Powerful surges may occur from a lightening strike. It is unusual for lightening to cause direct damage, but lightening hitting a power line produces a large voltage and the electrical system receives an overwhelming amount of current, causing the surge.
Blog Post
Power Surges: What They Are & How To Prevent Damage
Mar 08, 2022
Power Surges: What They Are & How To Prevent Damage
Here we explore what a power surge is, why they happen & how to avoid them occurring in your home.
What Is a Power Surge?
They are surges of electrical power that are higher than usual. Standard voltage levels for household appliances & electronics are usually between 230/240V. When increased levels of voltage comes through wires into devices, it is known as a power surge.
Power surges can be small or large & may cause damage or reduced performance in devices.
Why Do Power Surges Happen?
There are three main reasons power surges happen:
- Sudden increase of voltage through a power system from external or internal forces
- Interruption in the flow of electricity
- An increased delivery of power is disturbed when electricity is sent flowing back into the system
What Causes a Power Surge?
The most common causes are electrical overload, faulty wiring, lightning strikes & the reinstatement of power after a power outage or blackout, however there are some slightly less known causes.
Electrical Overload
When too much power is drawn from a single circuit electrical overload can occur. This can happen from overusing extension cords by plugging in too many devices into the same circuit.
It is not unusual for power surges to follow electrical overloads as the swamped single circuit can receive a huge current & voltage spike from the excess power being drawn.
Lightening Strike
Power Company
Power surges can originate from the electric utility company during power grid switching.
Faulty or Damaged Wiring
Faulty wiring is a potential internal cause of power surges, which are more likely to happen with damaged or exposed electrical wires.
Power may be interrupted due to rodents chewing through accessible wiring. This may be difficult to spot, but may be apparent when an appliance, such as a heat pump stops working.
How Can Power Surges Be Prevented?
To prevent internal surges, check you are not overloading your circuits. A wiring or switchboard upgrade may need to be considered if your wiring is outdated or not up to current standards or it may be a simple case of relocating electrical devices to distribute the load or larger appliances moved to their own dedicated electrical circuit.
We are not in control of external surges, however there are some steps that you can take to remove or reduce the damage that external surges can bring such as unplugging devices when there are serious storms and preventing increased voltage from getting to your appliances with a surge protection device.
Christchurch Electrical can advise whether additional circuits are required, carryout wiring checks & install surge protection in your home or business to protect your appliances & devices, contact the team to find out more 03 366 1718.
Warning Signs
If a device is giving off an pungent smell, a power strip needs resetting, digital devices are flashing or not working, you may have experienced a power surge. Warning signs that could indicate a power surge is on the way include:
- Flickering, buzzing or dimming lights
- Odd smells near outlets
- Frayed wiring
- Discoloration of outlets or smoke coming from outlets
- Warm or vibrating outlets
What To Do After A Power Surge
- Before resetting your circuit breakers, unplug electronic devices
- Check electronics, devices and outlets for damage
Christchurch Electrical are on hand to keep you, your family & business protected from power surges by providing wiring & switchboard checks, electrical & switchboard replacements, upgrades, surge protection devices & replacing damaged cabling. Call the team today to talk about your power surge protection needs 03 366 1718.
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