What You Need to Know About Surge Protectors
You can find surge protectors at just about any hardware store. Maybe you even have a few around your home. When they’re in the form of a power strip, they’re cheap, easy to use, and effective at protecting your devices from energy spikes.
Have you ever wondered, however, how surge protectors actually work? What goes into their construction? What keeps them from overloading, and why is it important to protect your gadgets from this fate?
Learning more about surge protectors can help you make smart decisions when it’s time to buy one. It can also help you become more familiar with the overall electrical system in your home. Consider this your guide to how surge protectors work.
The Purpose of a Surge Protector
The first thing to know about surge protectors is why they exist in the first place. The purpose of a surge protector is to stop power spikes and power surges from ruining your electronic devices. These surges can happen for a number of reasons, including lightning storms, overloaded electrical systems, and faulty wiring within your home. The result is a fluctuating voltage that can overload a device or system not designed to handle it.
Without a surge protector, power spikes can “fry” the devices connected to them: They can melt plastic, char or fray wires, or damage delicate circuitry in a way that renders the device unusable.
With a surge protector, however, the power within a spike can be safely diverted or dissipated away from your devices. Depending on the surge protector in question, this can be accomplished in a number of ways. However, all of them will better protect whatever is plugged into the unit.
Commercial Vs. Residential Surge Protectors
The next thing to know about surge protectors is that there are several different types. The most common are “power strip” surge protectors. These are the small, multi-outlet household appliances that you can plug into the wall. The terms “power strip” and “surge protector” are sometimes used interchangeably by those without a background in electrical work.
For electricians, there’s another kind of surge protector: the industrial kind. Typically big and boxy, these are conductors meant to protect complex electrical systems, such as power distribution panels. They’re sometimes known as a surge suppressor, a transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS), or a surge protection device (SPD). While most often used in commercial buildings, they can also be installed in residential homes with extensive electrical systems or networks.
There’s also surge protection technology that can be built into your building’s utility or phone lines. It does the same thing as the power strip that you use at your desk, but it should be installed by a professional.
Learning the Lingo: Voltages, Spikes, and Surges
Another important part of understanding surge protectors is understanding how to talk about them. “Voltage” is technically defined as the pressure that pushes electrical currents from a power source to a conducting loop. It’s also called “electromotive force.” For practical purposes, you can just think of it as power.
Voltage is measured in volts (V), and in the United States, houses are typically equipped to handle a maximum of 120V. If there’s an electrical current with a voltage higher than 120V, that can mean damage to your devices.
There are two ways to define a sudden jump in voltage strength:
- Power spikes: last for one to two nanoseconds
- Power surges: last for three nanoseconds or more
Don’t be fooled by these small numbers! A single nanosecond of a high-voltage current can be enough to ruin your devices. This is why you’ll hear electricians warning of power spikes and power surges alike.
The Basic Structure of a Surge Protector
Now that you understand the infrastructure of power lines and the terminology that’s used to describe how they work, you’re ready to learn about surge protectors.
Power strip surge protectors use a grounding wire to distribute extra electricity. In other words, if there’s an energy spike, the surge protector will detect the too-high voltage and send it along the grounding wire. Instead of a single electrical outlet getting an overdose of power, the power will be zipped along to multiple outlets.
In other types of surge suppression technology, you’ll often see something called a metal oxide varistor (MOV). This is a semiconductor with a special material that helps to divert electricity. It still utilizes a grounding line, but it’s designed differently, especially in a heavy-duty device meant for industrial energy needs.
Common Causes for Power Spikes and Surges
What can bring dangerous power fluctuations to your home’s electrical currents?
Faulty wiring is a common culprit. If you live in an older home, your wires might be torn, frayed, water damaged, fire damaged, or just worn down after long years of continuous use. This can impact how electricity gets carried along them and distributed to your power outlets.
Another frequent source of power surges is overburdened electrical systems. This includes the usage of high-powered appliances, such as air conditioners and washing machines. When you place a high demand on your home’s energy grid, you interrupt its steady voltage flow and increase the odds of surges, shutdowns, and other sudden disruptions. This is also why you’re most likely to blow a fuse when you first flip a switch or turn something on.
Last but not least, lightning strikes can cause electrical fluctuations within your home. However, lightning is such a huge and powerful force that surge protectors can’t always stop it. Even the strongest surge suppression technology can be overwhelmed by a big enough lightning strike. If you’re worried about your devices during a thunderstorm, your best bet is to completely unplug them from electrical outlets.
Other Important Things to Know About Surge Protectors
Not all power strips are surge protectors. Sometimes, a power strip is simply a collection of outlets that will let you plug in multiple devices at once. It won’t have any internal technology to divert high-voltage power strikes. When shopping for a power strip, make sure that it offers surge protection as well. Look for something on the label that talks about voltage capacity.
Surge protectors can wear down over time. In layman’s terms, they can take so many “hits” of power that they stop functioning effectively, letting higher and higher electrical bursts sneak through to your devices. Think of them as a shield that gets splintered over time and needs to be replaced.
For safety reasons, you shouldn’t plug surge protectors into extension cords or other surge protectors. It interferes with their efficacy and increases your home’s hazard risk. This is advice straight from the National Electric Code (NEC) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA).
Equipping Your Home With Surge Protection Technology
Maybe you’re in the market for better power strips. Maybe you’re building or renovating a home and you’re interested in installing conductors or outfitting your utility lines with power suppressors. Whatever your reasons for thinking about the dangers of high-voltage currents, surge protection can be the answer. For more information on surge protectors and how they can benefit you, reach out to Dream Team Home Services. We provide heating, cooling, plumbing, and electrical services in Media, PA.
