It is often noticed that a little fluctuation in your voltage can immediately burn out your electronic gadgets. This sudden rise in the voltage level is known as voltage or power surge. Since your home appliances appliances are very expensive and their repairing is also very difficult, you need to protect them using surge protectors.
The basic working principle of surge protectors is regulation of excess voltage and thus preventing it going in the circuitry of your appliances. This is done by shorting the ground supply or by blocking the over voltage. Since all the household appliances and equipments are totally dependent upon high power electronic circuits, these should be protected using this technology.
What causes a power to surge? Here are some common reasons for power surge. When a large number of high powered gadgets are used simultaneously, it upsets the complete flow of electrical current through your power systems and thus affects the proper functioning of the equipment.
Even a small fault in your home wiring can result into frequent voltage fluctuations and can permanently damage your gadget. Discharge released from lightning and thunderstorms can also burn out your appliances due to the voltage spikes caused by them.
Voltage fluctuations can be minimized by using a metal oxide varistor that basically comprise of a semiconductor material that provides very large resistance to the excess current. And thus prevents going into the appliances.
Gas discharge arrestor is also a kind of surge protector which contains an inert gas tube. It performs the function of making the link between the ground wire and power supply only when the voltage exceeds a specific level. The link or the connection remains unconnected for, if the voltage is stable.
The devices that are more sensitive to voltage fluctuations and are very expensive such as computer, refrigerators, and air conditioning units must be hooked to the surge protectors.
Surge protectors are very cost efficient since it would be costly to repair or replace the equipment itself rather than to replace the busted surge suppressor.
Author Resource:
Scott Rodgers is a extremely knowledgeable writer on electrician works. His stupendous exposure on lighting works has helped a lot many Pleasanton Electricians (Need one? click here !) and Dunedin Electricians (Need one? click here !)