There are various types of power surges including destructive, dissipative and disruptive surges. Disruptive surges are not fatal but can cause your equipment’s malfunctioning while dissipative surges are evidenced by high-frequency pulsations commonly caused by malfunctioning equipment.
Destructive surges are large energy bursts which instantly damage electronics. An industrial electrician in Salt Lake City will thankfully have different options for the protection of your home’s electronics and industrial machines against power surges.
The protection is in the form of a surge protection device (SPD). This device will even the electric flow and redirect surges to the ground and away from your appliances.
Moreover, the device protects you from the general electric noise in power supply lines which disrupts wired-in systems and automated equipment. Here are the four categories of SPDs which suffice for residential and commercial protection.
Type 1 Protectors
These are at times called secondary surge arrestors. They are generally mounted in your main service line entrance’s side. This is the point between your utility pole and the point electricity connects to your service panel.
A type 1 SPD generally protects your property from external power surges such as those caused by utility capacitor bank switching and lightning. Some come with built-in alarms which warn you if the SPD needs replacement.
Type 2 Protectors
Also, called branch or service surge panels, these are connected to the load side of your main service entrance. They protect the branch circuit or electrical service entrance from motor driven surges, residual lightning energy, and internally generated surges. The primary use of type 2 protectors is the protection of microprocessor-based loads and sensitive electronics by limiting transient voltage.
Type 3 Protectors
These are often called power strips and block low-level surges which damage household appliances, computers, and TVs. These SPDs are available for 120v, 15/20A applications in different configurations. Type 3 protectors are considered the last defense line for your appliances from power surges and provide point-of-use protection.
Type 4 Protectors
Called surge protection modules, these are used in industrial applications for the protection of drives, PLCs and servo motors. Type 4 protectors are available in DIN rail-mounted and standard wall-mounted configurations. They also provide wired-in protection from electrical surges for commercial and industrial equipment cabinets.
The importance of the above SPDs for your property cannot be overstated. They will protect not only your devices but also your entire property from electrical fires.
They might, however, become the primary cause of electrical issues when improperly installed or only provide minimal protection from the common types of power surges in your environment. The only way to guarantee the SPD you buy gives you optimal protection is by getting an electrician to assess your needs and install the devices. While one type of SPD suffices in most cases, there are times when you might need multiple SPDs to protect against a broad range of power surges.
