"It is essential to look at
many aspects of surge
protection, such as
acquiring immediate
technical support,
on-site support,
vendor relationship
management, and
ensuring future
improvements."
Sneha Gindodiya,
Powertrain DFM Engineer,
Lucid Motors
In the presence of normal circuit voltage, a surge-suppression component is nonconductive.
When a power transient occurs, the surge-suppression device works by quickly changing state
to provide a low-resistance path for diverting excess energy to ground. This process limits
overshoot voltage before it has time to damage a circuit.
Surge-suppression technologies behave in different ways, and each has its advantages and
disadvantages. The essential characteristics of these different approaches are described
through basic surge suppression concepts:
• Breakdown voltage. The minimum voltage at which the surge-suppression component
will conduct, typically measured at 1 milliampere.
• Clamping voltage. The maximum voltage the surge-suppression component will allow
to pass to the downstream circuit or equipment, typically measured at maximum surge
current.
• Power dissipation. The amount of power a surge-suppression component can
withstand; exceeding this specification can destroy the surge-suppression component.
• Leakage current. The current drawn by a surge-suppression component when there is
no surge and it is operating below its breakdown voltage.
Understanding Surge-Suppression
Technologies
Chapter Three
16
Understanding Surge-Suppression Technologies
