What is an SPD?
What is a Surge Protection Device?
A Surge Protection Device (SPD) is designed to protect electrical installations and equipment from transient overvoltages, commonly known as surges. These surges can be caused by nearby lightning strikes, switching operations within the electrical network, or faults on the power supply. By safely diverting excess voltage to earth, an SPD helps prevent damage to sensitive electrical and electronic equipment, reducing the risk of costly downtime, repairs and replacements.
What is a Surge?
A surge is a very short, sharp increase in the voltage in the electrical system. The voltage is essentially the pressure of the electrical system, so when this increases, it leads to electrical components being damaged within the installation. You won’t be aware of the surges when they occur, but over time they lead to the degradation of electrical components, which will shorten the lifespan of the electrical equipment in your installation, whether that’s a domestic dwelling, or commercial / industrial premesis.
What about lightning?
Lightning strikes can generate powerful surges that travel through the electrical system, even when the strike occurs several miles away. For most installations, a Type 2+3 SPD provides effective protection against the surges commonly caused by nearby lightning strikes, switching events or power disturbances.
However, when a building is fitted with an external lightning protection system (LPS) or is supplied by overhead power lines, a Type 1+2+3 SPD is required. These devices are specifically designed to withstand and safely discharge a high-energy surge and lightning impulse event, associated with a direct lightning strike to the building.
The correct SPD selection is therefore paramount to ensuring compliance with installation requirements and providing the appropriate level of protection for the installation.
Why does your home need a Surge Protection Device?
Modern homes are filled with valuable electronic equipment, most of which contain sensitive components that can be damaged in an instant by a surge. From smart TV’s, computers, gaming consoles, boiler controls, heat pumps, washing machines and LED lightning, today’s homes rely on technology more than ever before.
Surges can lead to costly repairs, equipment replacement and, in some cases, the loss of irreplaceable memories such as family photos, videos and important documents stored on computers and connected devices. While many homeowners insure their possessions against theft and accidental damage, few consider the risk posed by electrical surges.
Surges occur far more frequently than most people realise and installing an SPD acts as the first line of defence, helping to protect your home and the valuable equipment within it from failure. Considering the value of the electronics in a typical modern home, installing an SPD is often one of the simplest and most cost-effective forms of protection available.
Which device do you need?
We offer a wealth of experience in helping to decide which product best suits your need, and with over 3000 devices in our range, it’s well worth picking up the phone to chat with our team of experts ready to take your call.
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