Friday, September 30, 2022

AC and DC Surge Protection

AC and DC Surge Protection Devices

The type of electric current your device or component relies upon to function has a lot to do with the amount of necessary electricity. This means that “alternating current” (AC) and “direct current” (DC) are used in different applications due to the nature of the delivery of each. For example, suppose a source of a large amount of electricity is necessary to power a component that is being connected to a power supply. In that case, alternating current will probably be the best source because it can deliver large amounts of electricity over long distances. Electricity degrades over distance, traveling along the supply lines and diminishing as it does.

Alternating current works as a wave of electricity that is delivered along those lines, and it takes its name from the waveform that the current takes. AC pulses produce electricity in a way that travels further with less degradation. AC means that the continual supply of a certain amount of electricity necessary can be delivered fairly consistently by pulses of electricity provided from the origin point. But AC current often delivers electricity outside of a safe range and can also move in two directions, essentially flowing backward in addition to forward. AC electrical delivery requires surge protective devices having a low Voltage Protection Rating (VPR), which UL assigns an SPD. Installing an SPD with a low clamping or let-through voltage will protect sensitive equipment from too much electricity reaching it. Installing an SPD that cannot reduce the residual voltage of a power surge to levels that the equipment can accept fails to protect that equipment. The delivery of a pulse of electricity with varying ranges and the ability to flow backward can and does cause unwanted damage to the electrical protection itself. This is why it is critical to utilize surge protection devices and systems that are specifically designed to manage the surges caused by AC electrical flow.

DC or “direct current,” is named for the current’s linear movement. In contrast to the wave motion of the AC current, this waveform is more linear. DC is primarily used for devices having their supply of nearby power – being supplied by a battery or generator. DC power is delivered more consistently, with a specific amount of electrical flow, but it cannot be transmitted over long distances at the needed strengths. Certain applications lend themselves to DC power, for example, solar power, fuel cells and telecommunications systems. Telecommunications passes voices as signals, and if AC power were to be used in this application, disturbances to the voice lines due to the alternating current would disrupt communication. On the other hand, there is no such limitation in DC power. Specific types of surge protection devices, those that can safely manage the DC, are necessary to prevent the slow degradation of the circuitry involved in the components using this type of power supply.

While some surge damage may not be immediately noticeable in electrical systems, it shortens the equipment life span by its insidious nature, and operations become more labored as the circuitry becomes less able to perform. The ultimate result is the need to repair or replace the component earlier than typically would be needed, costing money in replacement costs that actually do not improve the functionality. If the repair or replacement of components just to keep the same level of operations occurs, the operating expenditures go up, and profits decline.

AC And DC Surge Protection

There are differences in the flow of electricity that is used to power equipment in various applications. Because of these differences, there is a need to create surge protection devices that function to stop the eventual power surge that can take place within either “alternating current” AC, or “direct current” DC waveforms. The primary difference in AC vs DC is that an AC type of current “alternates,” and travels as a wave while the waveform of the DC is more linear. AC is a pulse of energy instead of a continual and direct stream. The AC pulse creates a waveform and ultimately means that the level of electricity increases and regularly decreases as it travels. AC power also flows in two different directions. It can reverse itself, meaning that the types of surge protection devices (SPD) used to control this current type must be able to recognize and detect the safe and natural flow types and the levels outside of the normal range.

The entire purpose of surge protection devices is to prevent electrical flow outside of a safe range from ever encountering components connected to the power supply. Sensitive devices can be damaged immediately if the levels of electricity become more than they can tolerate. Because of this a purpose-built surge protection device must be used that can clamp the voltage to with in levels that the equipment can tolerate. The wave-like motion of the AC electrical current allows the current to travel for greater distances without degradation, so it is preferable for most types of applications. “Direct current” or DC is used in applications using batteries or fuel cells, where the components are attached to a nearby power source. While DC can be used for devices that need a tremendous amount of electricity, that flow is reduced as it moves further from the source.

Because these electrical waveforms have specific uses, specific purpose-built surge protection devices must be deployed to manage the power flow to the connected equipment safely. In DC flow, there will be a constant level of electricity moving in a single direction from when the draw happens until it is shut off. Because DC power delivers such a consistent voltage, it is the type of power required for most electronics. In fact, most electronics have DC power sources that convert AC power from the outlets to DC power through a rectifier before it reaches the equipment. In addition, power supplies often have both rectifiers and transformers that can raise or lower the voltage to the appropriate level. Protecting DC power requires specific SPD designs, behaviors, and electrical installation knowledge. Advancements in the designs and development of DC surge protectors have made them more able to prevent damage to electronic equipment. AC and DC power flows are unique and used in different circumstances, generally determined by the amount of power necessary to power a component and the distance from that energy source. The specialized protection devices designed for each help to reduce damage and save budgets.

Friday, September 2, 2022

PV Surge Protection and Solar Power

Solar power is an essential developing technology. Many might be shocked to hear that solar power is still a nascent technology. However, the basics that make up the actual mechanics still need improvement for it to be recognized as a technology that can overtake fossil fuel production. As fossil fuels become scarcer, we can expect prices for power production using these sources to increase, as well as becoming more challenging to use as a logical method moving forward. This clarifies the importance of fully developing the aspects of wind and solar necessary to allow them to one day eliminate fossil fuels as the primary method of producing electricity for consumers. We need to correctly identify the types of products with a limited future and begin moving towards those that can be sustainable so as not to provide massive disruptions and issues. If we were to run out of fossil fuels or another circumstance made it difficult to use them in this application, there needs to be an alternative method that can fully take up the slack of production. For most experts, solar is the most logical choice.

Solar is different than fossil fuel energy production in that it collects sunlight to make it work. Instead of burning a fuel source, the sunlight is collected on a panel and then used to heat the liquid inside a closed system. The flow of this liquid causes turbines' movement, which ultimately creates electricity for distribution. Solar power production is unlimited as long as sunshine is available and produces no pollution when performing the tasks it is designed for. Due to the unlimited supply of sunlight, it replacing the waning fossil fuels is a logical choice as they become more scarce. It is also a logical choice for those concerned about the pollution that burning things creates. The drawback to solar power production is that it relies upon a collection device positioned in an unobstructed way, while also being connected to optimization equipment that is computer driven. This creates the potential for a lightning strike to the panel to reverberate through the system in the form of a power surge, producing strike point damage and circuit damage to the connected components. This makes solar production more expensive right now than fossil fuels are.

The way to reduce production costs effectively is to limit the damage caused by predictable events. For example, panels will get struck by lightning, but we can salvage the equipment downstream by developing a photovoltaic surge protection system that effectively stops the surging electricity that follows. By developing better PV surge protection systems, these power production plants function more efficiently and are less costly, which can put them into the position of logical replacements for fossil fuels someday. We are not quite there yet, but developing technologies are making it more of a reality every day.

PV Surge Protection And Solar Producers

It is essential to plan for the future, especially if the future potentially holds significant changes that will impact the entire world. With regards to electricity production, nearly the whole globe relies upon burning a fuel source to manufacture electricity. The fossil fuels currently used for this purpose are the same ones that have been used for 100 years, and as the populations that rely upon electricity for daily life grow, so does the need for more and more electricity to service them. This is not just putting a strain on the fossil fuel market, but instead has identified that it will not be sustainable in the future. Simply put, we are quickly running out of fossil fuels to burn to make electricity, and we need a valid method of replacing those fossil fuels that can sustain the same levels of production that we currently have. If we were to run out before the processes of production that can take up the slack are fully flushed out, we will face the problem of a lack of power. This is simply not an option. This is why there is such a push to develop wind and solar power production methods fully.

While wind and solar are essentially worked out as far as the methods necessary to produce power, but it is currently unable to replace fossil fuel production for two reasons fully. It is too expensive, and it cannot generate enough power to satisfy the needs of major cities. Until these issues are worked out, we will continue to rely upon the limited resources of fossil fuels to meet the demand. Luckily, these two issues are being solved with the same technological improvements. PV surge protection systems are making it so that solar-producing plants can make more power from less sunlight and do it at cheaper costs. This is done by limiting the amount of damage that happens regularly to these plants, namely, caused by lightning strikes to the panels. In addition, these panels are being developed from cheaper materials making them more accessible and less expensive to replace when the inevitable happens. Still, the additional integration of surge protection devices designed explicitly for PV systems also dramatically cuts costs. These surge protection devices cut off the flow of power when the surge of electricity created by a lightning strike flows through the system and overwhelms the components attached to the panels. By integrating these devices along the critical pathways electricity can follow, we minimize the damage resulting from strikes. This keeps the plants online and functioning for more extended periods while the sun is shining and extends the life span of the components involved. By developing more effective surge protection systems for photovoltaic operations, we can potentially see a real replacement of fossil fuel production in the future.

PV Surge Protection Systems And Profitability

Photovoltaic power production systems work by positioning a panel that collects sunlight in an open area capable of collecting as much as possible. That panel then utilizes the collected sunlight to heat liquid within an enclosed piping system. The fluid expands and creates a movement or flow, ultimately moving turbines that produce static electricity for collection. The positioning of the panel is critical to the amount of power that can ultimately be made, as the sheer volume of available sunlight directly impacts the volume of power ultimately produced. For this reason, control equipment is continually optimizing the panel position and improving the liquid's ability to flow. These necessary interconnections between components present a significant challenge to the solar industry and have made it slow to progress due to the need to improve the systems to increase the amount of power that can be produced in 24 hours. The systems also need to be enhanced to do this at a lower cost than simply burning fossil fuels. Until that happens, we will continue to see solar power be looked at as interesting but unable to be relied upon as a primary fuel source.

The improvement of PV surge protection systems has brought about a dramatic change in the potential profitability of solar farms through the extension of uptimes and equipment lifespan. By enabling systems to stay online longer while the free power source of the sun is available is critical to profits, and due to the exposed nature of the panels and their interconnection to other equipment, lightning strikes hinder profits. The lightning strikes the panel doing damage that must be repaired before the system can go back online and continue to produce. The power surge that is produced by the strike moves through the system and creates additional damage to the equipment downstream, further necessitating the need for repairs. This costs the business money in both repairs and downtime during peak production hours. The downstream damage can be minimized or even eliminated by integrating PV surge protection devices at the places where electricity can flow. There is little ability to shield from a lightning strike fully. Still, by minimizing the damage to the panel itself instead of the connected equipment, the system can be restored to function much faster and for far less cost. When this is worked into the systems operating as much as humanly possible, the savings over time and the increases in production can potentially make solar power a reliable and cost-effective primary source for consumers. Once PV surge protection systems are entirely doing their job, other cost-saving and production-increasing methods can be implemented that will possibly push solar into the forefront of production. We do not know what the future holds, but if the current development indicates, we may someday be living in a solar world.

PV Surge Protection Systems

PV surge protection systems are one of the major assets that increase profitability for the solar industry. This increase in profit margin comes in two forms, but both these forms result from the same systems designed to optimize the performance of equipment used in the process. The most apparent form of profit increase comes from inclement weather destruction of equipment. Bad weather impacting exposed components, especially in the form of lightning strikes to the equipment, causes damage that must be repaired or replaced to restore functionality. Lightning striking the solar panels themselves produces significant damage at the strike point, but unfortunately, the creation of cheaper solar panels does not solve the issue. Instead, we find that the subsequent power surge that is produced by the strike also creates a significant amount of damage. The surge of electricity created by the strike moves through the interconnected components, overwhelming those components at the circuit level and creating damage that must be repaired before functioning can be restored. Integrating PV surge protection devices and components along the critical pathways over which the electrical flow happens can minimize and even eliminate the damage that occurs downstream from the strike. By mitigating the amount of damage resulting from these natural occurrences, we can ultimately improve the bottom line by keeping equipment active for more extended periods.

The main loss of profitability within solar operators occurs when the systems that produce power for customer consumption go offline. Downtime for photovoltaic operators happens when systems are offline during the times when the sun is shining and can create power. Due to the limitations of the systems being unable to produce effectively at night or when the sunlight is not optimal, any additional downtimes can prove to be critical for operations. The solution to these issues is to install surge protective devices within inverter locations, string boxes, and along any pathway that a power surge can travel. Inverter manufacturers have realized the necessity of surge protection, and many are already building devices and systems into their products. Through this push towards damage reduction from the obvious natural sources, we are seeing modern versions of these components able to outlast their previous generations by significant amounts of time. Through the push for longer uptimes and physical damage reduction, the solar industry can find better pathways toward the profitability necessary to make it a primary form of electrical power for production. For it to replace fossil fuel production, the systems themselves need to operate more effectively at producing power reliably and for lesser costs. This is being made more realistic by solving past issues that have hindered it. We may see a tipping point in the industry through surge protection devices for PV systems within the next few years.

Solar And Photovoltaic Surge Protection

The solar industry has faced challenges since its beginning, always fighting the uphill battle of support and funding. The main reason funding for developing new and improved techniques is difficult to come by is that the public is essentially being asked to pay slightly more for the same product that is generated using fossil fuel methods of production, that method being dirtier but cheaper. The fossil fuel industry interests have been able to move sentiment away from renewable energy by downplaying the damage caused by fossil fuels. Simply put, producing electricity using fossil fuels causes pollution and environmental damage. Still, because that damage is difficult for the public to see, the fossil fuel industry claims it does not exist. Because of these manipulative techniques, we find that people will vote not to provide extra funding towards research into cleaner methods, instead putting support behind the more damaging practices as long as they cost less. Because of this lack of support and funding for development, the solar industry has not yet moved to the point of being able to produce power cheaper. Everyone agrees it is cleaner but still does not support putting extra funds into projects that will make it a viable replacement regarding costs. This keeps fossil fuel production in the leading position and pushes solar and wind power into the background. For this reason, the industry is forced to create innovations using only private funding and interest.

Photovoltaic surge protection is a development that has moved the solar industry forward toward the goal of possible viability as far as replacement, being developed almost exclusively by private individuals and companies. The issue that needed solving was that solar panels are exposed and prone to lightning strikes. Lightning strike surges damage the solar panel and the control equipment connected to the panels. Through the integration of effective methods of stopping the power surges that follow a lightning strike, private industry has been able to reduce the costs of ongoing operations of solar producers and improve the amount of time they are operational. By keeping the repair and replacement process simple, the systems can go back online faster after a strike, allowing them to produce power for longer periods when the sun is shining. This creates more energy for the exact costs, ultimately driving the total cost of each unit of electricity down to a more competitive level. We are very close to finding that solar power producers have the ability to produce enough power to keep the lights on in major cities without fossil fuel backups and can do it for a lower price. This shows that special interests may have slowed the solar industry but it cannot be stopped.