Is Surge Protection Necessary?

Have you ever noticed after a thunderstorm and a lightning strike, the power cuts for a moment, then returns and your TV does not work?

This is actually an electrical power surge which instantly loads and shorts out the circuitry of the electronic appliance. Lightning strikes can easily damage sensitive electronics. The only real defense is to unplug all of your devices and appliances before the storm arrives.

However, with so much sophisticated equipment ruling our live this method now seems a little difficult. Learn more about power surges and was to protect your property.

Lightning Surge Protection Devices

Every home in United States use 120 volts of power, with the voltage ranging from 0 – 169 volts.  A power surge spikes above 170 volts. An increase in voltage above an appliance’s normal operating voltage can cause an arc of electrical current within the appliance; this causes damage to the appliance’s electronic circuit board thus damaging the equipment. So imagine the extent of damage when a sudden jolt of up to 72, 000 amps enters your home from a nearby lightning strike.

A power surge can enter your home through several pathways – cable TV, satellite dish cable, incoming telephone lines, and even through the electrical service lines.

Smaller, repeated power surges slowly destroy your devices and appliances, whereas the powerful one like a lightning strikes immediately destroys it beyond repair.

The best surge protection is to install a point of use lightning surge protection devices (SPD) combined with a good grounding system. They can protect a particular appliance or your whole house, depending on the approach you take. Every surge protection device, big or small, will stand ready to divert the surge safely through your home’s grounding path and away from all your electric appliances and devices.

For example, installing a surge protector to your computer for uninterrupted power supply will be a good investment. You will be able to save open documents and safely down. On the other hand, the whole house surge protection allows only the electricity your home needs and keeps the over voltage away from the main service entrance or any other pathway.

Lightning Eliminators & Consultants Inc., offers whole house lightning surge protection devices and installation. Their patents and standards differentiate them from others and help protect your investments in electronic systems.