What is a Surge?
A surge occurs when the power line voltage goes higher than nominal, and stays there longer than 10 milliseconds.
What causes power surges?
Although many people think lightning causes most surges, in reality they’re one of the less common causes. In fact, about 80% of all power surges are created by electronic equipment inside your home (air conditioners, refrigerators) because such high-powered devices use a lot of energy to turn on/off, and as mentioned earlier, can gradually be worn down over time. You might be surprised to know that only 15% or less come from unexpected lightning strikes. Other sources of power surges include phone & cable lines, faulty home wiring, utility equipment problems, and downed power lines. The wires and transformers that bring power to your home or office is quite complex, having many possible failure points, and many potential errors that can start an uneven power flow. As mentioned, power surges are unavoidable, especially when you consider other unpredictable factors: weather, animals, autos hitting poles, etc.
Can these surges cause damage?
Yes. Today’s computerized appliances and electronics can be damaged or destroyed by over-voltage surges or spikes. This includes computer equipment and peripherals; electronic equipment such as stereos, TVs, and VCR’s; household appliances including washers, dryers, refrigerators, dishwashers, microwave ovens, food processors, blenders, can openers; and other electronic devices such as fax machines, telephones, and answering machines. Large appliances like air conditioners or refrigerators are less susceptible, but can be damaged as well.
Can a surge harm my equipment if I’m not using it?
Yes. Many electrical devices have electronic timers, clocks, or remote controls (TV, VCR) which remain in operation even when it is not in use. Also, some appliances cycle off and on at random like air conditioners, water heaters, pumps, or refrigerators and they could be on during a surge.
Why do I need surge protection?
There are several reasons why power quality has become such an important issue: today’s computer chips are far more dense than they were even a few years ago, and subsequently, much more sensitive to even slight surges. Clock speeds, or operating frequencies, have increased and reached the frequency range of high-voltage transients. Slower processors ignored them, but high-speed processors may actually interpret a transient as a command sequence. Most homes and offices are using more pieces of equipment that draw electricity than ever before. Each time an electric device is turned on, transient voltages may be generated. More microprocessor technology is being used than ever before. Microprocessors are showing up in TVs, stereos, VCR’s, refrigerators, washers, dryers, dishwashers, etc.
Won’t my circuit breakers protect my equipment?
No. Circuit breakers are only designed to protect against over current, not a voltage spike or drop.
What is a Surge Suppressor?
A surge suppressor is a piece of equipment designed to protect sensitive equipment from voltages above nominal on the power line. They provide an alternative pathway for excessive voltage.
Why do I need one?
The problems caused by disturbances in the power line may not surface immediately. They can cause the gradual breakdown of electronic circuitry. They are often unexplainable problems that show up on the repair bill as “No Trouble Found.” Many times such problems are no more than surge induced damage. Any new piece of equipment should be protected when installed.
Do these suppressors handle all voltage problems?
Probably not, though they do handle the most frequent and destructive ones. More sophisticated technologies, i.e. hybrid power conditioners and uninterruptible power systems, are available to handle complex power problems.
What is the purpose of the phone jacks on surge suppressors?
Some of the surge suppressors incorporate protection circuitry for telephone equipment. There are two sockets on these products. By plugging a phone line through the sockets, you can minimize the effects of a surge coming into your equipment through the phone line. FAX machines, cordless phones and answering machines are especially sensitive, and computers with internal modems can be completely destroyed by spikes on the phone line.
What is the difference between a surge suppressor and arrester?
Suppressors are usually devices that plug into the wall outlet and can handle surges up to 6,000 volts. Arresters are usually devices that are installed at the service entrance (meter or electrical panel) and can handle surges up to 20,000 volts. Arresters divert excess energy to the ground, reducing voltage surges to a level that can be handled by your electrical system and surge suppressors located downstream from the electrical panel.
Is the UL label an indication of a quality product?
No! Many manufacturers misrepresent their products. Some claim a UL listing for their products if they use a single UL listed component such as the power cord. Other products have never been tested as anything more than a Temporary Power Tap, UL’s term for an extension cord. Many claim that they meet standards or that it has passed UL standards, when in fact, they have never been tested by UL.