Inside a 13,500A surge protector. (With schematic.)

Summary

This video provides a detailed breakdown and analysis of a surge protector, explaining its components and functionality. The reviewer dissects the unit to explore its internal parts, including metal oxide varistors, gas discharge tubes, thermal fuses, and an LED indicator. While highlighting the surge protector's protective features against lightning and power surges, the reviewer also provides insights into the marketing claims about its surge current rating and comments on the practical functionality of the design. Overall, the surge protector is deemed effective and well-designed for everyday use.

Takeaways

• 😀 Surge protector is designed to protect devices from overvoltage and prevent costly repairs or replacements.
• 🔧 The device includes integrated thermal monitoring and function indicators to ensure safe operation.
• 💰 It offers 5 million euros insurance coverage for personal injury and material damage under the product liability insurance.
• ⚡ The surge protector uses metal oxide varistors (MOVs) and gas discharge tubes for lightning and surge protection.
• 🔋 A green LED indicator signals when surge protection is active, although it’s faint due to the use of gallium phosphide technology.
• 🛠️ The device features thermal fuses that protect against overheating by disconnecting the circuit if the MOVs get too hot.
• 🔌 The surge protector handles a surge current of up to 13,500 amps, which is the combined rating of the MOVs and thermal fuses.
• ⚠️ The gas discharge tube only activates in the event of a large surge, ensuring no leakage or false protection activations.
• 🔎 The device is built with a combination of larger MOVs for high energy absorption and smaller ones for additional protection.
• 💡 The surge protector is marketed with the 13,500 amp rating, but the actual protection is based on the individual ratings of its components.
• 🔒 The unit is designed to protect both the connected devices and other nearby circuits, offering broad protection in a household setting.

Q & A

What is the primary function of the surge protector discussed in the transcript?

The primary function of the surge protector is to protect connected devices from damage caused by overvoltages, especially from lightning or other electrical surges. It helps prevent high repair or replacement costs by clamping down surges to safe levels.

What type of components are used in the surge protector for surge suppression?

The surge protector uses several key components for surge suppression, including metal oxide varistors (MOVs), a gas discharge tube, and thermal fuses. These components work together to absorb or divert harmful surge energy safely.

How does the surge protector handle thermal overloads?

The surge protector is equipped with thermal fuses that disconnect the circuit if the internal temperature becomes too high, typically due to a failure in the metal oxide varistors. This prevents further damage and fire hazards.

What is the role of the green LED indicator in the surge protector?

The green LED serves as an indicator light to show that the surge protector is operational. It lights up when one of the thermal fuses is triggered, but because the LED operates on a half-wave signal, it provides a faint and intermittent glow.

What is the significance of the '13,500 amp' surge current specification?

The '13,500 amp' rating refers to the combined peak pulse current rating of all the metal oxide varistors used in the surge protector. While this number appears significant, it is a marketing specification and doesn't necessarily reflect the exact performance or protection level.

What is the purpose of the gas discharge tube in the surge protector?

The gas discharge tube in the surge protector acts as an additional safeguard by shunting high-voltage surges to earth. It only activates when a surge exceeds a certain threshold, ensuring that the surge protector is only engaged during significant overvoltage events.

How does the surge protector prevent electrical leakage to the earth?

The surge protector uses the gas discharge tube in combination with metal oxide varistors to ensure that any excess electrical energy from a surge is safely redirected to earth. This prevents leakage current from triggering earth leakage circuit breakers or causing electrical issues.

What happens when the metal oxide varistors fail in the surge protector?

If the metal oxide varistors fail, they can become hot and potentially cause a fire. The thermal fuses are designed to trip and disconnect the circuit if the temperature rises above 115°C, preventing further damage or danger.

What type of fuse is used in the surge protector, and why?

The surge protector uses thermal fuses, which are designed to cut off the power supply if the internal temperature exceeds 115°C. This is a safety measure to prevent fires or further damage in the event of a component failure.

Can the surge protector continue working if the gas discharge tube fails?

If the gas discharge tube fails, the surge protector can still function, but the indicator LED may not show any sign of failure. However, the protection is compromised, and there would be no clear indication unless other components, like the thermal fuses, also fail.