Surge Protection Products

A SPD - Surge Protector Device or some other names used like Spike Suppressor, Surge Suppressor and Surge Diverters are devices designed to protect electrical equipment from voltage spikes / surges of power.

A voltage spike / surge is a unwanted transient surge of power event, typically lasting 1 to 30 microseconds, that may reach over 1,000 volts.

Lightning that hits a power line or even ground can give many thousands, sometimes 100,000 or more volts.

A motor when switched off can generate a spike of 1,000 or more volts.

Spikes can degrade wiring insulation and destroy electronic devices like battery chargers, modems and TVs etc

A surge protector attempts to limit the voltage supplied to an electric device by either blocking or shorting current to reduce the voltage below a safe threshold. Blocking is done by using inductors which inhibit a sudden change in current.

Shorting is done by spark gaps, discharge tubes, zener-type semiconductors and Metal Oxide Varistors (MOVs), all of which begin to conduct current once a certain voltage threshold is reached, or by capacitors which inhibit a sudden change in voltage. Some surge protectors will use multiple technologies.

Building Protection

PD Devices Surge Protection Devices (SPDs) are designed to limit transient overvoltages of atmospheric origin and divert current waves to earth, so as to limit the amplitude of this overvoltage to a value that is not hazardous for the electrical installation, electric switchgear and controlgear. We offer many different Surge Protection Devices for the building industry; Type 1, Type 2, Type 3, All Mode Protection, Surge Filters and Equipotential Bonding SPDs SPD eliminates overvoltages in common mode, between phase and neutral or earth; in differential mode, between phase and neutral. In the event of an overvoltage exceeding the operating threshold, the SPD conducts the ..

Rail Transport

With the drive towards the expansion of the electrification of the rail networks, connection improvements, dedicated High Speed Lines, increase in rolling stock and the commitment to integrated transport systems, they have all added greater use to our modern rail systems. The management of this is made easier with the advances in technologies in power distribution, signalling, control and data communications ect. With so much reliability on electronic technologies we must not forget the wide spread damage that comes with overvoltage power surges that we cannot see. The easiest to understand are those derived from lightning strikes as they can ..

Data & Telecoms

With global communications networks continueing to grow year in year out, any electrical power problems could be extremely detrimental to any data-communications network. A lightning strike or any type of power surge that lasts just one-millionth of a second can cause major damage, from power-related problems, downtime, or damaged equipment.... it could range from thousands to millions of pounds to rectify the issues caused. Remember you have the ability to prevent this from happening! It costs much less to avoid a disaster than to recover from one. To avoid these network disruptions from occuring it is good practice to ..

Ministry of Defence

ElectroMagnetic Pulse Protection Modules We manufacture a wide range of products to protect against the effects of high altitude detonation of Nuclear devices.The result of such an event is the generation of Electromagnetic Pulses which will induce a high voltage transient in exposed conductors. The EMP can affect several thousands of square kilometres, with a magnitude of tens of kilovolts. This could result in serious damage to insulation, cause breakdown of semiconductors and the consequent malfunction of critical equipment. Most notable would be the failure of Energy Power Supply and Communications Systems. ACRONYMS: EMP - Electromagnectic Pulse HEMP / HAEMP - ..

Renewables

The renewable energy industry is made up from many different kinds of sources, from primarily using sun for solar (photovoltaic) energy, wind (wind turbines) and water (hydro electrical plants). These facilities are all used today to convert these natural free energy sources into electricity for our consumption, and provide the exact same product as the fossil fuel industry but without all the dirty emissions that are dispersed into the atmosphere which affects the air we breathe and the environment we live in. Unfortunately it is far more expensive to produce power from using these FREE renewable energy sources than the burning ..

Electrical Power Generation

Electricity power generation is a process of generating electric power from sources of primary energy. The electricity is most often generated at a power plant by electromechanical generators, primarily driven by heat engines fuelled by combustion or nuclear fission, but also by other means such as the kinetic energy of flowing water and wind. Other energy sources include solar photovoltaics and geothermal power. The plant and machinery used to create this power are susceptible to damage caused by nearby lightning strikes and transient over-voltages caused by other sources. To protect such expensive damages being caused, it is good practice to make ..

Electrical Power Distribution

Electric power distribution is electricity power being carried from the transmission system to the consumers. This final stage of delivery of electric power distributes power through substations that connect to the transmission system and lower the transmission voltage to medium voltage ranging between 2 kV and 35 kV with the use of transformers.Primary distribution lines carry this medium voltage power to distribution transformers located near the consumer premises. Distribution transformers again lower the voltage to the utilization voltage used by lighting, industrial equipment or household appliances. All of this equipment used in this process needs protection from surges.We provide ..

Link Boxes & Enclosures

At PD Devices we manufacture many different SPDs, we have produced MOVs for many years and our market requirements are for ever evolving. Fairly new to our range of products are link boxes, but what are they and how do they work? Link Boxes are effectively cable earthing connection boxes that can provide some really unique challenges, both in terms of physical and electrical requirements to produce and make up critical parts of high-voltage underground cable systems. A Link Box provides a sealed, weatherproof enclosure for bonding cable earths at what is the weakest point in the system – cable joints ..

Socket Strips

Here at PD Devices we have many different multi-way sockets available in a multitude of options including; ABS Plastic or Aluminium housings with trailing leads or direct wiring, with or without Surge Protection, Neon Indicator, Switch, RCD and specialised sockets strips for the Audio sector / Noise and RFI filters, which stops that cracking and popping sound you may hear..... and we even offer a choice of how many sockets you would like, however, although there is space to plug in 2, 4, 6, 8 or even 10 appliances, this does not mean it is always safe to do so. Always ..

CCTV & Fire

CCTV systems, Burglar Alarm systems and Fire Alarms are all designed to protect you, but how do you protect your systems? Interestingly enough, many strange things often happen that affect security systems both indoors and especially outdoors; anything from interference noise on the CCTV image, to Alarms not working when tested or the whole system completely stopping and never to work again. As homes, businesses, schools, hospitals etc. become filled with more electronic technology and gadgets, with smaller and more susceptible parts being used within them, the chances increase that some of your systems will be affected by surges, spikes and transient ..

Satellite & RF Protection

Satellite cables and RF antenna coax cables are inputs from the satellite and TV aerial, from outside coming in to the building, to the television equipment. These coaxial cables are also sometimes used to connect a VCR, DVD player, satellite box or even games consoles to the television set. All these devices can actually become at risk from surges entering the building via that coax cable from the satellite and TV aerial. Having a Type 3 (CLASS III) surge protected device (like a surge protected socket strip) on the inside of your building is protecting the items plugged in to ..

Metal Oxide Varistors

What are MOV's & why are they used in surge protection? An MOV is a bipolar, non linear resistor, with a symmetrical voltage / current characteristics curve and a resistance value which decreases as the voltage increases. A semiconducting device which 'clamps' an effective resistance at a specified voltage. We provide varistors with: High Energy and Current withstand capability. Low clamping Voltage Fast Reponse (typically 5 nanoseconds) Suitable for AC and DC applications Bipolar operation Very low leakage current Relatively inexpensive per Joule Important Information when referring to Voltage Levels The European electrical AC voltages are classified in terms of Low Voltage (LV), Medium Voltage (MV) and High Voltage (HV) The International ..