Raycap News

Industrial Surge Protection

Industrial Surge Protection is the term that is used to describe the securing of data equipment, processors or other machinery from damage as a result of electrical surges. While the most severe kind of surge which will effect industrial applications is as a result of lightning, there are also surges which are produced by numerous other kinds of failures or errors. No matter what the source of an electrical transient, the only way to prevent damage to equipment is to prevent it from ever reaching the end point. In order to do this specialized industrial surge protectin equipment must be installed in between the source of the electrical surge and the equipment itself. The installation points are generally at junctures, electrical boxes and line joins. The power lines themselves are designed to allow for the most unrestricted flow of electricity possible, so the installation of these diversionary or breaker types of devices becomes crucial in order to prevent the flow when necessary.

The surge produced by a lightning strike is obviously the most potentially damaging as it can far exceed the limits that machinery can withstand, immediately destroying circuitry and potentially producing fires which will also destroy adjacent equipment. The strength of the surge produced by a lightning strike directly to a power line connected to equipment or coupled into that line by a strike to an attached structure, is unlike all the other levels of surge which will effect regulated flow throughout a typical day. This enormous production of electricity traveling over lines which are designed to allow maximum flow can spell disaster to any equipment attached to those lines if left uninterrupted. This type of situation presents the greatest overall danger of total equipment and data loss, and therefore must be protected against with the most robust and advanced electrical protection technology available. Raycap’s industrial surge protection solutions come in multiple configurations which will provide the maximum level of redundant protection that can be achieved. In addition to these features, Raycap’s technology also enables the supression to continue even multiple surges without needing to be replaced. For these reasons, Raycap’s Strikesorb products are considered industry leaders with regard to industrial applications.

Switching errors are other potentially dangerous situations which produce surges throughout a typical day at industrial sites. As equipment is switched on or off, a transient is generally produced which is of a level far lesser than a lightning strike, but still enough to degrade circuits over time. For this reason, the lifespans of equipment can be extended through protection measures which prevent transient surges from reaching their destination, even if they are not powerful enough to completely destroy circuitry in an instant. Varying levels and types of surge protection must be considered for an industrial application is to be fully protected.

The ongoing battle against electrical surges at industrial sites is one that is won through prevention. The surges themselves cannot be prevented, but their ability to do damage can. Contact a Raycap representative today for more information.