DO YOU think that your Spanish home has adequate protection against lightning strikes and power surges?

A big mistake people make about surge protection is choosing a multi socket surge protector purchased from the local ferreteria thinking it provides adequate protection against power surges.

Power strips only provide protection to the items plugged into them.

When a power surge strikes it will search and destroy every electrical appliance in the home.

Cheap multi socket surge protectors have been prone to catching fire, many have been recalled. Schneider Electric had to recall 15 million of its surge protectors. The company warned they can overheat, smoke and start a fire.

Air Conditioning units are the most susceptible electrical appliances in the home to power surges. Many Air Con installers will not guarantee their units unless a Surge Protection Device is fitted, due to repeatedly blown printed circuit boards caused by power surges.

A power surge will frazzle any electrical appliance with a printed circuit board (PCB). PCB’s are fitted in most electrical items these days.

So what the heck is a Surge Protection Device (SPD)?

Not to be confused with the RCD (Residual Current Device) in your consumer unit, which does not provide surge protection, an SPD works in one of two ways; it either disconnects the electricity in the event of excess voltage coming into your home, or it directs the excess voltage to the ground not allowing it to travel through the electrical installation. The SPD is fitted in the consumer unit and is wired across the entire installation providing complete protection to all the electrical appliances in the home.

Surge protection is especially important for rural properties exposed to the elements.

Normally we get contacted by a client after a power surge has struck a home and the damage has been done. Then asked to fit a Surge Protection Device. We urge all our customers to consider the down side and not get caught out after the fact.

]