Steuben Rural Electric Cooperative

Power Variation

Electricity is mass produced and shipped over miles of lines causing it to vary slightly.  The slight variations delivered to homes usually do not afffect most standard household appliances.  Some modern high-tech electronics like computers are sensitive to slight variations in the power.  The sensitivity is caused by the microprocessors built into most modern electronics.  These miniature computers operate at very low voltages and require precise, constant power.  The power variations can be categorized into two categories:  Power Sags and Power Swells.

Power Sags are slight decreases in voltage, usually caused by the start up of large electronic motors, like an air compressor or a washing machine.  These can cause your electronics to crash or shut down, but usually do not cause direct damage to equipment.

Power Swells are the opposite.  They result from large electrical motors shutting off, a re-energized electrical line after an outage or a lightning strike.  Lightning is the most common cause of a power swell.  Brief peaks as high as 25,000 volts have been measured ion power lines.  This high voltage is usually shorted to the ground by lightning arrestors and other cooperative equipment installed on utility lines.  However, if the lightning enters your home wiring, it can destroy applicances large and small.

Steuben Rural Electric Cooperative, Inc. has researched and found a line of surge protectors that have a good warranty, great pricing and excellent protection.

SEE OUR PRODUCT LINE

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.  Can a surge harm my equipment if I am not using it?
A.  Yes.  Many electrical devices have electronic timers, clocks, or remote controls which remain in operation even when it is not in use.  Also, some appliances cycle on and off at random, like water heaters and air conditioners.

Q.  Will my circuit breakers protect my electrical equipment?
A.  No. Circuit breakers are only designed to protect against over current, not a voltage spike.

Q.  Do these suppressors handle all voltage problems?
A.  Maybe.  Though they do handle the most frequent and destructive ones, more sophisticated technologies (interruptible power supplies) are available to handle complex power problems.

Q.  What is the purpose of the phone/coax jacks on surge suppressors?
A.  Some of the surge suppressors incorporate protection circuitry for telephone and TV equipment.  A surge could enter through the phone or coax wiring.  This is why it is important to protect these entry points.