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Does The Future Rest In The Hands Of Surge Protection Devices?

Surge protection devices and systems save hundreds of millions of dollars every year in damage that would have occurred as a result of power surges. The typical consumer understands this fact on a small scale, probably utilizing a power strip of some kind to protect their computer in their home. Consumers can probably grasp the magnitude of the savings when this exact situation is explained as being  in place in every industrial installation in the world, with businesses protecting their computerized investments with surge protection devices as well. While they may be more advanced and robust than your home power strip, the premise is the same. When a power surge happens, these devices instantaneously cut off the flow of power past the protective device and thereby protect the equipment on the other side. The monetary savings that surge protection devices provide is obvious every time a power surge happens, but there are larger issues at hand that many people are unaware of. For example, when people debate alternative energy production and environmental damage, they are probably not thinking about surge protection being a factor. (more…)

The Future For Alternative Energy And Surge Protection Devices

Most people will recognize the importance of alternative energy production methods like solar and wind power. Even those who are opposed to a widespread rollout of alternative energy methods will generally not be opposed to its development from anything expect a monetary standpoint, due to the fact that at the current time,  its use will cost consumers more than if the same power was produced through fossil fuel. The discussion isn’t whether or not the generation of power using free and clean fuel sources is a good thing, but instead how much people will pay for it. Unfortunately, this is what has stagnated its development over time, that those in power choose to align themselves with antiquated industries simply because it costs less at the moment, without consideration that the development of the technology itself will drive down prices.

The costs associated with alternative energy are found in equipment used in the process.  The wind and sun are free, and the real costs that are necessary to be covered by consumer pricing models are found in start up costs and in the repair and replacement of equipment. Wind farms and solar fields are generally found in remote locations and are unobstructed by larger structures. This is done on purpose in order to maximize the wind and sun that can be harnessed for the process, but it also opens the facilities up to lightning strikes and other weather-related damage as a result. When lightning strikes a component that is exposed in a green energy production facility, a surge of power travels along all connected lines from the strike point. This surge can damage attached computers and data processors that are critical to the functionality of the system, necessitating their repair before systems can be returned to working order. Costs are compounded in this regard, reducing surpluses of electricity that can be made using the free fuel sources while they are available and also increasing the operational costs. Reduction of this damage improves the functionality and drives costs down at the same time, resulting in lower prices that consumers must pay for power.

The development of better surge protection devices is not generally funded by government programs that alternative energy development rely upon to further their technology. This means that the private sector and companies like Raycap are leading the charge towards a cleaner world simply through the development of better products for our customers. As our surge protection devices and systems become more robust and technologically advanced their integration into alternative energy production facilities drives down consumer costs. The result is a cleaner planet that may be able to curb climate change simply by trying to save money. When a solution is both cleaner and cheaper, there is almost no argument against its widespread implementation over existing dead technology. Raycap is disrupting the systems and solving the issues of inefficiency within global power generation industries with or without the support of government funding. We are changing the future on our own.

As the climate continually shifts throughout different areas of the globe that are growing increasingly reliant upon stable energy production systems, we find that the opportunities surrounding wind power are the most interesting.  The desire of most nations to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels brings developing green energy technologies to the forefront of most strategic discussions.  While the simple increase in the volume of wind turbines that exist potentially could increase the power production capacities in any country due to the fact that the wind itself is a free fuel source, there are still challenges that hinder this effort.  Repair and maintenance are the main challenge that faces areas that desire to increase their power production volumes using wind technologies..  Due to the high repair and maintenance costs that are associated with these types of systems, large rollouts are sometimes rejected.  Simply put, the argument between the low costs associated with fossil fuels and the higher costs associated with green energy technologies will many times be decided based upon the cheaper production method.  The superiority of wind technology with regards to pollution and climate change is not able to be argued.  A system that produces no pollution vs. a system that burns fossil fuels cannot be viewed as anything except superior.  The only argument against the widespread rollout of these clean technologies is the price associated with their production.  This is why driving down the costs within the wind power production arena may be one of the most important challenges facing the adoption of this technology.  If costs can be reduced to lower than fossil fuels, a cleaner world can be achieved simply by using the more cost effective methods.  This presents an argument that is almost unable to be defeated. (more…)

Continually changing climate conditions, combined with the increasing dependence of developed countries on fossil fuels, has pushed interest in renewable energy sources to the forefront globally.  While all green energy technologies are being developed and refined, wind power is one of the most promising.  As governments put forth aggressive programs designed to increase their wind power production, these increases to the amount of wind turbines bring forth an additional increased statistic.  With more wind turbines comes more damage as a result of lightning strikes.  Surge protection has become a critical component when viewed by the majority of people interested in these developing technologies. (more…)

When nations worldwide attempt to increase their power production capabilities in order to satisfy their growing populations, the discussions of which methodology should be used to produce this power become critical.  Utilization of fossil fuel technologies has a proven track record of stability and the ability to satisfy demand.  The tradeoff to the rollout of these types of power production methods is pollution and damage to the environment.  Additionally, fossil fuel prices can fluctuate dramatically, creating chaos where stability is necessary.  The utilization of green technologies to produce the same power eliminates the instability of fossil fuel prices from the discussion.  The wind is a free source of fuel which can turn the turbines the same way that the burning of fossil fuels does.  Because the fuel source has no cost, the maintenance and upkeep of the systems are the only costs which must be covered by consumers.  These production methods also do not produce pollution or release damaging elements to the climate.  The drawback to the widespread utilization of wind power is that the systems are more sensitive to damage as a result of inclement weather than fossil fuel systems.  In a nutshell, lightning strikes and other environmental factors that can cause damage to the physical structures involved in wind power generation drive costs higher than fossil fuel production methods, at the current time.  Through experimentation and utilization of technologically advanced surge protection systems, the opportunity to drive down costs presents itself. (more…)

Industrial installations are very much like the components that you have within your home, only on a significantly higher level of both cost and electrical consumption. These components are also more robust than anything that you would see in a residential area, in every capacity.  Because of the increased demands on these types of components, efforts are made to create the toughest equipment possible. One thing that is surprising about many industrial systems is that they utilize components that are easily damaged through excess electricity. You can make the shell as tough as you want, but the equipment can still be damaged through electricity moving along the lines that connect it to other equipment in the system. What this means is that even though steps are taken to create as much shielding from the elements as possible, there is a certain amount of damage that is expected to happen to these pieces of equipment simply due to power surges. The electricity that flows within industrial areas is significantly higher than in residential. The utilization of larger equipment for processes requires it to be so. This also requires that the typical power lines that connect equipment to the power grid are able to handle substantially higher loads. The issues happen when power surges occur beyond the levels that are expected, and out of the range that the internal circuitry of this equipment can handle. (more…)

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/lightning-surge-protection-for-residential-and-commercial-applications/

Surge protection and lightning protection are similar concepts with independent systems involved in each function.  While there is crossover between the two with regardto protection of sensitive equipment and computerized systems against surges, the lightning protection models involve both different equipment as well as a different philosophy.  For the sake of discussion, the sources of each type of power surge must be identified, and even though the methodology utilized against power surges of all types remains the same, the identification of the source will determine whether standardized surge protection or lightning protection created the savings against loss. (more…)

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

When one thinks about the damage that is associated with a lightning strike, the typical person will think about explosions and fires at the point where the lightning comes into contact with a structure or a component.  Naturally, businesses that are at risk of a lightning strike due to their generalized placement or their natural setups, are going to need to install protective measures against these instances or risk catastrophic loss of business equipment.  Most industrial businesses realize that they are targets for lightning strikes due to the fact that they are located in remote areas or feature the tallest structures in the region.  Additionally, many industrial processes will utilize metallic elements that are a natural attractant for lightning.  Most businesses will take steps to protect the critical equipment utilized in their processes by housing it inside of protected spaces.  (more…)

Read More: https://www.raycap.com/lightning-surge-protection-for-residential-and-commercial-applications/

Surge protection and lightning protection may seem to be the same thing, but they are slightly different.  Surge protection itself can be defined as the utilization of devices and systems in a way which protect sensitive equipment from power fluctuations.  Lighting protection also involves surge protection but includes systems and methods which will divert lightning strikes from happening to a facility or structure.  The damage as a result of lightning can be found in multiple manifestations, the most obvious being the explosion and fire damage that happens at the strike point itself.  Lightning protection provides systems that will attempt to divert the lightning strike (more…)

The wind power industry is still evolving, but ultimately the technology that goes into the manufacturing of electricity by capturing the force of  wind is not where the major evolutions are occurring. Using the wind to turn blades on windmills has been around for centuries, generally being used to perform some function that requires movement. This movement can be channeled into the performance of an action, and that action can be supplied to a wide variety of tasks. While windmills once were used to do things like grind grain or churn butter, they evolved into equipment which is  capable of manufacturing electricity. Electricity was originally created for public use through turbines connected to generators, ultimately resulting in the brushes inside of a generator moving and producing the product. The wind and windmills were able to perform the function of turning the generator brushes and the created electricity could be stored and supplied to those that need it. (more…)