At night, after the employees left work, only the duty officer Xiao Chen remained in the factory. Suddenly, a thunderous roar sounded, and the world plunged into darkness. Xiao Chen planned to go to the power distribution room to check the situation. In this silent factory, only his footsteps echoed. Just at this moment, a device quietly started…
What Is a Surge Protector?
Whenever surge is mentioned, many people will imagine the waves that suddenly rise on a calm sea surface. Indeed, it strikes our devices rapidly in the form of waves. But in electrics, this wave is actually electricity, not water, so it is called an electric surge. It describes a current or voltage wave that suddenly appears in a normally operating circuit, and has an amplitude far exceeding the normal value. The characteristic of this wave is that its duration is extremely short (usually on the microsecond level), but its peak value is very high, reaching several thousand amperes or several thousand volts.
How Are Surges Caused?
1. Lightning
Among the many factors causing surges, lightning has the strongest destructive power. When it thunders, the powerful lightning current will directly enter or affect the electrical equipment, so the equipment is easily punctured and burned out. High – rise buildings, airports, communication base stations and other places are more likely to be struck by lightning. If the lightning protection work is not done well when it thunders, users may face the situation of equipment being burned out. The scene of sparks flashing, when Guangzhou Tower in China was struck by lightning is a visual display of lightning surge.
2. Switching Electric Shock
Switching electric shock is actually a kind of transient electromagnetic phenomenon caused by switching operations. You can think of electricity as water flow. Normally, the water flow is very stable, but when you suddenly open or close a valve controlling the water flow, water will produce an impact. In the world of electricity, this impact is switching electric shock, which belongs to one type of switching overvoltage. Switching overvoltage is a phenomenon that the voltage suddenly becomes much higher than normal when operating electrical equipment (such as switches).
3. Static Electricity
Different objects will accumulate different charges, resulting in different electrostatic potentials. When these objects with different charges are close enough to each other, there will be a sudden transfer of charges with a snap, which is electrostatic discharge. When the weather is dry, touching metal, cashmere or other people may get an electric shock, which is caused by static electricity. The electrostatic voltage can be very high, up to thousands or even tens of thousands of volts. The electromagnetic field it generates will affect the chips in the equipment. Chips in precision equipment are very sensitive, and once they are punctured by static electricity, the loss will be great.
Why Is It Necessary to Configure Surge Protectors?
First, to prevent equipment damage. Whether it is thundering or there is a fault in the power grid, there will be a voltage that suddenly rises a little. Surge protectors can control this kind of voltage, and the equipment will not be damaged by this sudden increase in voltage.
Second, to make the system more stable and reliable. If the voltage fluctuates all the time, the equipment is prone to problems. The protector can reduce the voltage fluctuations, so the power system is less likely to fail.
Third, to ensure human safety. If there is a voltage that suddenly rises a lot in the electrical system, people may get an electric shock if they touch it. Surge protectors can reduce this dangerous voltage, so people are less likely to get an electric shock.
Fourth, to protect data and information security. For relatively precious electronic devices such as computers and servers, if they are hit by a suddenly increased voltage, the data inside may be lost or disordered. Surge protectors can prevent this from happening, and the data will be safe.
Fifth, to make the equipment last longer. With fewer voltage fluctuations, the equipment is less likely to break down, and there is no need to repair or replace it frequently, so the equipment can be used for a longer time.