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Understanding Surge Protective Devices Survey

 

In 2021, the Electrical Safety Foundation International surveyed industrial and commercial facility professionals, including managers, owners, building engineers, heads of maintenance, and related occupations. These professionals provided insights regarding power surge incidents and effects, as well as usage of Surge Protective Devices in the facilities they manage. 

SEE FULL SURVEY RESULTS

Common Voltage Surge Causes:

  • Switching of Electrical Loads
  • Lightning 
  • Faulty Wiring and/or Connections
  • Damage to Power Lines

Install Surge Protective Devices to Prevent Downtime and Protect Equipment

  • Surge Protective Devices Work
    • 79% of facilities state that Surge Protective Devices have cut down on the amount of downtime and equipment failure
  • Unplanned Outages Causes
    • 34% of unplanned outages are caused by power surges and unexpected resetting or misoperation of equipment (commonly causes by power surges)
  • Unexpected downtime is common with over 72% of facilities surveyed experiencing downtime more than a few times a year
  • 23% of facilities installed Surge Protective Devices after experiencing a surge event
  • 78% of equipment failures caused by power surges were in service for 5 years or less
  • 49% reported that a power surge had caused an interruption within the last 12 months

Surge Protective Device & Power Surge Misconceptions

  • Surge Protective Devices only protect against voltage surge events, no matter the source

    • Surge Protective Devices cannot protect against direct lightning strikes or sustained voltages

  • Only Surge Protective Devices aka Transient Voltage Surge Suppressors protect against Power Surges

    • Typical power strips, consumer uninterruptable power supplies, ground-fault circuit interrupters, and fuses or breakers do not provide Surge Protection

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