Chris Maxwell wrote:
> Fred,
>
> Maybe you're right. Do UPSs protect against lightning surge?
Your question resolves into two issues: 1) Marketing Hype 2) Reality
1) I have seen some marketing hype that says their UPS will do everything to
protect your system and wash the windows while it is at it. I think we know
BS when we read it.
2) The reality is lightning is called an "Act of God" for good reason. Many
of the things that determine whether you are protected from a lightning strike
depend on circumstances beyond your control like how far are you from the
strike, how far are you from the mains, and how conductive is the
ground you walk on.
I think one of the better UPSs out there recognizes no one can guarantee
protection from "Act of God" but they do offer a free insurance policy to
replace your equipment if it fails due to a lightning strike when connected to
their UPS. Now that's putting your money where your mouth is.
Fred Townsend
> I know that they protect against low frequency, low magnitude voltage dips
and surges. However, I'm unsure of their ability to protect against lightning
surge.
>
> If the UPS is specified by its manufacturer to protect against lightning
surge; then my question is moot. Even so, I would still wonder, does the UPS
guarantee that the UPS and the equipment attached to it would survive the
surge? Or does the UPS sacrifice itself in order to protect its load?
>
> If there is any question, I would seriously consider putting the surge
protector in front of the UPS and protect the whole system.
>
> We must also consider the power availability angle.
>
> If the surge protector is in front of the UPS; then even if the surge
protector sacrifices itself; or blows a fuse to protect the UPS from the
surge; the UPS will still power all of the equipment attached to it from its
battery.
>
> If the surge suppressor were after the UPS; then blowing a fuse or tripping
the surge suppressor would prevent the UPS from powering its outputs.
>
> Chris Maxwell | Design Engineer - Optical Division
> email chris.maxw...@nettest.com | dir +1 315 266 5128 | fax +1 315 797 8024
>
> NetTest | 6 Rhoads Drive, Utica, NY 13502 | USA
> web www.nettest.com | tel +1 315 797 4449 |
This message is from the IEEE EMC Society Product Safety
Technical Committee emc-pstc discussion list.
Visit our web site at: http://www.ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/pstc/
To cancel your subscription, send mail to:
majord...@ieee.org
with the single line:
unsubscribe emc-pstc
For help, send mail to the list administrators:
Ron Pickard: emc-p...@hypercom.com
Dave Heald: emc_p...@symbol.com
For policy questions, send mail to:
Richard Nute: ri...@ieee.org
Jim Bacher: j.bac...@ieee.org
Archive is being moved, we will announce when it is back on-line.
All emc-pstc postings are archived and searchable on the web at:
http://www.ieeecommunities.org/emc-pstc
