SURGEPROTECTION INTRODUCTION
SurgeProtection:Introduction
Transient overvoltages are significant increases in voltage that occur in noticedlossoffunction,yetthesystemmaycontinuetodeterioratetoapoint
fractions of a second and can cause devastating damage. But where do whereevenaslightfluctuationcanresultincompletesystemfailure.Assomany
surges come from? Like with all threats, to manage them effectively it is ofourbuildingsystemsarenetworkedorintegratedwithinoneanotherthis
vital to establish their origins. There are two main sources of transient presentsfurtherpotentialproblems,asasurgeonanetworkmaydamageevery
overvoltages being the consequential impacts of lightning strikes (which elementasopposedtojustthefirstelementitencounters.
can occur in excess of a kilometre away from the location of the surge); or
Itisessentialtorememberthatexternallightningprotectionsystems,bethey
through switching of sizeable loads be they transformers, large motors,
comprisedofcoppertape,orsimilar,aredesignedtochannelthefaultlightning
light-rail systems, or through capacitive loads through the power supply.
current safely to earth. However, they cannot prevent fault currents being
Faultcurrentscancausefires,explosions,thedestructionordegradationof inductedthroughtheelectromagneticfieldofthecurrentintovariouspoweror
electronicequipmentorcomponentsandcanleadtooperationaldowntime,the datacables,orthroughotherconductiveelements.
destructionofmachineryorafacility,orevenlossofhumanlife.Surgedamage
Eitherasanindependentelectricalsafetysystemelementorasanintegral
isamajorfactorcitedbyinsurancecompaniesasreasonsforclaims,andwhat
aspectofalightningprotectionsystemsurgeprotectionisvitaltoprotecta
isdisappointingaboutthisfactisthattheycannearlyalwaysbeavoided.Surge
structure,itsinhabitantsandtheassetscontainedwithinfromthedangersof
damageisnowamorepressingthreatthaneverbeforeduetotheincreased
fault electrical currents. Surge protection devices (SPDs) are designed to
linkingandnetworkingofelectronicsystems,theincreasedintegrationdensity
managespecificfaultcurrentprofiles,soinsomeinstancesanumberofdevices
ofmicroelectroniccomponentsandthegreaterpresenceandincorporationof
mayberequiredtoinstallinseriesinordertoreduceasubstantialfaultcurrent
electronicsystems.
toatolerablelevel.ChoosingthecorrectSPDwillbedependentuponthe
Surgedamageisnotalwaysvisible,orimmediatelyacknowledged.Sometimes application,suchasthesortsoffaultsseekingtomanage,thetypeofsystem
aseriesofsurgesoveraperiodoftimecandegradeasystemwithoutany beingprotectedandthelocationoftheinstallation.
98 a4+44(0)1159757600 www.fmsudafix.com
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80  |  Page 81  |  Page 82  |  Page 83  |  Page 84  |  Page 85  |  Page 86  |  Page 87  |  Page 88  |  Page 89  |  Page 90  |  Page 91  |  Page 92  |  Page 93  |  Page 94  |  Page 95  |  Page 96  |  Page 97  |  Page 98  |  Page 99  |  Page 100  |  Page 101  |  Page 102  |  Page 103  |  Page 104  |  Page 105  |  Page 106  |  Page 107  |  Page 108  |  Page 109  |  Page 110  |  Page 111  |  Page 112