Do you ever worry about a power surge damaging your household devices and appliances? Power surges may damage all of the devices and appliances in your house.
A power surge may permanently harm your personal gadgets by melting the plastic or frying the circuits if it is severe enough.
Exactly What Does A Surge Protector Do?
A tiny appliance or gadget known as a surge protector serves two basic purposes.
The first is to enable several components to be plugged into a single power socket.
The second, and more crucial, purpose is to safeguard your electronic equipment from a high-voltage power surge, including your computer and TV system.
An rise in voltage over the predetermined level in the flow of electricity is referred to as a power surge or spike.
What Functions A Surge Protector?
The electrical current from a standard surge protector travels down the outlet to a variety of the devices connected into the power strip.
The protector will direct any excess power into the outlets’ grounding wire if the voltage occurs to climb over the permitted threshold.
Parallel to the hot and neutral wires are grounding wires.
If the system of hot and neutral wires—which ordinarily transport the current—breaks down, they provide a route for electrical current to go.
How Do A Surge And A Spike Differ From One Another?
A surge is defined as an increase in voltage that lasts three nanoseconds or longer.
A spike occurs when the voltage rises for only one or two nanoseconds.
That is the only distinction, just that.
However, if the surge is strong enough, those nanoseconds, or billionths of a second, may do significant harm to a computer.
What Typically Causes an Uptick or Surge?
Despite being very rare, lightning is one of the most well-known causes.
The usage of high-power appliances like air conditioners, elevators, and freezers is one of the most frequent reasons.
They need a lot of energy to turn on and off the motors and compressors within.
When switching, it generates transient, abrupt power demands that disturb the constant current voltage flow.
Usually, the electrical system of the structure sustains damage, which may happen immediately if the system is not safeguarded or gradually over time.
One of the most frequent causes of power surges is faulty wiring, followed by equipment malfunctions at the utility company and broken power lines.
There are several places in the intricate network of transformers and wires that transport energy to your houses where a mistake might result in an uneven power flow and, eventually, a power surge.
Is There a Difference Between a Surge Protector and a Power Strip?
It’s crucial to keep in mind that not all power strips function as surge protectors.
Although they have a very similar appearance, a power strip only serves to increase the number of outlets.
If it does not explicitly state the difference, it may often be difficult to distinguish between the two.
When determining precisely what you are buying, you may check the packing.
A surge protector’s package has to indicate its joules rating.
The unit used to measure energy is called a joule.
They gauge the length of protection for your equipment.
The joules or numbers function as a reservoir.
Every time the guardian does its duty, it suffers damage, and the joules gradually decrease.
It may sometimes just take a single large surge to push it over its breaking point, and other times it needs many little ones.
What Is The Lifespan Of Surge Protectors? How Can I Tell When To Change Them?
Knowing when to buy a new protector may be determined by keeping note of spikes and surges.
As previously indicated, the quantity of joules may decrease after a significant impact and cease to be able to shield your electronics.
Knowing when your surge protector was purchased is also very important.
Depending on the quantity/strength of surges, a decent surge protector may sometimes survive three to five years.
But it’s customary to change them every two years.
This is so that you are aware that your gadgets are at danger even if the majority will continue to “function” without offering security.
If you’re fortunate, your guardian will alert you in some way or turn off when their degree of protection is too low.
Can I Plug an Extension Cord into a Surge Protector?
Technically, yes, provided the cable is capable of handling at least as much energy as the surge protector.
You shouldn’t, however, since it poses a fire risk.
It should be highlighted that it violates both the National Electric Code and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standards (NEC).
Another Surge Protector—What About It?
Again, it is against OSHA and NEC standards to connect one surge protector into another.
Additionally, it defeats the goal.
If another surge protector is plugged in, the protective capabilities of the first one may be compromised, potentially to the point where neither one can do its job correctly.
If it is discovered that plugging them in on top of each other was the reason for the accident, most warranties will also be nullified.
It is a good idea to utilize surge protectors to prevent your large, crucial devices from being fried during a power surge, even if you do not necessarily need to connect every light into one.
