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The consequences of an unexpected power surge can be catastrophic to any business or facility. To get a full picture of this expense, it is necessary to add the cost of equipment repair/replacement, the cost of data recovery, the cost of operational downtime and the cost of forgone opportunities. Additionally, personnel may be placed at undue risk through the possible failure of safety systems.
Cost of transient damage to unprotected systems includes:
- Equipment repair/replacement costs
- Data recovery costs
- Non-productive operational downtime
- Lost commercial opportunities
- Cost of customer dissatisfaction
Although it is the most spectacular form of externally generated transients, lightning is only one source of over-voltage events. Other sources include the switching of power circuits and operational equipment by neighboring industries, the operation of power factor correction devices, the switching and clearing of faults on transmission lines and utility substations. It is important to note that lightning does not need to directly strike a power line for such damage to occur; a strike several hundred feet away can induce large damaging transients, even to underground cables.
Most transients are actually internally generated within one’s own facility by the switching on and off of electrical loads such as lights, heating systems, motors and operation of laser printers and photocopiers, etc. It is estimated that 70 to 85% of all transients are generated internally within one’s own facility.
Modern industry is highly reliant on electronic equipment and automation to increase productivity and safety. The economic benefits of such devices are well accepted. Computers are commonplace and microprocessor-based Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) are used in most manufacturing facilities. Microprocessors can also be found imbedded in many industrial machines, security & fire alarms, time clocks and inventory tracking tools.
Given the wide range of transient sources and the potential cost of disruption, the initial installed cost of surge protection can readily be justified for any facility. As a guide, the cost of protection should be approximately 10% of the cost of the facility’s economic risk.
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