Information

Industrial sites and factories that house industrial control equipment are often the unfortunate recipients of electrical overvoltage events caused by power surges and equipment switching errors.  As well, industrial sites are often in danger of being struck by lightning.  In addition to the obvious issues that come with a lightning strike, the volume of consumed electricity that is necessary to keep most industrial applications online makes them especially susceptible to electricity-related damage.  In order to minimize the damage to equipment caused by electrical surges, it is crucial to create a redundant electrical protection system for industrial sites. (more…)

Surge suppression devices are the single best method of protecting equipment from electrical surges and overvoltage events.  Anyone with a computer or television understands the damaging effects of power surges on any equipment which contains circuitry, as a power surge to the home has the ability to easily knock equipment offline and destroy internal components that are only able to handle a limited amount of electrical current.  The exact same premise applies to industrial applications and sites, the only real difference is that the stakes are exponentially higher with far greater potentials for both damage and losses in industrial environments.  An electrical surge to a private residence can cause thousands of dollars in lost data and equipment failure, and an electrical surge to an industrial site can cause millions, let alone the risk of fire and other dangers.  The number one rule with regard to electrical surges is to avoid them if possible, and suppress them if necessary.  Raycap is a world leading manufacturer of surge suppression devices and systems designed to protect industrial sites from electrical surges and overvoltage. (more…)

Ongoing overvoltage protection

Raycap is recognized as a world leader in producing and manufacturing overvoltage protection components and systems designed for industrial applications. The unique Strikesorb SPD technology allows for previously unmatched levels of protection from electrical damage to sensitive equipment like microprocessors and computers. Overvoltage events can cripple any equipment connected directly to an electrical grid without interrupting equipment installed, being produced through a variety of accidents that can cause surges. These surges are immediate increases in the levels of electricity flowing from the source to the components and are generally the result of lightning, switching errors, operator errors, or malfunction. Raycap’s Strikesorb line of products acts as a barrier between equipment and electrical overvoltage levels, instantly diverting electrical current away from potentially damaged components if the critical level is exceeded. (more…)

The cellular network that our cellphones connect to in order to allow us to have conversations, surf the internet and download media is reliant on towers to make these activities possible. This means that the coverage areas that your network provider is discussing in their marketing materials is based upon overlap between towers, and the ability of your phone to find a signal from a tower nearby. Your signal is weak if the closest tower is far away or obstructed, and it is cut off if there is no tower within range. Complete coverage means placing enough towers in the general vicinity of users to not have gaps, no matter where they go. Each tower is responsible for a portion of that area, and if that tower was to be rendered offline, then the other towers in the vicinity would have to take up the slack. Network providers rely upon equipment placed within these towers to make the functionality of coverage happen, with the RRH (remote radio head) being placed at the tower top and the BSU (base station unit) equipment being placed either at the bottom or outside of the tower itself. The units are connected through the power cables and data transfer lines that run between them. These same lines are responsible for one of the greatest weaknesses that exists within the cellular tower. That weakness is that events resulting in damage to the equipment at the top of a tower will generally also damage equipment at the bottom. (more…)

Cellular networks are comprised of single cell towers covering areas with their signal, overlapping into as close to complete coverage for users as possible. Every cell user has experienced the “dropped call” or the lack of bars that illustrates a weak signal. These issues cause a poor user experience, and cell phone carriers are continually fighting the battle to improve the customer experience through more robust signals and greater connectivity. This means creating not only a network of towers that will provide as close to complete coverage without gaps as possible, but additionally the redundancy of a single tower which might be rendered offline should be compensated for by the surrounding towers. These issues are common, and as a result customers will move between carriers seeking a better experience for lower prices. This is where technology outside of the common equipment used in the process comes into play. (more…)

The concept of surge protection is relatively simple, but the technology that ultimately creates effectiveness within the defined parameters of these devices is continually evolving. “Surge protection devices” serve a single function, to prevent electrical flow beyond a specific measured amount from moving past the device itself and impacting the circuitry, wiring or internal components of equipment that is connected downstream. The electrical flow that is being monitored is generally moving along wiring or cables of some type that connect computerized devices together, or attach them to a source of power. These devices have a threshold of electrical power that cannot be crossed without component damage, resulting in the necessity of these components to be protected from any amount of electrical flow beyond that specific amount. The effectiveness of the device tasked with this prevention is measured in a few ways, mostly being seen in the completeness of cutoff or diversion of the electrical flow, the speed with which it is stopped, and the amount of time that it takes to re-establish the “functional” status of after the instance of an electrical surge. The most effective surge protection devices are going to be the ones that not only cut off the electrical flow instantaneously, but also remain in a protective state even after this happens. Over the years, technological advancements in the makeup of the devices have improved effectiveness dramatically, resulting in the ability to utilize increasingly sophisticated and expensive equipment without the routine damage or degradation of functionality that was expected in the past. Surge protection devices are extending the useful life spans of nearly everything they protect. (more…)

For most consumers surge protection is an afterthought that is only considered as a way of protecting their home computer equipment in the event of a large scale power surge. In many cases, this is a very rare occasion that may never be noticed more than some flickering lights, but in some areas these power surges will have a degrading effect on computers if they are allowed to run continually. Some communities have power grids that will have more common surge issues that may not be enough to completely trip the breakers in a home, or cut off the power flow through a surge strip. But even these minor fluctuations in flow can have the effect of shortening the life span of circuit driven equipment. In many people’s minds, the investment into expensive surge protection devices to keep a component safe that will ultimately be replaced within only a few years does not justify the added costs. While this economic decision does make sense, the situation cannot be compared to industrial installations when considering whether to add surge protection, and in these cases it is not only necessary but it may be critical. (more…)

Surge Suppression

Electrical surges are well known to be one of the largest sources of damage to sensitive equipment like microprocessors, computers, circuits and other items that are directly connected to an electrical power source. Household surge protectors are devices used as power strips that work as a method of plugging several household items into a single device but will also trigger a circuit break if there is a power surge, thus protecting any equipment attached from potential loss.  Less people are aware of industrial surge suppression systems and devices like those manufactured and produced by Raycap, one of the world’s leading electrical protection companies. Raycap’s business is to manufacture individual components and complete systems that provide protection from electrical surges and overvoltage on an industrial level, working to prevent damage to mission critical equipment worth millions of dollars. Needless to say, simple household surge suppressors are not the type of protection we are discussing.

Raycap manufactures several product lines designed to provide industrial level electricity protection from a variety of causes and sources. While their Strikesorb and Rayvoss lines are not the only protection devices that are utilized within industrial system installations, they are an extremely effective solution for protection devices put into place at the front line conductor entry point locations, protecting both the equipment and the panel boards feeding the equipment.  These devices are specifically designed to eliminate electrical power surges from coming into the facility.  Both the device and the correct installation point are crucial for leveraging maximum efficiency and protection against the wide variety of electrical spikes.  Raycap products have been designed and tested against different surge currents and have proven time and time again to be among the finest on the market.

The different causes of electrical transients require different levels or tiers of surge suppression devices in order to effectively prevent the surge from reaching equipment inside an industrial site.  For optimum protection the National Electrical Code recommends a tiered approach of surge protection, placing the high capacity surge suppression devices at service entrances followed by surge suppressors installed at branch panels and downstream. Residual voltage which is the amount of transient voltage that will remain on an AC line after a surge suppressor has functioned can still be extreme enough to cause significant damage downstream. A second and even third level of surge protection is needed in order to provide clean voltage to sensitive equipment.

When lightning strikes many times it is multi-stroke in nature, meaning that a single flash will contain four or even more strokes.  Lightning strikes to power lines that are directly connected to equipment will produce surges of massive levels which can not only destroy circuitry but additionally cause fires within industrial facilities and compound the levels of damage.  Even lighting strikes to buildings and structures can couple into power lines which are attached to equipment and must have protection systems designed specifically for coupled strikes in place. While a direct strike to equipment is almost assured to cause damage beyond the level of repair, a tiered diversion system consisting of first overhead shields and lightning rods, then high capacity line side and load side surge protection to all conductor entry points, critical panels, and downstream equipment is the best possible plan to protect an entire industrial facility.

Raycap systems for surge suppression will assist your facility in remaining as unaffected by power surges and overvoltage events as possible.  Contact us today to find out more.

Overvoltage Protection

Raycap is a leading designer and manufacturer of electrical overvoltage protection devices and systems for use within industrial sites. The protection systems developed by Raycap use industrial-grade components, such as the Strikesorb SPD technology, which enable unmatched levels of protection of critical, sensitive equipment within the industrial site. This vulnerable equipment, such as computers, microprocessors, and other devices powered through the electrical grid, would be damaged by lightning strikes and other overvoltage events that produce power surges from the electrical grid or inside the industrial facility. The protection technology inside Raycap’s products prevents damage from varying overvoltage and surge causes, and it is designed to prevent any electrical surges from coming into contact with equipment. (more…)

Electrical Protection

Raycap is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of electrical protection devices. Its electrical protection systems are designed to provide the finest protection available for industrial equipment and sites.  Electrical protection comes in numerous forms to divert the damage from specific electrical events, and the combination of these mechanisms into systems is the best way to provide complete protection from electrical surges. (more…)