Transient Voltage Surge, also termed TVS, is a voltage spike exceeding 2000V and 100 amperes in current. There have been numerous documented cases of TVS measuring up to 20,000 volts and exceeding 2,000 amps in current. The damage that this phenomenon can inflict upon home systems cannot be understated. In order to understand what must be done to protect the home against this sort of attack, it is necessary to better understand the root causes behind it and the measures that are most effective in protecting home systems against it.
Lightning is the most common cause of transient voltage surge. When it strikes high power lines or transformers, it can travel up to 3 miles with enough force to destroy every major appliance in the home. While this is a major cause for concern, it is not the only concern to consider when gauging the level of protection needed to protect home electronics. Many forms of equipment can cause power fluctuations that will similarly damage sensitive electronics, home lighting systems, climate control systems, and data lines coming into the home.
Electric motors in refrigerators, air conditioner motors, fluorescent lighting, and even some portable power tools can precipitate transient voltage surge. Another the common cause of TVS is poor home circuitry. Many circuit panels in older homes have been improperly wired from the beginning. Without proper distribution of current, TVS is simply inevitable in many of these dwellings.
The degree of force that a surge can wield varies greatly. Some surges are measurably low, while others can be as high as 5,000 volts. Many Houston homes experience hundreds of surges a day without the homeowner even being aware this is happening. This is due to the simple fact that TVS does not always destroy equipment. Lower power levels typically have more of an erosive effect on electronics than an outright force of pure detonation. Equipment earmarked for high performance and long lifespan suddenly begins to experience mysterious downtime or a noticeable drop in performance. This is very common with high-end stereo and television sets, but it can also be seen in AC systems, kitchen appliances, and even in phone systems and computer equipment.
If you see such an unexplained drop in performance in a new or relatively new piece of high-end equipment, it is more than likely that you are experience frequent transient voltage surge and run the risk of losing some of your most expensive investments. We recommend, however, that you do not attempt to conclusively diagnosis this condition on your own. It takes a thorough examination of your home circuit panel, electrical outlets, and home wiring configuration to make such a determination. Not only is it difficult to troubleshoot these elements yourself, it can be deadly if you make a mistake. Professional assistance from a licensed ILD electrical services expert is strongly recommended both for the sake of safety and for a proper analysis of the problem at hand.
We also recommend that if we do discover a problem with TVS at your residence that you make it a priority to invest in a whole house surge suppression system. AC surge suppressors, which you may have already invested in for things like your stereo and computers, simply cannot withstand the power of some of the larger transient voltage surges, nor can they protect other avenues of current such as phone, data circuits, and television cables.
In reality, you will probably need several different types of surge suppressors to protect the many different electrical components that constitute the entirety of the electrical systems in your house. These surge protection devices are best procured through a commercial vendor such as Illuminations Lighting Design who can both obtain them in specification-grade quality directly from the manufacturer and install them in the correct manner to give your home the maximum possible protection against transient voltage surge.
We will be happy to come to your home and thoroughly test or upgrade home electrical panels, discuss emergency home power generators and devise a custom strategy for whole house surge protection. Call (713) 863-1133 today to schedule an onsite consultation at your earliest convenience.