and Application
| Complete model |
ICL-28L |
| ICL |
AC inrush current limiter series. |
| 28 |
28 A continuous rated current. |
| Shape suffix |
L: linear type, terminal-block mounted. |
This device limits the starting current drawn by downstream capacitive loads; it is not a regulated AC/DC power supply. The catalogue identifies use with multiple power supplies on one AC line and the possibility of smaller or faster circuit breakers. Breaker selection still depends on the complete installation and load conditions.
AC Ratings and Switching Limits
| AC input voltage |
180–264 V AC. |
| AC line frequency |
47–63 Hz. |
| Inrush current limiting |
48 A; distinct from the continuous-current rating. |
| Continuous rated current |
28 A, subject to the derating curve. |
| AC input apparent power |
6440 VA at 28 A × 230 V AC; this is an AC line rating, not regulated DC output power. |
| Internal power consumption |
Less than 2 W at 264 V AC, 50 Hz input. |
| Relay limiting time at power-on |
150 ±50 ms. |
| Relay release time |
100 ±50 ms. |
| Limiting cycle rate |
3 cycles per minute. |
| Allowed capacitive load |
6000 µF maximum. |
Respect the continuous-current, capacitive-load and repetition limits together. The 48 A inrush-limiting figure is not an additional continuous-current or peak-power rating.
Operating Principle and Protection
| Limiting circuit |
Integrated bypass relay with a series limiting resistor and control circuit; not a simple NTC-only arrangement. |
| Internal protection |
A thermal fuse protects against overload and fire. |
The block diagram shows the limiting element and its relay bypass in the live conductor, with the neutral path continuing through the module. The reviewed specification does not define a reset procedure or automatic recovery for the thermal fuse; do not treat it as a resettable overload controller.
Temperature, Environment and Derating
| Operating ambient |
−30 to +70°C; apply the derating curve. |
| Horizontal-mounting curve |
100% load from −30 to +60°C, decreasing along the plotted line to 80% at +70°C. |
| Working humidity |
20–90% RH, non-condensing. |
| Storage temperature |
−40 to +85°C. |
| Temperature coefficient |
±0.03%/°C over 0–60°C. |
| Operating altitude |
Up to 5000 m. |
| Altitude temperature derating |
For this fanless unit, reduce permissible ambient temperature by 3.5°C per 1000 m above 2000 m (6500 ft). |
| Vibration |
10–500 Hz, 2 G, 10 minutes per cycle; 60 minutes along each X, Y and Z axis. Mounting compliance with IEC60068-2-6 is listed. |
The published temperature curve is marked HORIZONTAL. Apply both its load reduction and the altitude condition; the +70°C ambient limit does not allow full 28 A load at that temperature.
Connection and System Selection
| Terminal 1 |
AC/N input. |
| Terminal 2 |
AC/L input. |
| Terminal 3 |
AC/N output. |
| Terminal 4 |
AC/L output. |
The application diagram places the circuit breaker upstream in the live conductor and connects the downstream power supplies in parallel to the limiter AC output. Keep the input and output terminal assignments separate; do not use this as a DC-output parallel-sharing diagram.
The diagram shows a generic group of power supplies, not a specified model combination or a guaranteed unit count. Select the connected supplies against total continuous input current, capacitance, starting behavior and the switching-cycle limit. The catalogue refers users to manufacturer selection guidance for the permissible number of supplies.
Dimensions, Mounting and Hardware
| Body dimensions (L × W × H) |
175 × 42 × 24 mm. |
| Case number |
PLM-40. |
| Drawing tolerance |
±1 mm. |
| TB1 / TB2 terminal reference |
SWITCHLAB MB422-750 equivalent. |
| TB1 input pins |
1: AC/N input; 2: AC/L input. |
| TB2 output pins |
3: AC/N output; 4: AC/L output. |
| Mounting drawing details |
The drawing marks 4.5 mm at the end mounting details and 3.5 mm at the lower profile. Follow the illustrated positions rather than treating these callouts as an unlisted screw specification. |
This is the linear, terminal-block-mounted version, not the DIN-rail R version. The terminal reference identifies the equivalent component shown at TB1/TB2; it is not a statement that separate mating connectors, cables or a mounting kit are included. The reviewed pages do not specify tightening torque, cable cross-section or a separate accessory ordering code for this model.
Safety and EMC
| Listed safety approval |
LVD BS EN/EN62368-1. |
| Overvoltage category |
III according to IEC62368-1, at altitudes up to 5000 m. |
| Pollution degree |
2. |
| Conducted and radiated emissions |
BS EN/EN55032, Class B for both. |
| Harmonic current |
BS EN/EN61000-3-2, Class A. |
| Voltage flicker |
BS EN/EN61000-3-3; no separate test-level value is printed. |
| Immunity standards |
BS EN/EN55035 and BS EN/EN61000-6-2. |
| ESD |
BS EN/EN61000-4-2: Level 3, 8 kV air; Level 2, 4 kV contact; criterion A. |
| Radiated immunity |
BS EN/EN61000-4-3: Level 3, criterion A. |
| EFT / burst |
BS EN/EN61000-4-4: Level 3, criterion A. |
| Surge |
BS EN/EN61000-4-5: Level 4, 2 kV L-N, criterion A. |
| Conducted immunity |
BS EN/EN61000-4-6: Level 3, criterion A. |
| Magnetic-field immunity |
BS EN/EN61000-4-8: Level 4, criterion A. |
| Voltage dips and interruptions |
BS EN/EN61000-4-11: >95% dip for 0.5 periods; 30% dip for 25 periods; >95% interruption for 250 periods. |
The final equipment must re-confirm compliance with the EMC directives. Apply the manufacturer installation and component-EMI guidance to the complete system; the module data does not certify every connected load combination.
Weight, Reliability and Reference Conditions
| Catalogue unit-weight reference |
155 g, converted from the explicit 0.155 kg per-unit PACKING reference. This is not a measured net weight or an individual shipping-package weight. |
| MTBF, Telcordia |
6781.7 K hours minimum, Telcordia SR-332 (Bellcore). |
| MTBF, MIL-HDBK-217F |
1626.6 K hours minimum at 25°C. |
| Manufacturer warranty statement |
The catalogue lists three years; manufacturer warranty terms apply. |
| Default measurement conditions |
230 V AC input, rated load and 25°C ambient, unless otherwise specified. |
| Datasheet version |
ICL-28-SPEC, 2026-04-03; combined catalogue pages 5–9. |
MTBF is a statistical reliability estimate, not a guaranteed service life. Per-unit weight is taken directly from the catalogue, not calculated by dividing carton weight.
