A surge arrestor extends the overall life of the system and its assets by limiting the voltage access across substation equipment and throughout by switching during a surge event. Arrester’s first station class needs to be selected to provide the best level of protection and in order to choose the right substation arrester, you need to have access to a bit of knowledge on this type of technology.
The first thing to look for when selecting the ideal type of arrester is determining the type of voltage that you will need. Maximum continuous operating voltage and the continuous operating voltage is important to consider when you are looking into the grounding conditions of a substation arrester. Potential neutral shifts as well as the voltages of corresponding equipment will help you to determine which type of relay will suit your needs.
The next step that you can take a look at is the capability that’s required out of any surge arrestor. These devices are made to divert surges away from your equipment and depending on the size of your equipment, you may need access to a large surge arrester to handle multiple surges at different durations of magnitudes.
Station applications where surges can generate a significant amount of heat will require the best level of equipment. Lab testing is often used to prove the arrester's ability to divert surges at multiple locations and to make sure that a system can thermally recover. The energy capability can be identified by the energy rating as well as the energy class.
Make Sure You Can Maintain Safety
You need to be able to maintain safety between any personnel you have working in the field as well as the critical equipment that you have for your business. Substation arrester selection will be the last line of defense against surges for your employees as well as for the sensitive equipment that you need to keep your business operational. The arrester will sacrifice itself before there is damage to your equipment and to your staff. When short circuit events take place, energy is shunted to the ground through the arrester. Depending on the design of the arrester, it’s possible that pressure relief vents and other directional systems can be used to minimize damages.
If you would like to learn more about substation arrestors and which would be suited best for your business, contact us today to learn more.