Technical information

What is a 8/20 or 10/350 waveform? They are normalized waveforms for surge protection
tests. Usually those waveforms refer to current surges, but sometimes they refer to voltage
spikes or combined waveforms. The number before slash is the rising time of the wavefront
expressed in µs, and the number after the slash is the time it takes to the exponentially
decaying tail to fall below half peak value.

 For example, 100kA 8/20 means 8µs wavefront, 100kA peak current and 50kA at 20µs.

10/350 waveforms are used to model partially conducted lightning strikes and 8/20 waveforms
model less powerful surges such as switching spikes.

Difference between Type/Class 1, 2 and 3 as defined by the norm depends on which

waveform is tested:

 Type 1 are tested with 10/350 and 8/20 surge waveforms. Type 1 are expected to
withstand the high currents associated with partially conducted lightning strikes. Type
1 are placed usually at the main electrical panel and places with high exposure.

 Type 2 are tested with 8/20 surge waveforms. Type 2 are expected to withstand less
energetic surges, like those caused by far lightning or network commutation spikes.
Usually protection level is better than type 1 because of the different kind of
technology typically used on each type of SPD.

MD EQUIPOS TECNOLÓGICOS
C/ Torres, 15 – Bajos CP 46018 Valencia Tel. 96 370 50 97 Fax. 96 370 50 40
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  Type 3 are tested with 1,2/50 combined waveform. Type 3 are usually connected
closer to the loads to be protected, thus reducing the residual voltage at the load.

Residual voltage is the remaining voltage spike after the surge protector actuation. It depends
on the peak value of the surge (higher current gets higher residual voltage), the steepness of
the wavefront (steeper wavefront gets higher residual voltage), the technology of the
protector (GDTs have higher residual voltage than MOV but also higher discharge capability),
the discharge capability of the device (higher discharge capability gets lower residual voltage
for equal surges) and other factors in the power lines (cable cross-section, lengths, wave
reflections, distance to the load, point of entrance of the surge...). The protection level (Up) is
the maximum residual voltage there should be if the happening surge falls into the
specifications of the product.

What does total discharge capability means? Each component has a discharge capability on its
own and the total discharge capability is the sum of discharge capability of all and each
component, representing the total amount of protection it has. Due to each component
influencing in different and unequal amounts to different possible discharges, this figure
doesn't represent the maximum or nominal discharge capability of each protection mode, but
an abstract measure of the overall robustness of the device.

What are common mode and differential mode?

 Common mode surges or common mode protection are those referred to the
ground/protective earth. Phase-PE and neutral-PE are common mode protection or
surges.
 Differential modes are those between live wires (basically non-ground wires). Phase-
phase and phase-neutral are differential protection modes/surges.

MD EQUIPOS TECNOLÓGICOS
C/ Torres, 15 – Bajos CP 46018 Valencia Tel. 96 370 50 97 Fax. 96 370 50 40
www. mdtecnologicos.com e-mail. mdtecnologicos@mdtecnologicos.com