Commercial Surge Protection

StarA surge is a temporary increase in electrical voltage.

Some events are large and obvious.

Others happen quickly enough that building occupants may never notice them.

Transient voltage can be associated with events such as:

• Utility switching

• Nearby lightning activity

• Large motors starting and stopping

• HVAC equipment

• Internal electrical switching

• Power restoration after an outage

• Equipment operation within the building

Over time, repeated electrical disturbances can contribute to damage or premature failure of sensitive electronic components.t writing…

Lightning gets most of the attention when people think about surge protection, but it is not the only source.

Electrical events can originate outside or inside the building.

Internal sources may include:

• Motors

• Compressors

• HVAC systems

• Contactors

• Large equipment

• Switching loads

Utility-side events can also introduce transient voltage into the electrical system.

That is why commercial surge protection should be considered as part of the overall distribution system rather than only as lightning protection.

A surge protective device, or SPD, helps limit transient voltage before it reaches downstream electrical equipment.

Depending on the system, surge protection may be installed at:

• Service equipment

• Switchboards

• Switchgear

• Distribution panels

• Branch panels

• Individual sensitive equipment

The goal is to divert or limit transient energy before it reaches the equipment being protected.

Surge protection installed near the main electrical service can provide a first level of protection for the building.

This can help address transient events entering through the main power distribution system.

For many facilities, service-level protection is an important starting point.

However, one device at the service does not necessarily provide the same level of protection to every sensitive load throughout a large building.

Larger or more sensitive facilities may benefit from a layered approach.

That can include protection at:

Main Service → Distribution Equipment → Local Panels → Sensitive Equipment

Each layer provides protection closer to the equipment being served.

This may be especially useful for facilities with:

• Long feeder runs

• Multiple electrical rooms

• Sensitive electronics

• Critical controls

• Large equipment

• Multiple buildings

The exact approach depends on the facility and electrical system.

Commercial surge protection may be especially valuable for electrical and electronic equipment such as:

• Computers

• Servers

• Network equipment

• Security systems

• Access-control systems

• Building automation

• HVAC controls

• Variable-frequency drives

• LED lighting and drivers

• Refrigeration controls

• POS systems

• Commercial kitchen electronics

• Communication equipment

• Specialty machinery

Replacing the electronics inside modern equipment can be significantly more expensive than the surge-protection equipment serving it.

Modern LED lighting relies heavily on electronic drivers and controls.

A lighting fixture may appear physically undamaged while an electrical transient damages the driver or control electronics.

For properties with significant LED lighting, surge protection may help reduce exposure to these types of failures.

This can be especially valuable for:

• Parking lot lighting

• High-bay fixtures

• Exterior lighting

• Difficult-to-access fixtures

because the cost of replacing a failed component may also include lifts, access equipment, and labor.

Commercial HVAC equipment increasingly relies on electronic controls.

Surge-related damage can affect:

• Control boards

• VFDs

• Thermostats

• Building automation

• Equipment communication

A relatively small electronic failure can take a much larger piece of mechanical equipment offline.

Surge protection can be considered as part of the electrical strategy for these systems.

Restaurants, grocery operations, and other food-service facilities may contain significant electronic equipment.

Potentially sensitive systems include:

• Refrigeration controls

• Ice machines

• Cooking equipment

• Beverage equipment

• POS systems

• Kitchen controls

Protecting sensitive electrical equipment can be particularly important when equipment failure can affect inventory or business operations.

Warehouses and industrial facilities may contain:

• PLCs

• VFDs

• Machine controls

• Production equipment

• Automation systems

• Electronic motor controls

These systems can be expensive to replace and difficult to troubleshoot after an electrical event.

OTC can evaluate where surge protection may make sense within the facility's distribution system.

Surge protection does not provide backup power.

A surge protective device helps reduce exposure to transient voltage.

A:

• Generator provides longer-duration backup power

• UPS provides short-duration immediate backup power

• Surge protective device helps protect against transient voltage events

A facility may use all three systems for different reasons.

Surge protection should not be represented as a guarantee against lightning damage.

A major or direct lightning event can exceed what normal building surge-protection equipment is designed to handle.

Properly selected surge protection helps reduce risk from transient voltage events.

It does not make the electrical system immune to every possible electrical disturbance.

The correct device depends on the electrical system.

OTC considers factors such as:

• System voltage

• Phase

• Service configuration

• Available equipment location

• Distribution arrangement

• Loads being protected

• Manufacturer specifications

• Equipment ratings

The surge protective device should be compatible with the electrical system it is connected to.

Surge-protection performance can be affected by where and how the device is installed.

OTC considers:

• Connection location

• Conductor length

• Routing

• Panel configuration

• Equipment accessibility

The installation should follow the equipment manufacturer's requirements and applicable electrical requirements.

Some commercial equipment already contains surge protection.

Existing SPDs should still be evaluated periodically.

Depending on the device, indicators may show whether the protective components are still functioning.

A device that has absorbed repeated transient events may eventually require replacement.

If the indicator shows that protection has been lost, replacing the SPD restores that layer of protection.

Surge protection may be worth considering when:

• Sensitive equipment is being installed

• A service or panel is being upgraded

• A building contains significant electronic controls

• Expensive LED lighting is installed

• Equipment failures have occurred after electrical events

• Backup-power systems are being upgraded

• A facility is modernizing its electrical distribution

Adding surge protection during a larger electrical project can sometimes be easier than returning later to modify the equipment.

Panel replacements and service upgrades create a natural opportunity to evaluate surge protection.

When major distribution equipment is already being replaced, OTC can review whether surge protection should be integrated into the new system.

That can include protection at:

• Main service

• Switchboard

• Distribution panel

• Local equipment panel

depending on the project.

Surge protection works best as part of a complete electrical system.

Other important considerations may include:

• Proper grounding and bonding

• Appropriate overcurrent protection

• Equipment maintenance

• Correct circuit installation

• Backup power

• UPS systems

• Preventive maintenance

No single device protects a commercial facility from every electrical problem.

The goal is to create multiple layers that reduce different types of electrical risk.