Protect your home against power surges
It may have happened to you before. During a thunderstorm, lightning strikes nearby. There is no power for a little while, then it comes back. Read more the article: Protect your home against power surges!
In Fairfax VA, power surges cause a lot in property damage every year. Power surges can instantly overload and burn out circuits in an electronic device. Over time, power surges can also damage devices plugged into wall outlets. For eg, televisions, computers, audio equipment). They shorten their lifespan.
Want to save money and protect your home? Here is information on power surges, their causes and how to prevent them. Keep in touch with Northern VA Electrician!
How does a power surge cause damage?
In most homes, electricity comes in the form of an alternating, single-phase current of 120 V, 60 Hz. When an overvoltage occurs, the voltage exceeds the ceiling of 169 V.
A voltage surge can damage your appliances and electronic devices. If the voltage exceeds the normal operating level of a device, it can cause an internal electric arc. The resulting heat can damage the circuits and other electronic components of the device.
Less strong, but recurring, surges can also gradually damage your electronic equipment. After several small power surges, your computer or stereo can continue to operate. And, it happens until the integrity of its components usage is for good. This is when your television, cordless telephone or answering machine mysteriously gives up the ghost. Frequent small power surges shorten the life of appliances and electronics. Find best 24 Hour Fairfax VA Electrician!
What causes a power surge?
Power surges have several causes. They can come from the electricity supplier when switching the electricity grid. A common source of surges, and the strongest, is lightning. Power surges also occur in the home when the motor of large appliances, turns on and off. Some others are the air conditioning unit and refrigerator.
Power surges can enter a house by taking several paths. In the event of a lightning strike, the surge can pass through the cable or satellite dish of the television, the wires of the telephone or the electrical entry.
How to prevent power surges?
A point-of-use surge protector coupled with an effective grounding facility should generally protect your electrical and electronic devices well. A surge protector does not eliminate or shut down surges; rather, it redirects them to earth.
A typical point-of-use surge protector looks like a normal power bar. However, do not assume that all power bars have surge protection. It must be clearly stated.
You can also install special outlets with surge protection. They come in handy where space is tight to plug in a surge protector, such as near a countertop microwave.
2-tier approach
The devices at the point of use can protect individual devices against surges. However, a more comprehensive approach should include other means, such as a surge protector for the electrical input or the electrical panel. With 2 levels of protection, your home will be safe from surges, except the most powerful. It is better to protect your home against power surges!
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The devices to the electrical input are generally in the main electrical panel or the base of the electricity meter. This type of device protects the entire electrical system. It protects motors, lights, outlets, switches and other “hard-wired” devices that are not plugged into an outlet or device at the point of use. If the surge is the result of lightning or a voltage fluctuation on power lines, the electrical input protection device can reduce its power before it reaches the device at the point of use.
The devices at the electrical input are either primary or secondary surge protectors. It is difficult to compare the capacities of the 2 types because they are differently. To learn more about installing a surge protector on your electrical entry, call an Electrician in Fairfax, Northern VA.
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