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- What is Surge Protection?
Surge protection does just that — it protects equipment form electrical surges. Simply put, the surge protector acts as a pressure-sensitive valve that opens when there is too much electrical pressure. To understand the value of surge protection, we need to understand electrical surges and their impact on equipment.
When you think of voltage, think of it as a measure of electrical pressure. When the increase in electricity lasts for three nanoseconds (a trillionth of a second) or more, it is called a surge. When the increase in electricity lasts for one or two nanoseconds, it is called a spike.
A power surge, or transient voltage, is an increase in voltage significantly above the designated level in the flow of electricity. In most offices and homes, the standard voltage, or designated level, is 120 volts. If the voltage rises above 120 volts, energy is wasted.
If a surge or spike is strong enough, it can cause major damage to sensitive electronic equipment, computers, motors, drives, etc. When to much electrical pressure runs through a wire, the resistances create heat and wire actually heats up like a filament in a light bulb, and it burns.
The surge protector senses surges or spikes that rise above an acceptable level and diverts the extra electricity to ground. Once the extra current is diverted to ground, the voltage in the hot line returns to a normal level, and the cycle continues. This way, the surge protector only diverts the surge current, while allowing the standard current to continue powering the equipment protected by the surge device.
Again, the surge protector acts as a pressure-sensitive valve that opens when there is too much electrical pressure.