Lightning VERSUS Surge Protector, Voltage stabiliser, and UPS – who wins?

Lightning VERSUS Surge Protector, Voltage stabiliser, and UPS – who wins?

As much as we love summer we don’t love the lightning damage that comes with the summertime storms. We appreciate that a darkening sky means rain is coming, but we don’t appreciate the fried electronics after the lightning has passed “through” our businesses or homes.

In the olden days, when we saw a storm coming, we could simply unplug the TV and the landline telephone and we felt safe. If we weren’t home and the storm hit, we had two damaged items – not a huge issue right?

Nowadays everything in our offices and homes is electronic. We have security systems, CCTV cameras, computers, Smart TVs, decoders … even our microwaves and fridges have electronic components. What do we do when we see a storm approaching now? Run around unplugging everything? Isn’t there an easier way to protect our electronics from lightning?

Before we consider that question, look at this interesting fact:

When it comes to power surges, lighting isn’t your biggest culprit. 

Yes, lighting accounts for massive surges in power, but did you know that the electricity we receive from ESKOM is full of spikes and dips?

This is partly because all the big power users affect the flow of electricity whenever they tap in and out of the main supply. Also, some surges are caused by your very own office and home appliances and devices.

Appliances that have motors (e.g. washing machines and vacuum cleaners), compressors (e.g. fridges and freezers), and elements (e.g. geysers and kettles) draw extra voltage every time they switch on. This causes a dip which is followed by a surge when they normalise their electricity consumption. 

Interesting fact: air conditioners have motors, compressors and heaters. So you can imagine how much dip and surge activity is related to the use of air-cons.    

A lightning strike may take out your electronics once or twice (proving that lightning can strike the same place twice), but these little dips and surges that occur on an ongoing basis do more harm to the performance of your electronics, reducing their lifespan over a few years.

“Install a surge protector.” I hear you say. 

Good idea – let’s take a look at that in more detail.

What is the difference between a surge protector, a voltage stabiliser and a UPS?

Surge protectors provide protection by dispersing (absorbing) a surge (excess power) thereby preventing it from reaching your connected devices. In the process, the surge protector blows and therefore has to be replaced. Electronic equipment is designed to operate within a certain power range: too much voltage can permanently damage or destroy it. Therefore, a surge protector is designed to protect your computer and other electronics and appliances.

A voltage stabiliser is an electromechanical transformer that adjusts its output for certain power input variances in voltage of up to +/- 20% while the output remains constant. In other words, a voltage stabiliser compensates for fluctuations in voltage by keeping the load voltage relatively constant. Under normal power fluctuations, the voltage stabiliser stabilises the load without incurring damage, unlike a surge protector.

A UPS provides protection against surges and acts as a stabiliser as well as containing a built-in battery for backup power in the event of a blackout. This gives you time to shut down safely, or, depending on the size of the battery on your UPS, or if you have a generator to take over the power supply, you can continue as normal without power interruption. Having your system powered by the battery and not directly off the mains means that the entire critical load connected to the UPS will receive a steady current with no dips or spikes.

Surge protectors and voltage stabilisers ensure that the right voltage makes it through to your devices and appliances while there is a supply of electricity.

If you need uninterrupted clean power during load shedding or after a storm has caused a power failure, your best bet is a UPS with battery backup. Add a backup generator if you want the standby power to last longer.

Must I buy a surge protector, voltage stabiliser, or a UPS?

Surge protectors and voltage stabilisers cost much less than UPSs, but they offer only one solution out of the possible two, or even three, solutions that a UPS offers.

What do I mean?

Surge Protector and Voltage Stabiliser

UPS

Protects devices against power dips and surges

 Uninterrupted power so you can shut down safely

 Uninterrupted power so you can carry on working

Surge Protector

Surge protection insurance

Some surge protectors come with limited insurance policies offered by the manufacturer. If a surge protector is properly configured and correctly connected to suitable devices, the manufacturer may compensate you for any equipment damaged in the event of a surge protector failure. This insurance cannot replace lost data though – so be sure you backup regularly. 

Choose the correct number of ports

Surge protectors come in a variety of sizes with 6, 8 or even 10 outlets. Buy one that is suitable for the needs of each socket to ensure optimum functionality. Don’t string on an extension cord with more appliances and expect the surge protector to work efficiently. 

Make sure it’s a Transient Voltage Surge Suppressor

Check the surge protector’s energy absorption rating and its clamping voltage. You’ll want an absorption rating of at least 6-700 joules or higher (higher is better) and a clamping voltage (the minimum voltage to trigger) around 400V or less (lower is better.

Voltage Stabiliser

1. A top quality voltage stabiliser should supply a stable output voltage for the connected load that is unaffected by harmonic distortion on the utility supply.

2. A wide input voltage range is necessary to cover for voltage deviations in the utility supply.

3. A high-efficiency product will ensure low running cost due to low losses.

4. On three-phase units, each phase should operate independently as it is common that a utility supply may vary only on one of its phases. Therefore sensing on all three input phases is essential.

5. Modern voltage stabilisers should also be fitted with a full electronic display to allow for interrogation.

UPS

Most people are unaware that there are three different types of UPS system designs, all of which can be used in different ways to support different backup loads.

They are:

1. Offline UPS

2. Line-interactive UPS

3. Online Double-conversion UPS

As with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

The majority of single-phase UPS systems sold into South Africa are produced and labelled in China, so not all UPS units are equal. 

Offline UPS

An offline UPS is a UPS system where the battery charger is only big enough to charge the battery, and the inverter cannot run for extended periods. It is designed to the technical limits of the inverter’s components, meaning that once a load is added it will start overheating. If you think your load will survive bad power supply and slow switch-on time then an offline UPS is your cheapest choice, but maybe not the wisest.

Line-interactive UPS

A line-interactive UPS is a step up towards the best from the offline UPS types; it plays the middle man between the worst and best technologies. The inverter is always on, meaning the switch-on to inverter time is much shorter and therefore better to use with sensitive loads. They also have an AVR (automatic voltage regulator) fitted inside. This helps regulate the mains supply – acting like a voltage regulator. 

Online Double-conversion UPS

An online double-conversion UPS system is by far the best UPS backup system that money can buy. Offering you ultimate power stability for your critical loads while the mains is on. Because the inverter is always feeding the connected loads, the dips, spikes and power failures are not felt by them. That makes this type of UPS system design the best by far, but it is not the cheapest.

In summary

Now, I can finally answer the question:

Isn’t there an easier way to protect our electronics from lightning?

There is only one sure way to protect your office or household appliances from a direct lightning strike and that is by unplugging them.

Surge protectors and voltage stabilisers offer protection against fluctuations, dips and spikes in the mains power supply, but are unable to provide power should the mains power fail. A UPS, on the other hand, will achieve all of the above, allowing you peace of mind and ease of convenience in all eventualities.  While neither a surge protector, voltage stabiliser nor UPS will provide protection against a direct lightning strike, using either of them will give your electronics and computers the best chance at a long, trouble-free life. 

As always, our team at Standby Systems is available to answer any questions you may have, so give us a call.