Power Surge Damage Circuit Breaker

How to avoid damage to electrical devices caused by power surges or voltage spikes as described in this question even though there is a 30 amp 240 volt circuit for the trailer power there may be a great deal of the electrical loads at the trailer that are placed on one 120 volt lines that are creating an unbalanced load.

Power surge damage circuit breaker.

A power surge spikes the voltage above 170 volts. This is inconvenient but not necessarily harmful. A lightning strike power surge is what most people think of causing a power surge. Smaller repeated power surges may slowly damage your electronic equipment.

This tidal wave of electricity can damage appliances left turned on. Electrical appliances will of course stop working if the power goes out. When electrical power comes back after an outage it goes through a surge condition. Lightning strikes are another common cause of power surges.

Whole house surge protectors are installed at the main electrical service panel where the circuit breakers or fuses are located. Your computer or stereo may continue to function after small surges occur until the integrity of the electronic components finally erode and your satellite. All of these smart circuit breakers are equipped with electronics which makes them more prone to surge damage. The same nuisance tripping may occur with cafci breakers which sense for l n l g and series arcs.

During a power surge damage to hvac systems appliances and electronics can occur. Therefore surge protection is a good idea on panels with these types of breakers employed. So here s what you can do to recognise the dangers and protect your home from electrical damage. Circuit breakers are constructed to wit stand a very high voltage but sometimes a lightening strike may be too much for the internal circuit.

Start with surge protectors both large and small. The suppressor will channel the extra electricity during the power surge and prevent it from getting into your main system. The heat generated in the arc causes damage to the electronic circuit boards and other electrical components. Power surges you probably know they can trigger a circuit breaker and shut off electricals but do you know what causes them or how they can potentially damage equipment around the home.

Tripped circuit breakers and short circuits in your wiring system can also lead to power spikes. Today s building codes make provisions for the inclusion of ground wires that carry errant electrical current safely to the. Most households experience power surges at some point. If surges are caused by a problem in the wiring of your home you should talk to an electrician to see if you need to rewire the house or replace the circuit breaker.