How Does A Surge Protection Device Work?

1. Learn what is a power surge before undersanding a surge protection device

Firstly, you need to understand what a power surge is before understanding how a surge protection device works. When the voltage passes through an electronic device and if the voltage exceeds the standard level (120 volts), then the voltage rise state is called a power surge. There are many reasons for a power surge, such as the use of high-power equipment, line aging, lightning strikes, and equipment failures from power companies. The power surge can generate high temperatures in wires and components in electronic products and cause them to be damaged. Even if the power surge does not damage the electronic components, it will cause damage to the internal components and shorten their service life. In fact, no one is aware of the occurrence of a power surge until the electrical equipment suddenly stops working.

2. The surge protection device's operating principle

Building surge protector can be used to prevent damage to the equipment caused by sudden surges. It works by conducting current from a power socket, and then conducting it out through the equipment that has been installed with a surge protection device. The metal oxide varistor is an important device in the surge protector, which can divide and conduct any excess voltage to ensure that the voltage and power levels received by the device are consistent. The working principle of a metal oxide varistor is similar to a pressure-sensitive valve. When the metal oxide varistor detects a high level of voltage, it can reduce the resistance, and it can increase the resistance if the voltage level is too low. In addition, it can automatically start to change the direction of the voltage when necessary. The metal oxide varistor consists of three parts, including a metal oxide connected to the power supply and two grounding wires connected to the semiconductor. The semiconductor has a variable resistance, which allows electrons to move by changing the resistance when the voltage is too high or too low.

Techwin is your trusted partner as a surge protection supplier, offering a comprehensive range of cutting-edge products designed to safeguard your electronic equipment. Our lightning protection boxes, leakage protectors, SPD (Surge Protective Devices) for telecom, and Ethernet SPDs are engineered with precision to provide unparalleled protection against power surges and electrical anomalies.