For pulse rise times between 100ns and 1.2µs, the recommended test voltage is 3.5pu. For pulse rise times of 1.2µs or longer, the recommended test voltage is 5pu. The high voltage switching networks in Baker Instrument Company surge testers fall in the 100ns to 1.2µs category. The actual rise time s of Baker instrumentation are closer to 100ns. Damage from electrical transients, or surges, is one of the leading causes of electrical equipment failure. An electrical transient is a short duration, high-energy impulse that is imparted on the normal electrical power system whenever there is a sudden change in the electrical circuit. The high energy savings offered by LED technology enhance the value of outdoor lighting. In order to help LED lighting fixtures reach their expected lifetime, a surge protection module should be added to outdoor LED lighting to prevent premature failure due to lightning surge events and other power line surges.
Power surges occur when something boosts the electrical charge at some point in the power lines. This causes an increase in the electrical potential energy, which can increase the current flowing to your wall outlet. A number of different things can cause this to happen.
The most familiar source is probably lightning, though it's actually one of the least common causes. When lightning strikes near a power line, whether it's underground, in a building or running along poles, the electrical energy can boost electrical pressure by millions of volts. This causes an extremely large power surge that will overpower almost any surge protector. In a lightning storm, you should never rely on your surge protector to save your computer. The best protection is to unplug your computer.
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A more common cause of power surges is the operation of high-power electrical devices, such as elevators, air conditioners and refrigerators. These high-powered pieces of equipment require a lot of energy to switch on and turn off components like compressors and motors. This switching creates sudden, brief demands for power, which upset the steady voltage flow in the electrical system. While these surges are nowhere near the intensity of a lightning surge, they can be severe enough to damage components, immediately or gradually, and they occur regularly in most building's electrical systems.
Other sources of power surges include faulty wiring, problems with the utility company's equipment, and downed power lines. The system of transformers and lines that brings electricity from a power generator to the outlets in our homes or offices is extraordinarily complex. There are dozens of possible points of failure, and many potential errors that can cause an uneven power flow. In today's system of electricity distribution, power surges are an unavoidable occurrence. In the next section, we'll see what this could mean to you.
Chances are you have surge protectors in your home, especially if you require multiple electrical devices to be plugged into a single electrical outlet. Maybe the protectors are cluttering the living room floor or stuck behind a desk or a couch. Perhaps you have surge protector receptacles elegantly installed in the wall. Nifty! We all understand the need to protect our appliances and electronics from power surges, but how much do we really understand about power surges themselves?
Spikes in your home’s electrical current happen with surprising frequency. Most surges last for a fraction of a second and are harmless — to our service panel, our devices, and ourselves. Yet, while spikes don’t often last long, they can be powerful enough to cause damage to electronic devices and electrical wiring — and even lead to electrical fires.
What Are Power Surges?
A high power surge can happen when electricity is interrupted then immediately re-established. This occurrence forces too much current through the electrical system. Power surges have the ability to knock out your delicate electronics, cause fires, and wreak havoc up and down the circuitry of your home or business.
Internal Surges
Internal power surges are the most common type. More than 50 percent of household power surges are of this variety. They may occur dozens of times every day. Most power surges are too small to be detected by the human senses and not strong enough to interrupt electrical service. They pass through your home’s wires, and no one’s ever the wiser. Fortunately, modern electronics can resist these minuscule spikes and keep electricity flowing.
Refrigerators, air conditioners, and other appliances can cause surges when they’re switched on. This type of problem happens most often when your home has faulty wiring. Tripped circuit breakers and short circuits can also create spikes in current. This kind of internal surge is powerful enough to cause damage.
If you suspect your home has bad wiring, contact your utility company immediately.
External Surges
External power surges are usually greater than the internal variety. They may happen when trees, tree branches, or anything else, really, fall onto a power line. Lightning strikes are another cause. A single strike near a power line could fry a television or computer monitor.
How to Prevent Power Surges
Voltage Surge Definition
The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) estimates that 60% to 80% of power surges are created when large appliances, such as air conditioners, cycle off and on. Appliances will cause big power draws when connected to individual circuits. They can also cause major power stoppages when powered on and off. Electronics connected to the same circuit will deal with the same impact across the board.
This is why it is so critical to take advantage of individual power surge protector (or “bricks”) as much as possible. This is especially important when connecting expensive and delicate electronics to the outlet. You don’t want to fry your expensive new laptop or big screen TV because you started the washing machine at the same time.
Get A Home Search Arrester
The first thing you should do to protect your home from a power surge is to invest in a whole home arrester as soon as possible. It’s basically a house surge protector. They’re a bit more expensive than plugging surge protectors into all of your outlets and hoping for the best. Still, a whole home search device will protect your circuits directly at the electrical panel. It will modulate and control your home’s power and make sure it flows steadily, efficiently, and continuously.
Surge Voltage Protection
This is the kind of upgrade you want to make with the help of the best electrician in the area. They will have to do all the heavy lifting to install this kind of setup. Once installed, however, you will never have to worry about power surges again.
Call the award-winning electrical experts at Prairie Electric today to learn more about how you can protect your home or business!