Who needs surge protection?

    Power surges do occur -- with unfortunate regularity. And, unless you protect your equipment -- protect your business -- against surges, you run the increased risk that damaged or malfunctioning equipment could seriously hinder your operations.

What causes power surges?

    Surges on power systems -- also known as transients -- result from energy being released into the system. In low-voltage AC power circuits, surges have two basic origins: lightning or switching events.

    When lightning strikes on or near a primary circuit, it produces a transient voltage which is transmitted through a transformer to your secondary circuit. Or, lightning may strike on or near the secondary circuit, which results in an even higher energy surge to your equipment.

    The second cause of power surges -- a switching event -- can be generated by either external or internal conditions. Externally generated switching events may be caused by breaker operation, capacitor bank switching or a fault somewhere on the system. An internally generated switching surge may result from the shutdown or equipment such as compressors, air conditioners, or machine tools, or from the operation of devices that limit current flow, such as breakers or fuses.

    Wherever it strikes, however and what ever the source of the surge, the result is the same: if unprotected against transient over voltages, your equipment may be disabled or even damaged, you may lose important stored data, and your business will be at least temporarily thrown into a period of downtime.

    Power surges are a fact of life. Lightning storms are destined to occur, and equipment failure is bound to happen. There is no way to prevent power surges from occurring -- but there is a way to offer protection for the equipment used in your business.

    A surge protector is exactly what its name implies: a device that offers protection for your electronic and electrical equipment from transient over voltages.

  ;   Basically, surge protectors suppress surges that occur, whatever their origin. The protector is an energy-handling device: it can absorb and dissipate thousands of joules of energy. Here's how surge protectors work: Imagine an electrical storm, with a lightning strike on a power line. The protector responds to the transient over voltage -- or surge -- produced by the lightning by changing from its normal high resistance to low resistance and conducting surge current to ground. This current, and the resistance of the protector results in a discharge or residual voltage across the protector. This same voltage is "seen" by the protected equipment and defines the protective capability of the surge protector.

    The ability of a surge protector to handle a given amount of energy reflects its ability to "survive" and to continue to protect your equipment. This capacity to continue to protect your equipment surge after surge is extremely important in choosing a surge protector.

    No protector can survive a direct lightning strike. A strike close to the protector or any surge which subjects the device to surge current in excess of its capability or exceeds the energy rating will also fail the protector.

Stedi-Power, Inc
5044 B U Bowman Drive #102
Buford, Georgia 30518
PHONE: (678) 546-6780

Last Updated: 07 Jun 2004
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