The A to Z of Surge Protection
Electricity the heart of all modern technology, powering our world and driving innovation. But in the blink of an eye, the same electricity can have devastating effects. As engineers, understanding the intricacies of Surge Protection is not just an added skill - it's essential.
The A to Z of Surge Protection, uncovering the key terms, concepts and strategies that equip you with the tools to protect your technology...
A - Arc Fault Circuit Interrupter (AFCI)
A device designed to eliminate electrical fires. Protection by detecting and interrupting arcs due to faulty or damaged wiring / cords
B - Brick Wall Surge Protector
An informal term (you'll hear it day to day) for a surge protector made to stop voltage spikes from reaching any connected devices - like hitting a brick wall
C - Clamping Voltage
The maximum voltage level that triggers a surge protector to activate and begin diverting excess voltage from connected equipment
D - Data Line Surge Protection
A surge protector device designed to protect the crucial data and communication lines (Ethernet, telephone, and coaxial cable connections)
E - Electromagnetic Interference (EMI)
Electrical noise caused by electromagnetic fields that often interfere with electronic deices, so surge protectors may help reduce EMI in your operation
F - Fire Hazard
Huge electrical surges can be a common cause of electrical fires. Having surge protection massively helps to prevent this risk
G - Grounding
Connecting electrical equipment to the earth discharges excess electrical energy - called grounding. Proper grounding is a crucial element of successful surge protection
H - Hot-Swappable
A feature in some surge protectors that allows you to replace surge protection modules without turning off power to connected devices
I - Impulse Current
A high-energy surge, typically caused by lightning strikes. Surge protectors are needed to handle the impulse currents effectively
J - Joule Rating
A measure - How much energy can a surge protector can absorb before it is no longer effective? Higher joule ratings equal better protection
K - Kilovolt-Amperes (kVA)
Surge protectors are rated in kVA; a unit used to measure the apparent power of the electrical equipment in your system
L - Lightning Rod
An external device installed on buildings to attract lightning strikes safely, often and advised to be used alongside surge protection systems
M - Metal Oxide Varistor (MOV)
A common surge protection component that absorbs excess voltage by changing its resistance levels when exposed to said high voltage
N - Noise Filtration
The process of filtering out electrical noise (EMI) and interference from power lines, improving the quality of power delivered to your devices
O - Overcurrent
When the current in an electrical circuit exceeds the rated capacity that could lead to a surge, known
as overcurrent
P - Parallel Mode Surge Suppression
A surge protection method where the device is connected in parallel to the load. This diverts excess voltage away from connected equipment
Q - Quenching Time
The quenching time is the time it takes for a surge protector to respond to an active surge and start diverting the excess energy effectively
R - Remote Monitoring
The ability to monitor the status of surge protection devices remotely, providing real-time information about their health and effectiveness
S - Surge Arrester
The name of the specific device that prevents or reduces the damaging effects of surges by diverting them to the ground
T - Transient Voltage
Voltage spikes or surges that are short in their duration, but significantly deviate from the standard
voltage level
U - Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS)
A useful device that combines surge protection and battery backup to ensure uninterrupted power to connected equipment during outages
V - Voltage Surge
A sudden, significant increase in electrical voltage that can has the power to damage or even destroy electronic devices in your application
W - Waveform
The shape and characteristics of the electrical signal. Surges can distort waveforms, and surge protectors aim to restore them to normal
X - X-Rating
A surge protector's ability to handle short-duration, high-energy surges without failing is known as X-Rating
Y - Yearly Maintenance
About once a year, inspection and potential replacement of surge protectors is needed to make sure their effectiveness is as good as new
Z - Zero Cross Clamping
A surge protector feature that diverts a surge when the voltage crosses zero, reducing the risk of
equipment damage
Looking for more information? We can help with that...
If you want to know more about Surge Protection, or have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch on 01254 685900 and our Internal Sales Advisors or Technical Support Engineers will be happy to chat!
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