In the electric industry, power surges are simply unavoidable. However, just like with home security systems, there are things we can do to protect us from surges, though never fully. The main task of a surge protector, also called a surge suppressor, is to protect electronic devices from “power surges.” A power surge, or transient voltage, is an increase in voltage significantly above the designated level in a flow of electricity. In typical home/office wiring, the standard voltage is 120 volts; if voltage rises above 120, the surge protector helps protect your electronic device.
If the surge (increase that lasts 3+ nanoseconds) or spike (1-2 nanoseconds) is strong enough, it can cause significant damage on your device. Just as too much water pressure on a hose will cause it to burst, the same happens when too much electrical pressure runs through a wire, but in this case the wire heats up. Even if it doesn’t immediately break your device, it can wear it down over time.
Causes
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, power tools) 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 system of 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.
Protection
You can buy many different surge protection models at local stores, but remember a few important points:
- These devices are not lightning arrestors; they will not survive lightning strikes in close proximity to the premises.
- Be sure to consider how surges can enter the home through phone/cable lines; you should remember to protect these too.
- We realize this isn’t always practical, but as always, the best and only sure protection is to isolate (unplug) your device.