In these rigorous industrial applications, equipment uptime, safety, and longevity are critical, power quality is a vital consideration. An often neglected, but critical component of electrical safety is the surge protection device (SPD). Properly selected and installed SPDs can mitigate catastrophic equipment and data loss, preventing unplanned downtimes. It is still common to see businesses incorrectly adopting approaches that underestimate industrial surge protection.
In data centers, manufacturing plants, logistics hubs, or automated warehouses, it is vital to collaborate with a trusted industrial electrical equipment company to avoid making these mistakes. We outline the five most common surge protection device mistakes within industrial and commercial settings and how to address them.
Select SPDs Out of the Application Scope
Not all surge protection devices are created equal. SPDs are selected on the premise of the system configuration and critical load surge parameters. It is common to see a gap within procurement teams, in regard to system voltage, surge exposure, grounding configuration, and critical load requirements.
For example, employing a Type 2 SPD at the main service entrance when a Type 1 device is required leaves the entire system susceptible to external surges, especially from lightning. On the opposite side, using inadequate surges SPDs in high-risk environments could lead to the device failing at the first major surge due to the surges not being controlled.
What to do to solve it:
- Engage an electrical consultant or supplier to conduct a detailed risk assessment.
- Learn the difference between Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3 SPDs.
- Ensure SPDs are compatible with the system’s voltage, current rating (e.g., 400/230V, 480/277V), fault current levels, and the grounding type used.
- Consult an industrial electrical equipment company during the design phase to prescribe the correct equipment.
Selecting the wrong SPD makes equipment and system protection ineffective, thereby exposing the system to risk in addition to non-compliance with numerous international safety standards.
Continuing Improper Installation and Wiring Techniques.
Even the strongest SPD will not work if it is not fitted properly. Sadly, improper installation is one of the leading causes of surge protection failure within industrial environments.
Common errors include:
- Overly lengthy connection leads from the SPD to the circuit breaker.
- Deficient grounding or absence of bonding neutral with earth.
- Phase reversal wiring.
- Neutral conductors that are shared.
- No short-circuit protective devices.
Improper wiring will decrease the responsiveness of SPDs and can be a fire risk. In extreme energy surge events, the difference between proper and improper installation can be the difference between survival and catastrophic failure.
Preventative measures:
- Use the wiring schematic from the SPD manufacturer. Do not skip steps.
- Ensure that the length of cable to be used (phase, neutral, and earth) is kept short and straight.
- Use appropriately rated circuit breakers or fuses upstream of the SPD, and do not go below the rating.
- Use appropriately color-coded wires and labels for easy inspection and maintenance.
A trustworthy industrial electrical equipment company will provide installation training, checklists, and on-site monitoring for accurate implementation.
Inadequate Grounding And Bonding
No surge protection system can function without proper grounding and bonding. If there is a constitutive failure in the SPD grounding system (highly resistive, corroded, poorly connected, or broken conductors), the SPD will be ineffective in protecting critical equipment from surge energy.
This error is more risky in facilities with outdated grounding system standards, as they might still be operating with old standards, or with multiple grounding paths that add unexpected grounding impedance.
How to avoid it:
- Perform ground resistance testing routinely, especially with sensitive systems, to ensure that the results fall within the thresholds of the standards (usually <5 ohms for general systems).
- Use of a single-point ground system is advisable in order to mitigate ground loops.
- Continuously monitor the bonding connections for all equipment, panels, and racks.
- Collaborate with a specialized industrial electrical equipment company to assess and update grounding systems during retrofit or expansion projects.
Your SPD is completely ineffective without a good grounding path, especially when it is rated or of high quality.
Failure to Recognize the Importance of Multi-Layered Protection
A single SPD protecting an entire facility is a critical error. Multiple surge events can originate from utility feeder, internal load switching, or lightning strikes and have multiple pathways that surge events can take. Only a layered or zoned approach ensures that all equipment is protected.
Downstream systems such as control panels, PLCs and sensors lose protection when exposed to surges due to the single SPD placed on the main distribution panel.
How to avoid it:
- Apply multi-tiered surge protection technology:
- Type 1 SPD at the service entrance
- Type 2 SPD at distribution boards
- Type 3 SPD at sensitive loads or end devices
- Coordinate surge device ratings and response times at different levels to avoid overlap gaps or delays in protection.
- Employ surge protective power strips and permanently mounted devices for point-of-use protection.
Working with a qualified industrial electrical equipment contractor assures that protection zones are optimally defined and harmonized throughout the facility.
Not Monitoring and Maintaining SPDs
SPDs are often a set-and-forget device. Many companies SPDs and don’t monitor them. SPDs are not perennial devices. They deteriorate in performance with time, mostly in the presence of switching events or storms. Not actively managing the health of SPDs leads to systems being exposed unknowingly.
Moreover, certain SPDs fail quietly. In the absence of visual or audible markers, alarms, or a monitoring interface, a malfunctioning SPD might remain undetected until a surge triggers damage.
How to avoid it:
- SPDs should have status indicators or remote signaling outputs.
- Carry out regularly scheduled visual checkup and tests.
- Document installation date, surge events, replacement, and the device records.
Integrate SPD monitoring into your broader facility management system if possible.
Leveraging your industrial electrical equipment company’s insights and expertise in monitoring SPD helps protect your systems for a long time post installation.
Conclusion
The effectiveness of a surge protection device is directly related to how well it is selected, installed, and maintained. Even with modern technologies, industrial safety and performance are still undermined by five common errors.
Operational power resilience, reliability, safety, and compliance are fundamental for a modern industry. These basic principles need to be upheld from the start, and it is best achieved by partnering with a well-established industrial electrical equipment company. Such a company not only provides the right components, but also advises on system design, implementation, and lifecycle support.
To put it simply, companies require continuous uptime, and protecting their infrastructure from risks today’s power systems attract demands understanding key SPD role, as well as partnering with the right industrial electrical equipment company to sustain the reliability and reputation in operations.
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