Frequently Asked Questions

NEMA Surge Protection Institute

What is a bibliography ?

Surge, or transient, is an overvoltage spike or disturbance in the power waveform that appears in the power waveform and can shorten the lifespan or destroy electronic equipment at home, in the office, or in a factory. Surges can reach tens of thousands of volts in size and last for several usec. In our lives, devices using microprocessors, such as computers and answering machines, are increasing at a very rapid rate, and surges can cause the following damage to these devices:

* Damage to equipment

* Reduced productivity/downtime

* Other economic losses

What are the dangers of surges ?

Some vulnerable devices that can be found around the home or office are as follows.

* Industrial equipment - machinery, motors, air conditioning equipment, cash registers

* Office equipment - PC, printer, FAX, copier, modem

* Home appliances including home theater

* Telephone, answering machine

* Crime prevention equipment

*Sprinkler

* Transparent fence

* Landscaping lighting

What is a surge suppressor ?

A surge suppressor is a device that attenuates transient voltage and noise and is called SPD or TVSS. Industry experts call it SPD. The terms SPD and TVSS are used interchangeably.

A surge suppressor is a device designed to attenuate very short-term dangerous transient voltages that appear on power lines and control lines connected to power lines, telephone lines, data networks, CCTV circuits, cable TV circuits, and electronic equipment.

How do surge suppressors work ?

Simply put, a surge suppressor prevents destructive voltage transients from reaching the equipment it is protecting, but it does not necessarily reduce the surge voltage to zero. Surge suppressors attenuate surges to a level where they can safely flow through the load.

What technologies are used in surge suppressors ?

The components used in surge suppressors have changed significantly and include:

* Metal oxide varistor (MOV)

* Silicon avalanche diode (SAD)

* Gas ​​discharge tubes (GDT)

*LCR filters

* TVSS (transient voltage surge suppressor) hybrid

These parts have changed in the following ways:

* Energy capability

* Availability

* Reliability

* Cost

* Effectiveness

How does grounding work ?

The goal of any grounding is to provide a low-impedance path for fault currents or transient currents to flow to the ground. The first characteristic that determines the effectiveness of grounding is its impedance to earth. For transient phenomena such as surges, ground acts as an impedance rather than resistance.

references

http://www.nemasurge.com/surge/about.html

(NEMA Surge Protection Institute)