Thank heaven for surge protection!
Was gone from the camper for a couple days and missed all the excitement! Neighbors tell me the campground experienced a large electrical surge. They lost tvs, small appliances, AC units, etc.. I lost...
Forum Discussion
Most surge protectors are sacrificial, in that the elements(caps) are designed to blow at various over currents, i.e. beyond a certain limit, it will be damaged and it's part of the plan, it should have a "replace-me/ready" light to indicate when that happens.
In regards to devices and applices in their normal use, not on a protector and what happens: each will respond to over/under voltages differently. Moters usually burn their start cap or over heat their windings (with enough heat it will degrade the enamal or melt some of the coil wires together, slowly burning it out, winding by winding). Incandesent bulbs will glow hotter or cooler, if it get to hot it will melt the filiment and reduce it's life (makes a thin spot in the filiment, eventuall will blow at that spot).
Switching power supplies (most electronics) will usually tolerate long term voltage fluctuations over time, +/- 40 volts (though reducing it's power output and posibly over-heating it, many are 90-250 volt), short high spikes however can quickly fry the caps. (Computer power supplies are much like surge blocks and will sacrifice to protect the main board.) If enough over-voltage reaches an silicon chip it will arc internally and fry the chip.
In regards to devices and applices in their normal use, not on a protector and what happens: each will respond to over/under voltages differently. Moters usually burn their start cap or over heat their windings (with enough heat it will degrade the enamal or melt some of the coil wires together, slowly burning it out, winding by winding). Incandesent bulbs will glow hotter or cooler, if it get to hot it will melt the filiment and reduce it's life (makes a thin spot in the filiment, eventuall will blow at that spot).
Switching power supplies (most electronics) will usually tolerate long term voltage fluctuations over time, +/- 40 volts (though reducing it's power output and posibly over-heating it, many are 90-250 volt), short high spikes however can quickly fry the caps. (Computer power supplies are much like surge blocks and will sacrifice to protect the main board.) If enough over-voltage reaches an silicon chip it will arc internally and fry the chip.
