It is a commonly held consumer belief that most damage to electronic and electrical equipment occurs when a lightning strike somewhere on the utility system causes a voltage surge. While lightning strikes on the exposed high voltage power grid are common, there is little evidence to show that these events result in destructive voltage surges for significant numbers of customers' equipment. The majority of these customers are typically connected to the low voltage distribution network, while the majority of lightning strikes occur on the high voltage distribution network. However, case study analysis indicates that lightning strikes must occur relatively close (~200 meters) to the customer device for an equipment damaging voltage surge to occur. Therefore the majority of lightning strike events do not affect customers in any consequential manner.

Transient voltage surge suppressors (TVSS) are the traditional form of surge protectors, and comprise almost 100% of the present surge protector products available on the market. TVSS devices are intended to protect electronic equipment from the ravaging effects of voltage surges caused by lightning strikes on the power grid. The reality however is that most customers' equipment is not exposed to this type of electrical disturbance.

To the contrary, voltage sag events are much more frequent on modern electrical systems. Analysis shows voltage sags to occur at a rate that is on average 10 to 100 times more frequent than voltage surges. The cumulative effect of these voltage sags, and the associated current surges, is much more damaging to modern electronic devices than voltage surges.

Both voltage surges and current surges must be addressed and protected against if any surge protection device is to be effective.

There is a need for an approach to Complete Power Protection™ that addresses both voltage surges and current surges, and Innovolt Inc.'s exclusive CVSS™ protection is the first to enable this approach.

The CVSS™ protects against both voltage surges, as well as current-inrush surges caused by voltage sags. The current surge limiting function relies on sensing when the ac line voltage conditions are likely to result in a current-inrush surge. At such time, the CVSS™ limits the maximum current that is allowed to flow until the voltage has returned to normal conditions. Voltage surge protection is provided as per UL 1449 requirements.

Learn more by reading the following....

CVSS™ Conference Paper

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