Information

Data Is Critical, Protect It 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/data-surge-protection/  

Surge protection devices that are installed in industrial facilities in order to provide protection for the equipment involved in the process are not only tasked with the protection of the physical assets.  The information which the company has stored over the years, allowing for more streamlined operations both in the current time as well as in the future, must also be protected.  In many ways, the data that the company stores provides the functionality with which the company operates.  The most simple case could be that if the company stores your name as a customer and information on a server to route their products to you, if your information is lost the company can no longer provide you with these services.  This will go on until the data is restored, even if the mechanical aspects of the process are repaired.  This is why surge protection is so critical within industrial facilities.  The ongoing operations can be restored to functionality with the repair or replacement of equipment, but in the cases where critical data is lost as a result of that equipment damage, the process of full restoration to functionality becomes a nightmare.  (more…)

Data Surge Protection 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/data-surge-protection/  

One of the industry terms that is utilized in the surge protection niche that many people in the public have never heard of is “data surge protection.” The easiest way to describe the definition of this phrase is that it is “the protection of data from power surges and the damage that can be produced by them.”  Power surge protection is a mystery to many people because they do not interact with it daily, and is generally a function that happens in the background of ongoing operations.  This means that it has almost no impact on people on any kind on a regular basis, until some sort of incident happens that brings it into light.  Modern power grids are very well designed and for the most part will see only little fluctuation during a typical day, and usually as a result of a weather event..  Surge protection systems are  designed to intervene during the unplanned event that happens outside of system operations.  It is designed to come into play when something goes wrong even though there has probably been no instance outside of normal technical operations for lengthy period of time.  It is also designed to intervene in an unexpected instance almost instantaneously, as anything less would provide damage to any equipment downstream that is left unprotected.  The problem with damage that occurs as a result of power surges is that it is generally not isolated to simply damaging the equipment in the origination area.  Many times, the equipment is not only tasked with performing an operation but also with the storage of information that is critical to the ongoing operations themselves.  If you have ever had a computer crash that results in a loss of data you understand the implications of this failure go far beyond simply having to replace the computer itself.  Data is one of the most valuable commodities that must be protected within almost every type of business.  (more…)

Lightning Protectors To Maintain Profitability 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/what-are-lightning-protectors/ 

Maintaining a profit within a challenging industry is difficult.  As more players enter the market and are all vying for the same customers, a shrinking customer base must be offset by reduced costs if profitability is to be maintained.  This means that if each company is working with fewer customers, the costs associated with the product that is supplied to each customer must be reduced if profit margins are to be maintained.  This is accomplished in several ways, one of the most common in industrial spaces being the utilization of cheaper components or the extension of the lifespan of the equipment used in the process.  Within the cellular industry we can see this process playing out on both fronts.  Cellular towers must be able to maintain an unobstructed signal to the users on the ground.  This placement makes them highly endangered with regards to lightning strikes, as lightning is attracted to the tallest structures within range. Lightning takes the path of least resistance to the ground, ultimately meaning that it will strike the tallest structure which is connected to the ground in an attempt to flow through that structure to its final destination.  For this reason, lightning will generally strike the top of a cellular tower, and through the use of cheaper components to create the structure of the tower, companies are able to reduce the repair and maintenance costs as a result of the strike.  At the same time, companies utilize highly advanced lightning protectors in order to mitigate the damage that happens as a result of the power surge which follows the strike.  This power surge traveling through the structure will impact equipment located near the top, and travel along data transfer lines and power cables quite efficiently.  This means that power flows from components located near the top to components located in the center or at the bottom of the tower.  This creates additional damage that is farther away from the strike point.  (more…)

Data Is A Critical Component In Industrial Businesses 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/data-surge-protection/  

When people think about industrial facilities, the impression in our heads is of large machines which are belching steam and smoke.  Our impression of industrial businesses was probably formulated from visuals that were created in the early 20th century when industry was far more crude then it is today.  Today’s industrial facilities are highly technical and are generally computer driven operations that rely upon data transfer in order to maintain their functionality.  Gone are the days with giant machines and men shoveling coal into furnaces, all having been replaced by racks of computers and data processors which served to provide the functionality of all aspects of these businesses.  In many instances the equipment that is  exposed at the end of the process are directly joined to these sensitive components which drive them.  Even though the electronic components are protected from exposure to the elements, this direct connection to the exposed equipment creates a vulnerability that can have a significant impact on operations.  Lightning strikes to exposed components are commonplace and are impossible to predict.  This means that companies must provide protection mitigation long before any incident ever happens in order to fully avoid the implications that can happen to the operation as a result.  The lightning strike to an exposed piece of equipment can have a ripple effect creating damage caused by the subsequent power surge that moves along data processing and power lines until it reaches the more sensitive equipment upstream.  This can cause damage not only at the strike point but also destroys circuitry which ultimately results in the loss of data which is critical to the process.  (more…)

EVP and Surge Protection 

There is no doubt that the future of transportation is the electric vehicle.  The progress of this type of transportation has been hindered over the years through a slow technological development of the components involved in the process.  The batteries that are involved had limitations that would reduce the amount of driving that could be done in between charges.  These batteries were also limited in their ability to produce adequate power to the car’s wheels, meaning that electric vehicles were underpowered and slow.  They’ve always been embraced by those who are ecologically motivated, but in many cases have been rejected by those who are more concerned with the costs of operation or performance.  Over the course of the last few years there has been dramatic shift in the widespread adoption of electric vehicles, mostly, and as a result of the advances that car makers, including Tesla is making.  While there are many electric cars available from other manufacturers, Tesla has captured the imagination of the wider portion of the population through its improvements to performance and styling.  While there are still limitations to the amount of distance that can be traveled in between charges, other encumbrances have made great strides towards improvement.  Tesla has created a line of stylish sports cars that are not only adequately powered, but in many cases provide far more power than a standard gas-powered vehicle.  While there have been improvements to battery capacities, one of the obvious limitations has always been finding a place outside of your own home where you can charge your electric vehicle.  These stations were difficult to come by until a more widespread adoption of electric vehicles caused gas stations and other areas to begin looking at providing charging as a way to earn money.  Tesla developed a system of charging stations that were compatible with Tesla vehicles and rolled out a significant amount of the stations across America.  Tesla vehicles are also able to utilize the standard charging stations with an adapter, although the charge in process takes significantly longer due to that power being delivered at a lower rate.  While Tesla’s technological advances are causing more people to consider electric vehicles, we are now beginning to also see the issues that come along with more widespread use of electric power charging stations.  In order to reduce the amount of time spent at the stations waiting for your vehicle to be charged, the pressure to increase the loads which can be delivered are being felt.  The introduction of higher capacity charging technology increases the risk associated with power surges within these kinds of systems.  In addition to the potential damage to equipment we also must deal with the potential injury or death that can arise as a result of power surges while people remain in their vehicles during the charging time.  The development of electric vehicle surge protection devices and systems is one of the most significant technological advancements of the last hundred years, and could potentially assist a more widespread adoption of electric vehicles worldwide.  Making the vehicles more sporty increases interest, and making the vehicles more safe increases sales.  (more…)

Lightning Protectors In The Field 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/what-are-lightning-protectors/ 

The general public may not understand the significance of lightning protectors and how they help to save CapEx and OpEx at industrial facilities.  These are devices that are installed into the technical systems to protect the equipment downstream.  The protection that is provided is in response to the associated electrical surge that follows a lightning strike.  The concept of lightning protectors is that damage that is caused by lightning strikes to exposed structures and equipment in the field can be mitigated.  At the strike point itself, it would be expected that significant amounts of damage would occur, and as a result operators in multiple industries continually seek cheaper components that will be exposed to the elements.  Through the use of components which can be replaced at lesser expense, overall impact to the bottom line of the business grows more positive.  More of an issue is the associated power surge that travels through the exposed structures and equipment, has and can have a direct impact on computerized, data processing components located either within that structure or elsewhere. If connected to the structure itself or other nearby equipment, nearly any component in the process is at risk.  This sensitive equipment cannot withstand power surges of the level that are generated by lightning strikes and is at risk due to their inter-connectivity between equipment located closer to the strike point and further down the line.  These pieces of equipment are generally connected through data exchange lines or power cables.  These types of pathways allow the power surge to travel easily from the point of impact of the lightning strike to areas further away.  An example of this weakness can be seen in cellular towers, which are natural attractants for lightning strikes due to the necessity of placement in unobstructed and high areas.  This placement is necessary to provide a clear signal from cellular users on the ground to the tower, but this same placement ultimately creates the target for lightning strikes to the tower top.  Within this portion of the cellular tower is the “remote radio head” or “RRH,” which acts as a transmitter, moving data from this receiver point to the “base band unit” of “BBU” located either in the middle or at the bottom of that tower.  If the remote radio head is impacted by the lightning strike and power surge, it’s direct connection to the base station unit will almost assure unsafe levels of power to travel through both units after a lightning strike, if left unprotected.  Lightning protectors installed within junction points as well as along the cables that provide connectivity between units create an ability to stop the flow of power beyond their point of install.  This means that a power surge that impacts the remote radio head can be thwarted before it impacts the base station unit.  At least some of the equipment involved in the process can be salvaged after a lightning strike, when in the past more of a total loss would occur.  This provides an ability to conserve funds that would be spent on repair and maintenance, which can then be applied towards operational expenses or applied ot the bottom line.  (more…)

Electric Charging Station Surge Protection 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/electrical-vehicle-surge-protection-2/  

There has been an ever-increasing interest in electric vehicles over the last five years.  In order to create even more interest and adoption there needs to be a more aggressive rollout of charging stations.  When considering the purchase of an emerging technology, one of the first things that comes to mind are the limitations that this technology might impose on your life.  With regards to electric vehicles, the limitations have always been in the form of a lack of power, a lack of styling and a lack of available charging stations.  Styling aside, the functionality of an electric vehicle is limited to the distance that it can be driven and the speed at which it can be driven.  As interest grows, manufacturers have made significant gains in the amount of power that can be generated to the wheels of an electric vehicle, in some cases now showing even more power than most standard gas-powered cars.  It seems that the only hindrance that still exists from preventing a more widespread adoption of this form of transportation is the lack of available charging stations across developed nations.  Nobody wants to worry about driving their vehicle in an unfamiliar area and not being able to charge it up.  Areas like California are now putting forward significantly more aggressive measures designed to eliminate gas-powered vehicles over the course of the next decades, this goal goes hand in hand with measures which will increase the amount of charging stations in the state.  Tesla has made the most progress with regards to its technology and roll out of new charging stations, but due to the fact that Tesla vehicles operate in a class of their own this does not do much for the development of technology outside of their system when these manufacturers create stations only relevant to their own car types.  Collective efforts to fast track more widespread adoption of electric vehicles involve tackling the problem of installing more charging stations that are not specifically only for a particular vehicle manufacturer. Many believe that cross-brand rapid charging stations are the solution.  (more…)

Electro Mobility And EV Protection 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/wp-content/uploads/EV-Charger-Global-Application-paper_EN.pdf  

As the world moves forward toward a more widespread adoption of electric vehicles (EV) as the primary source of transportation within the personal vehicle market, we find that the need for reliable and safe charging infrastructure is increasing.  Electric vehicles have become more powerful and stylish, leaving only the ability to charge outside of the home as the major encumbrance limiting a more widespread global adoption.  Fast charging technology is rapidly emerging, and as public interest increases, we also find charging stations to be emerging as a business opportunity.  There are challenges to this type of widespread adoption, the main challenge is the methods to protect both the devices themselves and the connected vehicles against electrical overvoltage.  Both the cars and the charging stations are outfitted with sensitive components that are electronic in nature, which cannot withstand power surges.  The protecting of the cars and the charging stations against power surges caused by both fluctuations in the network as well as lightning strikes is critical from both a safety perspective as well as an economic perspective on the business end.  All grid side switching operations are potential problems for both the stations as well as the cars connected to them, and earthing faults or short circuiting can have severe impact in the form of damage to the equipment.  It’s necessary to safeguard against these electrical risks in order to ensure the viability of profits, and also safety with regards to human life.  Identifying the risk scenarios that surround both AC and DC charging setups is critical to the future of electrical vehicles. 

Overvoltages that are caused by lightning strikes to the alternating current network need to be diminished up to the point of input of the main distributor of the charging device.  Surge protection devices need to be installed directly after the main circuit breaker and need to impinge the surge current to earth.  We must take into consideration that there is no way to effectively shut down charging stations during thunderstorms which may produce lightning, so instead we must provide the protection that will allow these stations to remain fully functional during such inclement weather events.  It is critical that there is no chance of a surge moving past the connection point to the vehicle, considering that it would be anticipated during inclement weather that people would remain inside their cars during the charging process.  While there can be no chance of the surge mishap moving through the charging station and into the structure of the vehicle, we also need the minimization of the amount of time when humans would potentially be inside of their vehicle while it is connected.  Not only will shorter time frames associated with charging help to further the adoption of electric vehicles in general, it would minimize the amount of time that people would be at risk due to their presence in and around the vehicle during the charging process itself. EV surge protection can move us closer towards all these goals. 

The widespread implementation of charging stations across the country exponentially increases the amount of potential damage as a result of power surges.  Inverters and transformers within fast charging setups must be positioned upwards of 100 meters apart, which significantly increases the footprint that the station itself holds.  With each added inch of space that is taken up by equipment that is interconnected, the chances of a lightning strike impacting the entire system increases.  Providing less area where the lightning strike can happen and then couple into the system is one of the areas that is being technologically advanced every day.  As the charging capacities of the stations themselves grow more significant, so does the risk of loss as a result of a single lightning strike. The more advanced the system becomes, the more expensive the equipment becomes as well.  As we advance towards the goal of fast charging stations becoming able to provide a full charge to an electric vehicle in less than 30 minutes, the capacities of the delivery system must increase.  The risks associated with these increases can only be mitigated through the involvement of more technologically advanced surge protection devices on an ongoing basis.  While the integration of surge protection devices in addition to external shielding devices which can draw lightning strikes away from these charging stations can help to minimize the risks involved, there are still vast areas for improvement within nearly every element of the electricity delivery system for electric cars.  The ultimate goal is to reduce the impact of greenhouse gases that are produced as a result of fossil fuel powered vehicles, but the rollout of these emerging technologies remains slow because we concentrate heavily on fully understanding the potential pitfalls before moving forward with widespread rollouts. 

Tesla is a leader in the field of electric vehicles and has done more for the advancement of the clause than practically any other manufacturer.  One of the main considerations that has drawn customers to Tesla is their proprietary charge delivery system and stations which have been installed in nearly every major city in the United States.  Even Tesla which has the significant advantage over every other manufacturer still faces the problems of not being able to be everywhere, and only through the collective push for integration of cross vehicle charging stations into the existing gas station network will we be able to see a more legitimate adoption of electric vehicles as being the choice for the majority of the population.  Tesla vehicles are provided with an adapter that can utilize the standard charging station hookups, but even though they are able to be charged at these types of stations the delivery of the power is not as great as within the Tesla network.  The extended wait times of standard charging creates not only frustration for electric vehicle owners but also the dangers associated with the longer times they are spent in and around your car while it is connected.  Through Raycap’s advancements in the surge protection industry as it applies to electric vehicles, we will see all of these issues be further mitigated with every year. 

How Does Lightning Impact Industrial Businesses? 

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/what-are-lightning-protectors/ 

Industrial businesses’ face numerous problems that are more difficult to deal with due to the physical makeup of their organizations and processes’.  The fact that these types of industries can operate within physical spaces that are more diverse and difficult to protect against makes the electrical protection of them a unique challenge in almost any installation.  The more sensitive and expensive the equipment used in the process becomes, the more effort and expense will be put into protecting it in a typical situation. Within industrial facilities there is almost no way to completely disconnect sensitive equipment from the aspects of the network which could be in danger during a lightning strike or a surge coming from the electrical grid.  This translates to a simple issue, the positioning of equipment in the field places it at a greater risk of damage than normal situations, even if the best of all protection circumstances is achieved.  Some of the industries where we have seen this scenario played out is in the electric vehicle (EV) market, the telecommunications industry and the green energy production methods.  All of these types of businesses cannot get away from positioning expensive and easily damaged equipment in the field, and are also faced with the added difficulty of needing this equipment to function during all types of inclement weather.  The risk of wind, rain and snow damage as a result of wear and tear is made far worse by the risks associated with lightning strikes and power surges.  The added amount of electricity that is typically necessary to power an industrial facility makes switching issues and the standard expectations of power fluctuations pose a greater risk of economical loss to the business.  When you begin to factor in the added unpredictable nature of lightning, you must expect a certain amount of losses to happen.  Even the best of all scenarios where overhead shielding diverts lightning strikes away from the critical equipment and surge protection devices are installed in a redundant fashion throughout the entire system, we can still expect there to be a certain amount of damage every quarter. 

In the telecommunications field, the position of the cell towers in an unobstructed manner creates the problem.  A good signal must be able to be able to be received and transmitted, which means that the cell tower must be one of the tallest structures in an area.  That tower also must be made of materials that can withstand a significant amount of wind and bad weather.  The tower must provide the ability to continually function during inclement weather as well as in normal circumstances and must be able to be brought back into a functional state in a quick and easy manner after a damaging incident has occurred.  The way that the system works is technologically advanced but simple in its methods.  The remote radio head is positioned at the top of the tower in order to receive the signal from the user on the ground.  The base station unit is positioned towards the bottom of the tower and is connected to the remote radio head through a series of cables that allow for data transfer and power flow.  The lightning strike to the top of the tower can easily allow for a massive power surge to impact this equipment at the top, and that power flow can travel along the connectivity lines to impact the equipment further down.  it is impossible to maintain operations without these two units being connected, and historically we have found that lightning strikes will damage the equipment at the top as well as at the bottom.  The process of minimization of the damage as a result of lightning strikes has involved creating breaks where the electricity cannot continue flowing, ultimately protecting anything beyond that point.  This is where the integration of surge protection equipment along critical pathways can extend the life span of equipment outside of the strike point, as well as improving the amount of time it takes to repair the system and get the tower back online.  This gives customers less downtime and ultimately improves the business functionality at the same time as conserving OpEx funds that would otherwise be allocated towards repairs. 

Within the electric vehicle market, we find that sensitive equipment is placed both inside of the cars as well as in the charging stations that are positioned in the field.  When the electric car is connected to one of these charging stations, the risk of damage to both increases with every moment that the charge in process is ongoing.  The lightning strike produces a power surge that can couple into this equipment and poses a risk of monetary losses, and a significant risk to the potential loss of life if someone is in or around their car.  Minimizing the amount of time that someone spends charging ultimately minimizes these risks and improves customer satisfaction, the tradeoff being that faster charging stations means more expensive equipment.  The integration of surge protection equipment throughout these types of systems is critical to prevent the loss of life that can occur, necessitating multiple and redundant surge protection devices to be installed along every potential transfer path on both the AC and DC sides. 

In the green energy production market, we find that the damages which increase the costs associated with production happen because of lightning strikes to either the solar panels or the wind towers positioned in the field.  Both of these types of structures need to be positioned in a way where they will be unobstructed, allowing for wind flow or sunlight to easily reach them.  It is critical for them to remain unobstructed if they are to generate power using the free fuel sources which are available in the form of wind and sun.  Every moment that a system is taken offline reduces the energy capacity that that system can produce, and compromises the viability of the methods.  Lightning strikes to these exposed areas performs much the same as within the cell towers mentioned earlier, the power surge travels through the system from the strike point and impacts the expensive and sensitive equipment downstream.  Through the reduction of the amount of distance that the power surges can flow, we can increase the viability of the entire industry through the production of more power in a 24 hour period.  We also reduce the amount of downtime and CapEx to be associated with repair and maintenance to those components which will be damaged. 

Raycap is leading the field in the production of surge protection devices that are applicable to all of these industries and more.  Through the diligent work and technological advances that have brought Raycap products to market, the company is also continually improving to develop better, faster and more robust devices.  Every improvement that is made increases the viability of these emerging markets and increases the profit margins for the operators involved.