Commercial Surge Protection keeps your business safe from equipment failure. Electrical transient surges are bursts of energy which are induced upon data, communication, and power lines. They have extremely high voltages which drive huge amount of current into electrical lines for seconds. They can originate from internal or external sources into your facility.
A typical surge can deliver up to 1,000 volts via cable, wire, or line connecting your equipment with the world. Electrical items such as computers, Phones, and laptops are made to handle mere 120 volts, sudden increase in power can disturb business computers, destroy circuits, and delete data. For a commercial business this means loss, because you have to replace equipment. In worse case, entire electrical system can be destroyed.
Commercial Surge Protection system
There isn’t a particular system for protection, but you can take steps to ensure safety of your business. You can make your electrical system strong so that it is ready for random power surges and stormy seasons.
• Devices for surge protection: Surge protection devices provide line of defense for the equipment by limiting the power. These devices can handle a lot of power so installing them to protect against power surges is a smart decision.
• Main Panel Suppressor: Many devices have their uses, but the problem can come from your main line. Panel suppressors are made to ensure that large voltage don’t enter in your building, reducing the impact on surge protection devices and business equipment. Hire a licensed electrician to install these, and make sure to inspect periodically. Install a model that has response time of 5 nanoseconds, and an alarm that indicates damage. A good suppressor will cost up to $700, which is reasonable because electrical damage can cost over $10,000.
• Invest in Insurance: If you hire a professional electricians, you will be guided against damage cause by power variations. You can have insurance to cover cost of replacement and repair if your business rely on expensive equipment. Even if you aren’t going for insurance, have powerful surge protectors to ensure your business is safe.
Choosing Commercial Surge Protection
Every device has its functions, what worked for others may not work for you. Here are some of the features that you should keep in consideration before installing Commercial Surge Protection for your business.
• UL 1449 Rating: The device should be UL certified and according to the standards recognized by underwriter’s laboratories.
• Voltages Pass: closer to 120 volts, means more protection for your business. There are some devices that can pass up to 330 volts, but make sure to install that pass close to 120 volts.
• Response time: A good device has less response time, it can be as low as Nano or Pico seconds.
• 400 Joules or more: How much energy the protector can handle? More the energy, better overall system. Make sure that your devices can handle more than 400 joule energy.
• Alarming: There should be alarming lights or indicators when they need replacement.