Surge Smart | The science behind SPDs | Part 1

Surge problems aren’t always caused by lightning strikes — so what’s actually going on?

Host Nick Marshall is joined by Omega Red's Adam Davies and Matt Waldram to discuss:

• What are electrical surges?
• Where do they come from? 
• Which types of equipment can cause a surge? 
• What is an SPD and what do they do? 
• What are the risks of going without surge protection?

Watch on YouTube.

Thank you for listening to Omega Red's podcast. All information was accurate at the time of recording. 

Omega Red is a UK market leader in lightning protection, height safety, earthing and surge protection.

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Transcript

What A Surge Really Is

Nick Marshall 0:04

When we talk about surge, what actually is it? Let's kind of demystify what it is for people out there watching the podcast.

Matt Waldram 0:10

Okay. So a surge, uh sometimes called a transient over voltage, is a short duration in voltage increase, and that increase can be quite massive. Um and it's measured normally between two or more conductors, um, or indeed between a conductor and Earth.

Lightning As A Surge Source

Nick Marshall 0:28

And when you look at kind of surge and where it comes from and about how it operates, is people sometimes talk about it's generated through through lightning strikes. Is is that is that a right kind of thing that people think about?

Matt Waldram 0:40

Uh well it's certainly correct. It's one of the sources. Yeah. Um a surge as a lightning electromagnetic impulse, um, L E M P or LEMP, um, can be as a result of a lightning

Switching Surges In Real Buildings

Matt Waldram 0:52

flash.

Speaker 1 0:52

Yeah.

Matt Waldram 0:53

Um, or indeed surges can be created as a result of electrical switching. Um so when electrical systems such as the high voltage network or um large load losing equipment such as lifts, welding equipment, for example, or indeed when circuit breakers trip, surges can be created through those switching actions. Okay. Um The reason it happens is because when current flows through a conductor, it creates a magnetic field, and where and that's where the energy is stored. And when equipment switches off before it starts again, the current ceases to flow, and then that energy is released and it appears as a large overvoltage. Okay. And will damage anything in its path.

How SPDs Limit Overvoltage

Nick Marshall 1:35

So again, when we talk about damaging things in its path, we then probably get to what we call SPDs. Adam, just in your world, this is what you do day in, day out. So just explain to us how uh SPD works.

Adam Davies 1:46

So a surge protection device, what that is, is it's a uh non-load using protective device. Uh it can be wired in parallel or series to uh various systems such as data communications, LV power being the most prominent. Okay. And what they do is they dissipate the lightning energy or the transient table voltage that pass through to a protected uh to a suitable level. Yeah. Uh to where the equipment can withstand that voltage or that that impulse or that surge.

Nick Marshall 2:15

Great. And and when you think about the buildings, how are they at risk then if we don't implement the the right SPDs?

Digital Infrastructure Raises The Stakes

Adam Davies 2:21

So where the buildings become at risk is probably more with where we're going as a civilization, moving more into the digital age.

Nick Marshall 2:28

Yes.

Adam Davies 2:29

So where you've got big data centres, you've got your AI up and up and coming and quite well renowned now. Yeah. Uh and it's about protecting that sensitive and electronic equipment that that runs all of that and runs that infrastructure and how we protect it uh from catastrophic impacts from these surges.

Nick Marshall 2:48

Yeah. Um if you think about those areas then, what what were kind of some of the takeaways then when people think about why do I need to protect against surge and having the right SPD in place? Is if I could come to you, Matt, what what do you think some of those key things are?

Protecting Life Safety Systems

Matt Waldram 3:02

Um, so SPDs, I mean, for me, the key things, SPDs are um used as part of a whole lightning protection system. Yeah, they are also employed um to protect vulnerable and critical equipment, which ultimately can be um as part of life safety-related systems. Yeah. Um things such as firefighting lifts, sprinkler systems. Businesses do not want to be without those. Yeah. And if you do not install them when they are required, then if the worst thing were to happen, either from a lightning or switching event, then clearly the damage that could be caused could either cost an awful lot of money to uh sort out, or indeed it could endanger people's safety.

Client Questions And Risk Profiling

Nick Marshall 3:44

And just in there then, just as we kind of bring that part to a close, when when you're having that conversation with clients out on site, because that's that's where all the that information transfer comes in play. And sometimes we we are talking to individuals that don't have a level of competence, uh maybe just don't fully understand and appreciate. What are the things that they're asking of you when you when you're on site or where they've got doubt about making sure that the right selections are made? Just just walk me through your your path there. And when you're you're talking to a client, he takes you round to site. What what's going through your mind? What you're looking for, and what are they saying to you as you're engaging with the with the customer?

Adam Davies 4:22

Yeah, so uh the key points that we take away from it, you know, it is is is lightning going to be a risk in terms of direct lightning, yeah. Uh which uh refers you to the different regulations of BSEN, IC 62305.

Nick Marshall 4:34

Yeah, and we'll get on to that where we're Matt's gonna, yeah, yeah.

Adam Davies 4:37

Uh uh then you've also got your BS7671, which is your normal fixed wiring regulations. Uh so that these are the key things that we have to consider when we're you know talking and communication with the clients uh and and to help them to figure out what their sensitive equipment is, what their critical equipment is, and what impacts they pose, and how we can protect them to the best of the ability and deliver that quality service to

Practical Close: Identify Risks Early

Adam Davies 5:07

them.

Nick Marshall 5:07

Okay, so it's like a bit of risk pro in on risk pro file on site there, they're into it really, just based on the assets that they've got, and going through and looking kind of a holistic view.

Matt Waldram 5:16

Yeah. Yeah, it's about identifying where the risks lie and how we can best offer to protect and prevent damage and prevent failure of systems.