AC and DC Surge Protection Devices
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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.
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