Almost everything these days in your home requires surge suppressor protection. This is not because surge suppressor companies or
Houston residential electrical contractors are trying to sell you their products and deck your home out with technology. It is simply a matter of simple reality that the way appliances and electronics are built today requires a special line of defense.
Think of how sensitive computers are for a moment and you will understand why. The sensitivity of a computer is due to the delicate nature of the printed circuit board. The invention of the printed circuit board revolutionized computers and took them from room-sized megaliths powered by vacuum tubes to desktop companions that are now indispensible to both our personal and professional lives. Yet these same printed circuit boards made computers very vulnerable to electrical overload and
transient voltage spikes. Miniaturizing a room full of equipment on a chip the size of a fingernail creates a great deal of vulnerability to even the slightest surge in voltage. This is why we began using surge suppressors almost as soon as we started using desktop computers back in the 1980s and 1990s.
With the desktop revolution, another revolution occurred that many people didn’t notice because they were so excited about new opportunities to balance their checkbooks that somehow quickly became new opportunities to play video games. Appliance manufacturers began to make everything from microwaves to toasters to coffee pots with printed circuit boards that were based on the same concept as computer circuit boards. Of course, these were far more primitive than computer microprocessors, but basic subroutines of functionality were embedded in these cards to the degree that the core functionality of the device now became reliant on the circuit board.
Of course, this makes an appliance far more vulnerable now to excess current. Today, everything from computers,
home theater systems, televisions,
audio video systems, phones, fax machines, and even coax cable lines requires the protection of commercial-grade surge suppressors to safeguard against the damage that can and often does result from voltage spikes. Of course, you can use retail surge suppressors for some of these devices and take your chances, but we do not recommend this.
This is because there simply is no way for retail surge suppressors to handle the force of many excess current spikes. There are two sources of excess current that we need to concern ourselves with: lighting, and transient power surge. People often think that the only danger that lighting poses is that of a direct strike. In reality, there is more danger from lighting striking a nearby transformer and creating transient power surge.
Surges of this nature can blow every appliance in the home. Retail
surge suppressor systems maynot withstand the force of this voltage. Other forms of transient power surge exist besides TPS caused by lightning. These can simply be fluctuations in the power grid. They can also be generated by mechanical devices in the home or garage. Motors draw energy from the grid, and if they draw too much, they can pull current into the home wiring system that will actually affect other devices.
This is what makes commercial grade surge suppressors such a necessity. The ability to detect these sudden spikes in voltage is called excess current detection, and it provides a first line of defense against high voltage that can damage home equipment. While this does not provide an absolute guarantee against catastrophic failure, it is certainly the best anyone can hope for in a thunderstorm or Texas tropical storm.
Labels: Home Remodeling Houston, Home Surge Protection, Houston Emergency Backup Generators, Houston Residential Specialty Contractors, Independant Electrical Contractor, Transient Surge Protection Systems
What is Residential Transient Voltage Surge?
It is a spike in electrical voltage that exceeds 2000V and 100 amperes in current. There have been a number of documented instances where TVS has been as high as 20,000 volts and has exceeded 2,000 amps in current. You can only imagine how devastating this can be to anything electronic in your house.
What causes TVS?
Transient voltage surge is precipitated by two categories of causes.
Lightning
When it strikes high power lines or transformers, it can travel up to 3 miles with enough force to destroy every major appliance in the home. While this is a major cause for concern, it is not the only concern to consider when gauging the level of protection needed to protect home electronics. Many forms of equipment can cause power fluctuations that will similarly damage sensitive electronics, climate control systems, and data lines coming into the home.
Electrical devices
Many devices in your home can actually cause transient voltage surge. The electric motors in refrigerators and air conditioners can precipitate an incident. Ballasts in fluorescent lights can trigger it. Even portable power tools can trigger TVS. Perhaps the most overlooked, but nevertheless common cause is faulty wiring in the home circuit panel.
Lightning has never struck near my home, but I do have many of the devices you have mentioned. How can I find out of any of them are causing TVS?
Relatively low power surges often damage equipment rather than destroying it outright. You may notice high performance equipment that is supposed to perform at exceptional standards suddenly experiencing unexplained downtime or a noticeable drop in quality. This often occurs high-end stereo and television equipment, but you may also notice it in your AC, your kitchen appliances, your phone system, or your computer and peripherals.
What do I do if I see clear evidence of transient voltage surge?
Do not try to troubleshoot it yourself. Investigating circuitry can be dangerous, or perhaps even deadly, without extensive training and experience in electrical engineering. Call Illuminations Lighting and Design and request a visit from one of our licensed electrical experts. We will run a series of tests on your home circuit panel and compile a quality assessment report on your home wiring. If we find any problems, we will recommend a professionally configured, custom-installed home surge suppression system.
That already sounds expensive. Why can I not just install AC surge suppressors on all my equipment and appliances?
There are two reasons not to do this. First, the average retail AC suppressor cannot withstand the power of a full-on assault from something like a lightning strike. Second, not everything in your house runs on an AC circuit. Your phone and data lines, for example, are different types of circuits that can and will blow out from TVS.
How expensive do you think it will be to lose your computer, all of your data, your television and stereo, and possibly your AC system all on the same bad day?
What type of surge suppressors do you recommend then?
Commercial, specification grade surge suppressors are the most reliable protection for your home. Many different types and sizes exist to protect the many types of circuits that constitute the entirety of your home electrical network. Our work as electrical engineers consists of matching the most appropriate suppressor to a specific circuit type, power load, or device type to ensure maximum protection. This layering of multiple device types is called whole house surge suppression and is an electrical design specialist of Illuminations Lighting and Design.
Contact Illuminations Lighting Design (713) 863-1133 and schedule an onsite evaluation of how to best protect your home and electronics investments. Labels: Advanced Electrical Installations, Houston Electrical Contractors, Houston Residential Surge Protection, Transient Surge Protection Systems, Whole House Surge Protection
With today's modern homes, whole house surge protection devices are necessary components that safeguard all electronic systems against power surges, voltage fluctuations, voltage spikes and minor lightning strikes. Sure, most people have a surge protector on their computer. But did you know that you could protect your whole house, along with all your electrical investments, using one surge protection device?
If you think about it, just about everything in your house has some kind of electronic component built-in the device. These include appliances, HVAC systems, garage door openers, televisions, stereo equipment, telephones and satellite systems. It could add up to hundreds if not thousands of dollars if you had to replace these electronic devices due to a power surge. It is not uncommon for a high definition plasma TV, for example, to cost over $10,000--not to mention the associated components. Installing a Mission CriticalGard Surge Protection System from Illuminations will give you peace of mind and assurance that your investments are protected day or night, twenty four hours a day.
Why Do You Need Surge Protection Devices?
Minimize Life & Safety Issues
Greatly Reduce Repair or Replacement Costs
Minimize Power Quality Risks
Reduce Power Interruptions
Extend Equipment Life
What Are Indoor and Outdoor Threats?
Switching
The simple act of turning on or off a light, motor, appliance or other electrical device can disturb the electrical current and create surges or transients. In general, the larger the load, the greater the disturbance when the load is switched on or off. Studies have shown that the majority of transients, roughly 80%, are generated inside a given building.
Lightning Strikes
Lightning strikes the United States 90 million times per year for an estimated 56 billion dollars in property damage annually. It is responsible for approximately 30,000 building fires annually and causes 30% of all power outages.
Utility Grid
When demands fluctuate, the utility companies have to increase or decrease power resources. This switching can cause massive surges in your home and result in extensive damage throughout the house.
Disruption
Any occurrence that causes a disruption on the utility grid causes a surge in voltage. Even common occurrences such as tree limbs falling, auto accidents, and thunderstorms can create a disruption.
Utilities
Cable TV and telephone wires can also contribute to unwanted variations in voltage from the pole to your house, causing damage to electronic devices.
Who Do I Contact For A Mission CriticalGard Device?
Here at Illuminations Lighting Design, our experienced electricians are trained to design and install a state-of-the-art surge protection device based on your home's current and future needs. We use the three-tiered system of Mission CriticalGard so that every aspect of your home gets optimal protection, from the main electrical system down to the smallest of electronic compontents.
At Illuminations we've made it our goal to provide top-of-the-line service for all your electrical needs. In addition to surge protection devices, our resident experts can provide the following services:
Home Automation Design, Installation & Maintenance
Architectural Lighting Design Services
Landscape Lighting Design, Installation & Maintenance
Fine Art Lighting Design, Installation & Maintenace
Emergency Generator Systems
Contact Louis Torregrossa our master electrician at 713-863-1133 or toll free at 800-863-1184 or visit us online at http://www.illuminationslighting.com/ to learn more about our products and services. Think of residential and commercial surge protections devices from Mission CriticalGard & Illuminations Lighting Design as a supplemental electronic insurance policy for your whole house or office!
Like flood insurance, it's more affordable than you think! You'll be glad you made the investment in a whole house surge protection system.
Labels: Beaumont Texas Whole House Surge Protection, Houston Electrical Contractor, Lighting regulations information, Transient Surge Protection Systems, Whole House Surge Protection
