Keeping up with the Reality of Today’s Surge Environment

Based on the proliferation of surge-protective devices in low-voltage end-user installations, the paper draws attention to the need for changing focus from surge voltage measurements to surge current measurements. One proposed approach was to develop a simple transducer measuring the surge current that would be drawn in an SPD with low clamping voltage connected to the circuit to be monitored. A second approach, perhaps idealistic, would be to gather from SPD manufacturers data on field failures and attempt to replicate these failures in the laboratory, thereby giving some explanation on what went on in the real-world surge environment.