What is surge protective device (SPD)?

A surge protection device (SPD) or simply a surge protector is a device used to protect electronic
devices from power surges or transient voltage.

This device is connected in parallel to the power supply circuit of the loads that it has to protect.
It can also be used at all levels of the power supply network.

What is the function of surge protection

device?
A surge protective device is a protective device for limiting transient voltages by diverting or
limiting surge current.

The surge protective device are used to protect sensitive electronic equipment connected to the
installation, such as computers, televisions, washing machines and safety circuits, such as fire
detection systems and emergency lighting. Equipment with sensitive electronic circuitry can be
vulnerable to damage by transient overvoltages.

The SPD is a component of the electrical installation protection system.

Does Surge Protection Work?

A surge protective device (SPD) is designed to protect electrical systems and equipment from
surge events by limiting transient voltages and diverting surge currents.

Surges can originate externally, most intensely by lightning, or internally by the switching of
electrical loads. The sources of these internal surges, which account for 65% of all transients, can
include loads turning on and off, relays and/or breakers operating, heating systems, motors, and
office equipment.

Without the appropriate SPD, transient events can harm electronic equipment and cause costly
downtime. The importance of these devices in electrical protection is undeniable, but how do
these devices actually work? And what components and factors are central to their performance?

How SPD Works?

In the most basic sense, when a transient voltage occurs on the protected circuit, an SPD limits
the transient voltage and diverts the current back to its source or ground.

To work, there must be at least one non-linear component of the SPD, which under different
conditions transitions between a high and low impedance state.
At normal operating voltages, the SPDs are in a high-impedance state and do not affect the
system. When a transient voltage occurs on the circuit, the SPD moves into a state of conduction
(or low impedance) and diverts the surge current back to its source or ground. This limits or
clamps the voltage to a safer level. After the transient is diverted, the SPD automatically resets
back to its high-impedance state.

Surge Protection Device Working

Principle
Surge protection devices contain at least one non-linear component (a varistor or spark gap), its
electrical resistance varying in the function of the voltage which is applied to it. Their function is
to divert the discharge or impulse current and to limit the overvoltage at the downstream
equipment.

The operating principle of a surge protection device is as follows:

 During normal operation (e.g., in the absence of surges), the surge protection device has
no influence on the system where it’s installed. It acts as an open circuit and maintains
the isolation between the active conductors and earth.
 When a voltage surge occurs, the surge protection device reduces its impedance within a
few nanoseconds and diverts the impulse current. The surge protection device behaves
like a closed circuit, the overvoltage is short-circuited and limited to an acceptable value
for the electrical equipment connected downstream.
 Once the impulse surge has stopped, the surge protection device will return to its original
impedance and return to the open circuit condition.