Voltage protection

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Without doubt, power interruptions cause major problems for home or small business computing. Unpredictable power supply such as surges, spikes, brownouts and utility failures is worrying. If any of these should occur, there’s a strong chance you’ll suffer from loss of critical data, lowered productivity and even damage to your expensive equipment. All electrical and electronic equipment, connected to the mains supply is at risk of being damaged.

Modern electronics are continually being made more sophisticated. That also often means that they become more sensitive to electrical damage. The most damaging of all electrical disturbances are the short sharp voltage impulses known as "spikes" that appear at random intervals on power supply or data cables. They are brief, lasting less than a thousandth of a second, but may be very intense, reaching a peak of several thousands of volts.

Also, not visible but equally damaging, is Noise & RFI (Radio Frequency Interference). Noise & RFI is high frequency disturbance generated over the mains wiring. The source could be similar to those that generate spikes and also nearby radio equipment. Because of their extreme amplitude spikes can cause fatal damage to vital components inside an item of equipment.

Protection against them should be a first step in any programme for better care of electronic equipment. Noise & RFI generally interfere with data and could cause loss of valuable information or data corruption. Protection – or RFI filtration should be implemented whenever important or critical data is being used.

Surge/Spike is a rise or peak in voltage up to thousands of volts and lasts for very short period of time (milliseconds). These powerful events can eventually blow out microscopic holes in electronic circuitry causing severe damage or failure. Unlike over-voltage which lasts for longer times (milliseconds to seconds to minutes or even hours), you do not need to switch off the mains to protect against surges and spikes. Clamping to a safe level is the method of protection.

The level of protection is best measured in joules and there is no complete protection here but the more joules of protection available the less possibility of damage.

Other factors are important, as in the speed of response, availability of earthing, etc. RFI and noise is generated by nearby equipment such as elevators, motors, radio controlled equipment, etc.

THE SOLLATEK RANGE OF SUPPRESSORS include devices that protect against surges, spikes, lightning and in some cases RFI (Radio Frequency Interference) and Noise.

Whilst surges/spike protection is incorporated in almost all of the Sollatek range of products, Sollatek in addition manufactures the Suppressor Range solely for protection against these events.

• Switching events in the power supply network • Lightning strikes • Normal load switching by the supply company • Industrial load switching

• Accidental events such as short circuits • Broken mains cables

• Faulty electrical equipment

These problems can also originate inside the building for example:

• A faulty lift motor

• Failing fluorescent light

• Faulty domestic equipment

Although less intense than those due to big switching events outside the building, spikes, noise and RFI can also be damaging because they originate so close at hand.

Spikes are too brief to be noticed by people in the workplace. The only sign that a spike has occurred may be that an instrument has inexplicably broken down.

It has been found that spike amplitudes of 1500V or more in a building wiring are consistently damaging to equipment. But there is so much variation that no definite figure can be given. One can say only that a killer spike may occur at any time, at any place, at random intervals, which may be weeks, or months, or years.

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