Power Switching & Controls
for Business-Critical Continuity™
Dirty Power . . .
A Guide to Surge Protection & Filtering
Emerson Network Power
Surge Protection
100 Emerson Parkway
Binghamton, NY 13905
T: 607-721-8840 (Outside U.S.)
T: 800-288-6169 (U.S. & Canada Only)
F: 607-722-8713
E: SurgeTech@Emerson.com
Emerson Network Power.
The global leader in enabling
Business-Critical Continuity™.
■ AC Power
■ Connectivity
■ DC Power
■ Embedded Computing
Embedded Power
■ Industrial Power
■ Infrastructure Management & Monitoring
■ Outside Plant
Power Switching & Controls
■ Thermal Management
■ Racks & Integrated Cabinets
■ Service
EmersonNetworkPower.com/Surge
Emerson Network Power and the Emerson Network Power logo
are trademarks and service marks of Emerson Electric Co.
©2014 Emerson Electric Co.
SL-30950
Rev.6 1/14
Experience/Quality of Manufacturer As with surge
suppression products, how long has the manufacturer
been designing filter products? Are they ISO certified?
Are they a market leader in the hardwired filter/surge
suppression industry?
Warranty Does the manufacturer back up their product
with a strong warranty that offers factory support?
Surge Protection Products
UL 1449 Listing and Ratings Any product should be tested
and listed to the latest revision of UL 1449. The listing will
include the product let-through voltages by protection mode.
Surge Current Capacity What is the actual surge current
capacity the unit can handle? Be wary though. Many
manufacturer’s claim very high single impulse levels based
on a “sum of components.” Look for a repeatable surge
current based on the capability of the entire unit.
Advanced Monitoring What diagnostic capabilities does
the unit have? Are all components continuously monitored
in every mode of protection?
Modes of Protection Depending on your specific needs,
generally all modes of protection should be utilized. That
would include, if applicable, line to neutral, line to line, line
to ground and neutral to ground.
Repeatability and Endurance of Design Look for multiple
strike survivability data of entire unit. A good guideline is
survival of minimum of 3,000 surges per mode of 20kV,
10kA, IEEE C62.41 Category C3 surge currents.
Product Safety Testing In addition to UL 1449 testing,
look for listing to UL 1283 and CSA. Also ensure suitability
of design for installation regarding fault current rating.
A good guideline is that the overcurrent protection device
of the unit has a UL Listed 300kAIC fault current rating.
Verification of Performance Claims What additional
performance testing and third party verification does the
product have available?
Experience/Quality of Manufacturer Is the manufacturer
ISO certified? How long have they been manufacturing and
marketing surge suppression products? Are they a market
leader in the hardwired surge suppression industry?
Warranty Does the manufacturer back up their product
with a strong warranty that offers factory support?
With both types of products, look for a company that can
provide a full range of Power Quality Solutions to solve any
Power Quality problem. Only Emerson and its’ divisions can
provide end-to-end solutions for protecting mission critical
equipment that ensures perpetual service for today’s business.
Only Emerson Network Power has the global capability to
meet your power needs anywhere in the world, at any time.
Choosing power
conditioning products.
The Importance of
Power Protection . . .
When you shop for surge protective devices and
filters, you will find a bewildering array of choices.
To add to the confusion, some manufacturers
manipulate testing numbers in an effort to mislead
the uneducated customer. We suggest you rely on
your electrical distributor and this list of suggested
ideas for help in making intelligent power quality
decisions.
Utilities have generated and distributed
power the same way for decades. However,
the equipment that runs on that power has
changed dramatically.
Today, as you well know, the operation
of your facility relies on sensitive
microcircuitry—whether it’s in a computer
network, a process controller or a phone
PBX. Problem is, those sensitive computer
circuits are especially vulnerable to
fluctuations in the power they consume.
It doesn’t take much. In fact, a surge
lasting only a few microseconds can
cause problems.
As a result, cleaning up “dirty power”—
ensuring the delivery of steady, constant
voltage with little variation—has become
an important issue for every company.
Of course, you can’t control how power
is generated and distributed. But you can
protect the equipment in your facility from
power surges and transients by installing
power quality equipment such as surge
suppressors and filters.
This booklet should help you understand
the issues you face and help you make
sound decisions that can help keep your
facility and the people who work there
operating at peak efficiency.
Key Selection Criteria:
What should you evaluate?
Filter Products
Clamping Performance Request performance data for IEEE
C62.41 Category A and Category B Ringwaves for any
product that claims to be a “filter.” Look for series
connected devices to substantially outperform parallel
connected configurations.
EMI/RFI Noise Attenuation Levels Compare performance
for both normal and common modes of protection.
A good guideline to look for is a minimum 60db from
100Khz to 50Mhz for normal mode filtering. Be wary of
parallel connected devices that claim these
performance levels.
Hybrid, Multi-stage Protection Utilization of both multistage filter and surge protection technologies to combat
both high and low energy transients.
UL 1283 Listing Appropriate safety agency testing for
filter devices.
Repeatability and Endurance of Design What is
considered to be the life of the product? Does it use
non-degrading technology?
What Causes Dirty Power?
Location Categories
as defined by IEEE C62.41 (1991)
A
Whether it’s called a surge, a sag, a spike,
a transient, a fluctuation, an interruption or
noise, “dirty power” is some type of
abnormality in the electricity that runs
your facility.
Dirty power originates outside of and within
your facility. For example, lightning, utility
switching, capacitor switching, and faults on
the utility’s distribution system can all affect
the quality of your power before it even
reaches your facility.
And daily fluctuations from internal electrical
equipment—like devices that run in cycles or
get turned on and off frequently—can cause
cumulative and equally damaging power
hazards. Even a small appliance can cause
problems in sensitive equipment that share
the same line. And the more electrical
equipment a company uses, the more
transients accumulate.
B
C
Overhead
Service
Connection
A
Outlets and Long Branch Circuits
• All outlets at more than 10 m (30 ft)
from Category B with wires #4 - 10
• All outlets at more than 20 m (60 ft)
from Category C with wires #14 - 10
B
B
Major Feeders and Short
Branch Circuits
• Distribution panel devices
• Bus and feeder systems in industrial plants
• Heavy appliance outlets with “short”
connections to the service entrance
• Lighting systems in commercial buildings
CC
Outside and Service Entrance
• Service drop from pole to building entrance
• Run between meter and distribution panel
• Overhead line to detached buildings
• Underground lines to well pumps
Power line modulation equipment
Switching loads on or off, Computers, Utility
Lightning
Ground faults, Starting large loads, Low
power system capacity, Lightning
Switching nearby loads off/on, Computer
sine wave
A narrow fast-rise voltage variation. Followed by
a damped oscillation decaying to nominal in
less than one cycle
Impulses and EMI/RFI noise superimposed on
the power conductors
A low-voltage condition on one or more
phases
Quick voltage variations, harmonics occur at
the natural multiple of the standard power
(Amplitude 0.5V to 25V)
Normal Mode Impulses and Ringing
Transients (Amplitude 50V to 6kV)
(Duration: 5 µsec to 2000 µsec)
Common Mode Disturbances
(Amplitude: millivolts - hundreds of volts)
Sags
(Duration: Greater than one cycle)
Harmonics:
(Duration: Less than one cycle)
phases
A zero-volt condition
(Duration: Greater than one cycle)
Outage
(Duration: Greater than half a cycle)
A high-voltage condition on one or more
Overvoltages
wave
Computers, Switching power supplies,
Low level signals, superimposed on the power
Normal Mode Noise
Lightning, Acts of nature
Ground faults equipment failure, Accidents,
Rapid load reduction, Utility switching
networks, Utilities
Radios, Computers, Arcing contacts,
Switching, Lightning
Causes
Definitions
Dangerous power disturbances can strike
anywhere in your facility at any time. In fact,
65 percent of all transients are generated by
equipment within your building. That’s why it
makes sense to have a coordinated network
approach to power conditioning.
Installing a system at the electrical service
entrance is the obvious place to start.
But, in most cases, that’s not enough.
Installing protection at panel boards and at
specific sensitive loads or equipment
throughout your building or plant is the best
way to prevent damage to sensitive
microelectronics and associated downtime.
Your electrical distributor can help you decide
what combination of power conditioning
products best suits your needs.
Power Disturbances
System crashes, Hardware damage
Hardware damage
data transfers, Lock-ups, Hardware damage
Data corruption, Processing errors, Incorrect
System crashes, Hardware damage
Incorrect data transfer, Terminal or printer
errors, I/O hardware damage
terminal errors, Hardware damage
Incorrect data, Processing errors, Printer or
Terminal or printer errors
Processing errors, Incorrect data transfer,
Possible Computer Symptoms
The best approach
is a network approach.
Using surge protection
to control high-voltage
transients.
Using Active Tracking Filters™
to control low and
high-voltage transients.
High-voltage transients, such as those caused by lightning
Low-voltage noise is caused by everyday events such as
or grid switching, are relatively rare. However, they get
turning on appliances or motors. Although less dramatic
more attention than low-voltage events because their
than high-voltage transients, the long-term effect of these
ability to cause catastrophic damage is so dramatic.
frequent disturbances can be just as damaging. Filtering
Surge protective devices or (SPDs), provide protection
systems such as our Active Tracking Filters, provide clean
from spikes by limiting let-through voltage that could
AC power by eliminating lower-voltage noise.
destroy down-stream equipment.
Applications: Ideally installed at specific sensitive loads or
Applications: Ideally installed at service entrances and
branch panels or on individual pieces of equipment.
High-voltage spikes appearing on 120V,
60Hz sine wave.
Surge protective devices limit highvoltage spikes. It’s your first line of
defense for power quality.
Filtering
low-voltage transients
Surge Protection
high-voltage transients
larger distribution panels.
Lower-voltage transients
(high-frequency noise)
appearing on 120V, 60Hz
sine wave.
Active Tracking™ Filtering
eliminates potentially
damaging noise, providing
clean and reliable AC power.
High-voltage spikes
appearing on 120V, 60Hz
sine wave.
Active Tracking™ Filtering
virtually eliminates highvoltage transients.
Using surge protection
to control high-voltage
transients.
Using Active Tracking Filters™
to control low and
high-voltage transients.
High-voltage transients, such as those caused by lightning
Low-voltage noise is caused by everyday events such as
or grid switching, are relatively rare. However, they get
turning on appliances or motors. Although less dramatic
more attention than low-voltage events because their
than high-voltage transients, the long-term effect of these
ability to cause catastrophic damage is so dramatic.
frequent disturbances can be just as damaging. Filtering
Surge protective devices or (SPDs), provide protection
systems such as our Active Tracking Filters, provide clean
from spikes by limiting let-through voltage that could
AC power by eliminating lower-voltage noise.
destroy down-stream equipment.
Applications: Ideally installed at specific sensitive loads or
Applications: Ideally installed at service entrances and
branch panels or on individual pieces of equipment.
High-voltage spikes appearing on 120V,
60Hz sine wave.
Surge protective devices limit highvoltage spikes. It’s your first line of
defense for power quality.
Filtering
low-voltage transients
Surge Protection
high-voltage transients
larger distribution panels.
Lower-voltage transients
(high-frequency noise)
appearing on 120V, 60Hz
sine wave.
Active Tracking™ Filtering
eliminates potentially
damaging noise, providing
clean and reliable AC power.
High-voltage spikes
appearing on 120V, 60Hz
sine wave.
Active Tracking™ Filtering
virtually eliminates highvoltage transients.
Power line modulation equipment
Switching loads on or off, Computers, Utility
Lightning
Ground faults, Starting large loads, Low
power system capacity, Lightning
Switching nearby loads off/on, Computer
sine wave
A narrow fast-rise voltage variation. Followed by
a damped oscillation decaying to nominal in
less than one cycle
Impulses and EMI/RFI noise superimposed on
the power conductors
A low-voltage condition on one or more
phases
Quick voltage variations, harmonics occur at
the natural multiple of the standard power
(Amplitude 0.5V to 25V)
Normal Mode Impulses and Ringing
Transients (Amplitude 50V to 6kV)
(Duration: 5 µsec to 2000 µsec)
Common Mode Disturbances
(Amplitude: millivolts - hundreds of volts)
Sags
(Duration: Greater than one cycle)
Harmonics:
(Duration: Less than one cycle)
phases
A zero-volt condition
(Duration: Greater than one cycle)
Outage
(Duration: Greater than half a cycle)
A high-voltage condition on one or more
Overvoltages
wave
Computers, Switching power supplies,
Low level signals, superimposed on the power
Normal Mode Noise
Lightning, Acts of nature
Ground faults equipment failure, Accidents,
Rapid load reduction, Utility switching
networks, Utilities
Radios, Computers, Arcing contacts,
Switching, Lightning
Causes
Definitions
Dangerous power disturbances can strike
anywhere in your facility at any time. In fact,
65 percent of all transients are generated by
equipment within your building. That’s why it
makes sense to have a coordinated network
approach to power conditioning.
Installing a system at the electrical service
entrance is the obvious place to start.
But, in most cases, that’s not enough.
Installing protection at panel boards and at
specific sensitive loads or equipment
throughout your building or plant is the best
way to prevent damage to sensitive
microelectronics and associated downtime.
Your electrical distributor can help you decide
what combination of power conditioning
products best suits your needs.
Power Disturbances
System crashes, Hardware damage
Hardware damage
data transfers, Lock-ups, Hardware damage
Data corruption, Processing errors, Incorrect
System crashes, Hardware damage
Incorrect data transfer, Terminal or printer
errors, I/O hardware damage
terminal errors, Hardware damage
Incorrect data, Processing errors, Printer or
Terminal or printer errors
Processing errors, Incorrect data transfer,
Possible Computer Symptoms
The best approach
is a network approach.
What Causes Dirty Power?
Location Categories
as defined by IEEE C62.41 (1991)
A
Whether it’s called a surge, a sag, a spike,
a transient, a fluctuation, an interruption or
noise, “dirty power” is some type of
abnormality in the electricity that runs
your facility.
Dirty power originates outside of and within
your facility. For example, lightning, utility
switching, capacitor switching, and faults on
the utility’s distribution system can all affect
the quality of your power before it even
reaches your facility.
And daily fluctuations from internal electrical
equipment—like devices that run in cycles or
get turned on and off frequently—can cause
cumulative and equally damaging power
hazards. Even a small appliance can cause
problems in sensitive equipment that share
the same line. And the more electrical
equipment a company uses, the more
transients accumulate.
B
C
Overhead
Service
Connection
A
Outlets and Long Branch Circuits
• All outlets at more than 10 m (30 ft)
from Category B with wires #4 - 10
• All outlets at more than 20 m (60 ft)
from Category C with wires #14 - 10
B
B
Major Feeders and Short
Branch Circuits
• Distribution panel devices
• Bus and feeder systems in industrial plants
• Heavy appliance outlets with “short”
connections to the service entrance
• Lighting systems in commercial buildings
CC
Outside and Service Entrance
• Service drop from pole to building entrance
• Run between meter and distribution panel
• Overhead line to detached buildings
• Underground lines to well pumps
Choosing power
conditioning products.
The Importance of
Power Protection . . .
When you shop for surge protective devices and
filters, you will find a bewildering array of choices.
To add to the confusion, some manufacturers
manipulate testing numbers in an effort to mislead
the uneducated customer. We suggest you rely on
your electrical distributor and this list of suggested
ideas for help in making intelligent power quality
decisions.
Utilities have generated and distributed
power the same way for decades. However,
the equipment that runs on that power has
changed dramatically.
Today, as you well know, the operation
of your facility relies on sensitive
microcircuitry—whether it’s in a computer
network, a process controller or a phone
PBX. Problem is, those sensitive computer
circuits are especially vulnerable to
fluctuations in the power they consume.
It doesn’t take much. In fact, a surge
lasting only a few microseconds can
cause problems.
As a result, cleaning up “dirty power”—
ensuring the delivery of steady, constant
voltage with little variation—has become
an important issue for every company.
Of course, you can’t control how power
is generated and distributed. But you can
protect the equipment in your facility from
power surges and transients by installing
power quality equipment such as surge
suppressors and filters.
This booklet should help you understand
the issues you face and help you make
sound decisions that can help keep your
facility and the people who work there
operating at peak efficiency.
Key Selection Criteria:
What should you evaluate?
Filter Products
Clamping Performance Request performance data for IEEE
C62.41 Category A and Category B Ringwaves for any
product that claims to be a “filter.” Look for series
connected devices to substantially outperform parallel
connected configurations.
EMI/RFI Noise Attenuation Levels Compare performance
for both normal and common modes of protection.
A good guideline to look for is a minimum 60db from
100Khz to 50Mhz for normal mode filtering. Be wary of
parallel connected devices that claim these
performance levels.
Hybrid, Multi-stage Protection Utilization of both multistage filter and surge protection technologies to combat
both high and low energy transients.
UL 1283 Listing Appropriate safety agency testing for
filter devices.
Repeatability and Endurance of Design What is
considered to be the life of the product? Does it use
non-degrading technology?
Experience/Quality of Manufacturer As with surge
suppression products, how long has the manufacturer
been designing filter products? Are they ISO certified?
Are they a market leader in the hardwired filter/surge
suppression industry?
Warranty Does the manufacturer back up their product
with a strong warranty that offers factory support?
Surge Protection Products
UL 1449 Listing and Ratings Any product should be tested
and listed to the latest revision of UL 1449. The listing will
include the product let-through voltages by protection mode.
Surge Current Capacity What is the actual surge current
capacity the unit can handle? Be wary though. Many
manufacturer’s claim very high single impulse levels based
on a “sum of components.” Look for a repeatable surge
current based on the capability of the entire unit.
Advanced Monitoring What diagnostic capabilities does
the unit have? Are all components continuously monitored
in every mode of protection?
Modes of Protection Depending on your specific needs,
generally all modes of protection should be utilized. That
would include, if applicable, line to neutral, line to line, line
to ground and neutral to ground.
Repeatability and Endurance of Design Look for multiple
strike survivability data of entire unit. A good guideline is
survival of minimum of 3,000 surges per mode of 20kV,
10kA, IEEE C62.41 Category C3 surge currents.
Product Safety Testing In addition to UL 1449 testing,
look for listing to UL 1283 and CSA. Also ensure suitability
of design for installation regarding fault current rating.
A good guideline is that the overcurrent protection device
of the unit has a UL Listed 300kAIC fault current rating.
Verification of Performance Claims What additional
performance testing and third party verification does the
product have available?
Experience/Quality of Manufacturer Is the manufacturer
ISO certified? How long have they been manufacturing and
marketing surge suppression products? Are they a market
leader in the hardwired surge suppression industry?
Warranty Does the manufacturer back up their product
with a strong warranty that offers factory support?
With both types of products, look for a company that can
provide a full range of Power Quality Solutions to solve any
Power Quality problem. Only Emerson and its’ divisions can
provide end-to-end solutions for protecting mission critical
equipment that ensures perpetual service for today’s business.
Only Emerson Network Power has the global capability to
meet your power needs anywhere in the world, at any time.
Power Switching & Controls
for Business-Critical Continuity™
Dirty Power . . .
A Guide to Surge Protection & Filtering
Emerson Network Power
Surge Protection
100 Emerson Parkway
Binghamton, NY 13905
T: 607-721-8840 (Outside U.S.)
T: 800-288-6169 (U.S. & Canada Only)
F: 607-722-8713
E: SurgeTech@Emerson.com
Emerson Network Power.
The global leader in enabling
Business-Critical Continuity™.
■ AC Power
■ Connectivity
■ DC Power
■ Embedded Computing
Embedded Power
■ Industrial Power
■ Infrastructure Management & Monitoring
■ Outside Plant
Power Switching & Controls
■ Thermal Management
■ Racks & Integrated Cabinets
■ Service
EmersonNetworkPower.com/Surge
Emerson Network Power and the Emerson Network Power logo
are trademarks and service marks of Emerson Electric Co.
©2014 Emerson Electric Co.
SL-30950
Rev.6 1/14