Surge Protection: Essential Information for Protecting Your Home
在某些时候，你可能经历过影响你家里电流的电涌. 这是一个很大的不便，但如果准备得当，是可以避免的. 这个快速指南告诉你关于电涌的基础知识和电涌保护器是如何工作的，这样你就可以准备好保持正常的电流流动.
What is a Power Surge?
A power surge is when the voltage suddenly spikes. 家用电器系统的设计是为了处理一定的电压——标准是120伏. 当电流以更高的电压流过电线时，它会将电线加热到“爆炸”的程度，从而损坏插入的电子设备. 设备可能会完全烧坏，但即使是很小的电涌也会对组件造成额外的磨损.
The duration and amplitude of a power surge varies, mostly depending on the source of the power surge. The spike can be just a few millivolts or it can be as much as 10,000 volts. 大多数电涌只持续一两秒钟，但它们可以持续数小时或数天.
Technically, there are power surges and power spikes. A power spike lasts two nanoseconds or less. 但功率浪涌是指任何持续3纳秒或更长时间的电压增加. Even though a spike doesn’t sound so bad, 如果电压增长足够高，损伤仍然可以在这几纳秒内发生.
How Do Power Surges Happen?
Some events cause a very brief power surge that lasts nanoseconds, and you probably won’t ever notice it happen. 其他时候，很明显会出现电涌，但不清楚原因. There are a few common causes for power surges.
Lightning
Mother Nature is to blame for many power surges, especially the ones that cause huge spikes and significant damage. 电力尖峰和浪涌可由直接和间接雷击引起.
Starting Up a High-Energy System or Device (Electrical Overload)
如果电力系统已经几乎以最大容量运行，打开暖通空调系统或其他使用大量能量的设备可能会导致短暂的电力激增. This is what’s known as an electrical overload. 如果发生这种情况，你应该让电工检查你的电气系统，以确保电路没有过载.
Bad Wiring
电流通过电线流动，所以如果电线有问题，就会增加电涌的风险. Faulty wiring includes wires that are damaged, 暴露或没有正确连接，因此没有足够的电阻. Without electrical resistance voltage spikes can easily happen. 要知道线路是否坏了，唯一可靠的方法就是请电工检查一下. 是时候叫电工了，如果听到插座发出嗡嗡声或嗡嗡声, frequent circuit breaker tripping, burning smell around outlets and burn marks on outlets.
Power Coming Back on After an Outage
When the electricity comes back on after a power outage it can be a shock to your electrical system that causes major overload. That’s why you’ll want to turn off and/or unplug devices during an outage.
How Surge Protector Devices Work
所有的电子设备，包括电器，都是为了承受一定的电压强度而制造的. If the voltage flowing into the device is too strong damage occurs. 电涌是会发生的，但这并不意味着你必须受到它们的影响.
浪涌保护器的设计是为了限制通过电子设备的电压量，并将多余的电力转移到插座的地线上. 这种重定向是通过电涌保护器内部的一个称为金属氧化物压敏电阻的组件完成的.
金属氧化物压敏电阻(MOV)连接到为插入的任何东西提供能量的热电线和地线上. It has semiconductors with different levels of electrical resistance. 当电压过高时，电阻降低，使MOV可以导电并将其移动到地线上. Once that happens the voltage through the hot wire is normalized.
Who Needs a Surge Protector
几乎任何人都可以从浪涌保护中受益，因为我们在日常生活中都依赖电力. That said, some people have a significant need for surge protection. They include:
- Anyone who relies on medical equipment that needs electricity to function.
- Anyone with expensive electronics in their home.
- Anyone with a server or computer system set up at home.
- Anyone who lives in an area where storms are frequent.
- 任何有老房子的人都可能没有足够的电力系统.
Basically, 任何人都可以从电涌保护中受益，因为我们都有电子产品和电器插上电源. The real question is what level of surge protection you need.
What to do First for Surge Protection
你可以做很多事情来为你的财产增加电涌保护, and some of the strategies don’t involve any investment or extra equipment.
Use a Surge Protector Power Strip
防止电涌最简单的方法之一是使用专门的电源插板. 电涌保护器在办公室或娱乐系统中非常有用，因为您可以插入多个设备以获得全面保护. Surge protector power strips are also affordable and super easy to install. Just plug them into the outlet and you’re ready to go.
Keep Electronics Unplugged
另一种防止电涌损坏的简单方法是在不使用电子产品和电器时拔掉插头. 如果它们没有插到电源插座上，那么浪涌就没有办法损坏组件. Plus, keep electronics unplugged prevents vampire energy from increasing your electric bill.
Make Sure the Electrical System is Up to Snuff
As noted above, 你的电气系统可能会发生一些事情，使你的家更容易受到电涌的影响. 如果这是一个经常发生，你会想要一个电工检查系统的错误接线, inadequate grounded wires and overloaded circuits.
Install a High Energy Surge Protector at the Panel
如果你想要一个单一的设备，将提供整个家庭的保护, consider installing a high energy surge protector at the panel. 这个解决方案有点贵，因为你需要一个有执照的电工来做安装.
买球365 helps keep homes powered with reliable fixed-rate energy plans. 这样你就少了一件你需要担心的事情，这样你就可以专注于电涌保护和让你的家为停电做好准备. 使用你的邮政编码来查找火花能源计划是否在你的地区可用.
