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.
