A cubicle fault in a motor control centre does not wait for an overcurrent pickup to finish its timing curve - the arc is already destroying the switchgear while the protection algorithm is still deciding. VAMP 230 treats arc detection as a separate, faster channel instead of folding it into the current protection.

Why add light-based arc detection to a conventional relay?

Because fault current alone cannot always tell an arc from a heavy overload fast enough. Light sensors see the arc the instant it ignites, and the optional 50ARC/50NARC stages trip the breaker in milliseconds - fast enough to limit the blast instead of clearing the damage afterwards. That matters for motor feeders where the starting current is high enough to mask an early arcing fault.

What does IEC 61850 GOOSE change for retrofit projects?

Interlocking and tripping move onto the network instead of hard-wired contacts. VAMP 230 communicates native IEC 61850 with GOOSE messaging, alongside Modbus and built-in Ethernet, with up to 8 digital inputs and 7 outputs for conventional wiring where that is still preferred. Five current and three voltage inputs support directional overcurrent and voltage-based protection, and the 2000-event record keeps a timeline for fault analysis after a disturbance.