Surge protection device
- Thread starter m sleem
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dfmischler
Senior Member
- Location
- Western NY
- Occupation
- Facilities Manager
Surge protection devices are evaluated according to UL 1449 3rd edition. That standard says how the tests are run and what the numbers mean. The surge current means very little to a circuit breaker or other OCPD because it is so fast that the OCPD has no time to heat up before the surge is gone.
I recommend you talk to the manufacturer of the device and see what they have to say. Verifying a surge protector takes some specialized equipment. SPDs are not required to handle more than 15 surges or so at their top rating so repeated testing is likely to damage the unit. I guess you could open one up, analyze the components and circuit and see if you feel that it is reasonable to believe that the unit could handle the claimed surges, but who has the time for that?
I recommend you talk to the manufacturer of the device and see what they have to say. Verifying a surge protector takes some specialized equipment. SPDs are not required to handle more than 15 surges or so at their top rating so repeated testing is likely to damage the unit. I guess you could open one up, analyze the components and circuit and see if you feel that it is reasonable to believe that the unit could handle the claimed surges, but who has the time for that?
What kind of service, and what location is the SPD being installed?
Unless there is a TVSS installed at the service entrance, anything downstream is meaningless. For a residentail 240/120 single phase service anything more than 3-modes (L-L, L1-N, L2-N) is a waste of money and material. L-G and N-G modes are repetitive and useless.
Unless there is a TVSS installed at the service entrance, anything downstream is meaningless. For a residentail 240/120 single phase service anything more than 3-modes (L-L, L1-N, L2-N) is a waste of money and material. L-G and N-G modes are repetitive and useless.
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