Page 92 - Security Today, July 2017

No Disruptions Protectors deliver the power to protect security systems
BPy Michael Molinari
ower surges and lightning strikes can disrupt the opera- tion of security and surveil- lance systems, or even worse, destroy them completely. In
addition to leaving facilities unprotected, the cost can be substantial; easily reaching into the millions depending on the severity of the disruption and the size of the sys- tems affected.
There are numerous causes of power surges that can stem from both internal and external sources. Internal surges can result when a single piece of equipment with a large power draw is turned on, and externally via a disruption in service from the grid itself. In either case, the timing of these disruptions can come at any hour of the day with sources unknown to security personnel. However, the worst scenario is typically caused by a lightning strike, which can have a widespread effect as a split second large surge of electric- ity finds its way through your infrastructure.
In any of these scenarios, there are costs involved due to physical damage, loss of business revenue due to lack of security and surveillance (especially in applications like gaming where security and surveillance is mandated for operation), and in manpower hours to remediate the situation and get sys- tems up and running again.
As simple as it sounds, surge protectors can alleviate these vulnerabilities. They can be easily and cost-effectively added to almost any electronic system or wired network. But it’s important to note that all surge protec- tors are not created equally. Surge protectors designed for professional applications can absorb multiple hits and remain operational and can alert personnel of a surge event so they can be checked or replaced to maintain protection.
It makes sense for security professionals to investigate surge protection solutions to protect the integrity and investment in secu- rity, life safety/fire and surveillance systems. All of these systems can be easily and cost- efficiently protected.
How Surge Protection Works
The concept of surge protection is simple— when voltage increases beyond a device’s ac- ceptable operating range, the excess energy is safely diverted to ground. This prevents the surges from flowing through and damaging the equipment while at the same time allow-
ANSI/IEEE C64.41.2-2002 industry stan- dard, which divides a building into three categories—A, B and C. Category C is de- fined as the service entrance or main discon- nect. Category B is at the distribution and sub-panel environment and Category A is at individual equipment or wall outlets. Maxi- mum protection requires a surge suppressor at each one of these locations (A,B,C) and minimum protection requires a surge sup- pressor at two (B,C) of the locations that feed the sensitive load.
Nothing can give a 100 percent guaran- tee of protection when dealing with tran- sient surges. Lightning does not follow UL approved waveforms, and when an open neutral event occurs at your local utility, line voltage can remain at more than twice nominal for several minutes. Given a proper installation (short, straight leads and a good ground) one level of protection should stop at least 90 percent of a major surge. The sub- panel protector will see only 10 percent of the original surge. With a 90 percent dissipa- tion, there is now less than 1% of the surge left. A third stage of protection will increase the dissipation to 99.9 percent.
Spikes can easily enter data/telecom lines, just as they can electric power lines, and damage sensitive electronic equipment. In these instances, it is necessary to know the maximum continuous operating voltage and the allowable resistance of the data lines; the data line speed and the type of connection before applying a suppression solution.
Adding
Surge protection can be added easily and cost-effectively to almost any electronic sys-
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ing the normal voltage to continue along its path so the equipment continues working without interruption.
There are two types of voltage surges. The first is a power spike where the electrical voltage and/or current rises for a short pe- riod of time, often less than a thousandth of a second. Power strikes can contain very high voltages and the most costly result of these small surges is the wear and tear on electron- ics and gradual degradation and eventual failures over time, affecting productivity and racking up expensive repair bills.
The second type is a power surge. A surge is caused by a temporary increase in power- line voltage, usually 10 to 35 percent above normal and can last from 15 milliseconds up to several minutes. The sudden jump in electricity spreads instantaneously, briefly exposing electrical devices to increased volt- age. Surges can occur due to faulty wiring, lightning strikes or sudden changes in elec- trical current such as devices being turned on or off—and they can badly damage the electrical system.
Simply having a surge protector however doesn’t guarantee that your equipment is safe. The surge protector needs to deliver the right level of electrical absorption to handle regular spikes and surges. Commercial use surge protectors specify how much energy the surge protector can absorb and a higher number indicates greater protection. A listed maximum surge current rating will also con- firm that the device is a surge protector and not simply a power strip.
Surge protectors are usually divided be- tween power and data/telecom devices. Surge protection for electrical power follows the
SURGE PROTECTION
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