Surge Protection Devices: Journey From Lightning Rods to Smart Protectors
Surge protection devices have played a significant role throughout history. Nowadays, these devices have become so common that we often forget that they are in use. With power surges and lightning strikes as the primary threat, these devices have come a long way. So today, we are going to take a quick look at the history and development of surge protection devices:
It Started With The Lighting Rods
You might have heard of the term ‘grounding’ for the buildings. It is a process in which the building gets lightning rods installed. These are connected to the ground for the extra electric charge to travel. The process is also called Earthing.
In the early days, people installed lighting rods in the buildings, and these were connected to the ground to safely get hit by the lighting and transfer it to the ground without harming the building. This opened a new frontier for surge protection devices, as well.
The Problem Of Power Surge
When power surges first started to become a problem, the invention of surge suppressors took place. You could call these the first generation of surge protection devices. With a component used in them, the surge suppressors would absorb excessive voltage. This helped in protecting the gadgets, but the surge suppressor would often require replacement.
The Stable And Steady Surge Protectors
Around the 1970s, we received more stable surge suppressors. These were known as TVSS (Transient Voltage Surge Suppressors). It enabled the suppressors to provide better protection without the need to discard them or replace them every time.
At this point, there were industries and data centres that were using TVSS to safeguard the equipment from power surges.
The Introduction To Microprocessors
Then came the time when microprocessors were the buzzwords and were being used in various technologies. Someone decided that it would be a great idea to use them in the surge protectors. As a result, you could find better and smarter protectors that could easily work with different surge requirements.
The Role Of IoT In Surge Protection
IoT is known as the Internet Of Things. It is where you have different gadgets and equipment, but they are all connected to the internet somehow. Smart Technology, as you know, plays a big role in IoT and smart protectors. By using AI as well, surge protectors are facing a new era where you can have many new qualities.
A few of these capabilities are to get notifications about the surges and also receive data about all the surges that have been recorded. You can easily reconnect the surge or reactivate it wirelessly through smart controls. If surge protection requires maintenance, you will know about it beforehand. Moreover, with digital display, you could check other helpful data and also maintain the electrical flow of the building or industry.
Prevalence Of Surge Protection
With continuous advancements, surge protection devices have become so common that it is easier to forget about them. Even modern appliances come with integrated surge protectors that eliminate the need for extra devices. However, they are still essential for domestic and industrial applications.
