The importance of surge arresters
May 2012
Electrical Power & Protection
Lightning in South Africa causes millions of rands in damage to property annually. Each individual thunderstorm has the potential to cost a home or business time and money if it is not properly protected. Lightning up to one kilometre away can still cause damage.
While lightning can cause catastrophic failure, transients and surges caused by other phenomena can also cause havoc. Even though surges are so brief that they are measured in nanoseconds, they can cause considerable damage to electronic equipment. Apart from destroying wiring and data cables, electrical surges can damage computer equipment, telephones and other electronic goods, gradually wearing down the device’s internal components. DEHN’s surge arresters are designed to protect and maintain system reliability, regardless of the cause or magnitude of these transients.
A surge arrester is a voltage activated device that protects computers and other electronic equipment from surges or transient voltages in electrical power or data cables, whether it be from lightning or a switching surge. A surge arrester works by diverting the extra voltage into the earth wire, rather than flowing through the electronic devices, while at the same time allowing the normal voltage to continue along its path.
Not all surge arresters protect systems from lightning. While lightning current arresters (Class 1) are used to protect against direct lightning surge currents, surge arresters (Class 2) protect equipment from induced surges in electrical wiring. Surge arresters and lightning current arresters from DEHN offer reliable protection against these hazards.
For more information contact Paul van As, Surgetek, +27 (0)11 792 1303, [email protected], www.surgetek.co.za
Further reading:
Overcoming the bottling industry’s fragmented visibility
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing Electrical Power & Protection
Beverage bottling facilities are among manufacturing’s most energy-intensive environments, yet many still operate without granular insight into where that energy goes. Rezolia Muller-Potluri of Schneider Electric explains how tiered metering architecture and advanced
Read more...
Schneider Electric introduces next-generation BlokSeT switchboard
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric has launched its next-generation BlokSeT low-voltage switchboard in West Africa, offering high reliability, predictive maintenance capability and digital integration for critical infrastructure and industrial applications.
Read more...
Powering South Africa’s renewable energy expansion
Electrical Power & Protection
ACTOM Distribution Transformers, the sole NECRT contract holder for Eskom, is powering South Africa’s renewable energy expansion through robust neutral earthing transformer solutions deployed across solar and wind projects in southern Africa.
Read more...
You can’t digitise a blackout
Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Across East Africa, smart meters and AI promise cleaner, more reliable power, but digital tools cannot optimise a grid too weak to carry the load. Schneider Electric’s Symphrose Ochieng sets out why operators should strengthen physical infrastructure first, then add digital capability in phases.
Read more...
Battery energy storage is key to powering South Africa’s manufacturing sector
Electrical Power & Protection
South Africa’s shift to renewables is creating a significant opportunity in battery energy storage, but local manufacturers face an uphill battle against cheap imports and stop-start demand. Richard van Moltke of ACTOM Static Power examines what it will take to build a sustainable local battery storage industry.
Read more...
Decarbonisation is reshaping mining strategy in Africa
Schneider Electric South Africa
IT in Manufacturing Electrical Power & Protection
Mining companies across Africa are embedding decarbonisation into operational strategy, driven by investor, regulatory and customer pressure to reduce emissions while improving resilience.
Read more...
How to tell whether your mini-substation is new or refurbished
Electrical Power & Protection
Cosmetically refurbished mini-substations are being misrepresented as new equipment and sold back into the market, posing serious reliability and safety risks for mining, industrial and commercial operations. Trafo Power Solutions explains what to look for and what questions to ask before purchasing.
Read more...
Optimising energy reliability for African manufacturing
Electrical Power & Protection IT in Manufacturing
Unreliable power can cost African manufacturers as much as 31% in sales. Behind-the-meter power offers manufacturers in sub-Saharan Africa control, visibility and resilience in their energy provisioning.
Read more...
Electrical solutions for FMCG manufacturing giant
Electrical Power & Protection
An electrical upgrade at a leading fast-moving consumer goods facility demonstrates how ACTOM Kenya turned a fragile, reactive power infrastructure into a resilient, data-driven backbone for production. The project is also a case study in bridging legacy equipment with modern automation without disrupting operations.
Read more...
Yokogawa digital plant to accelerate green hydrogen revolution
Yokogawa South Africa
Editor's Choice Electrical Power & Protection IT in Manufacturing
Yokogawa explains how a digital plant approach and autonomous operations can integrate the full green hydrogen value chain, from renewable power generation to end-use applications, and why digitalisation and system integration are central to making green hydrogen viable in South Africa.
Read more...
printer friendly version