Surge Protection

Surges — sudden voltage spikes from lightning, utility switching or grid faults — can destroy appliances, computers, TVs and any electronic equipment in an instant. A surge protector fitted in the panel is the most effective defence against this damage.

Current REBT regulations already require this protection in most new installations and renovations. We install transient and permanent protection tailored to your home or business, a small investment against the cost of replacing damaged equipment.

Insurance rarely covers this damage in full: it usually requires proving the cause, which is hard without protection in the panel and a record of it. Fitting it takes part of a day and does not mean rewiring the installation.

They are two different phenomena and one device does not cover both. A transient surge is a microsecond spike — lightning nearby, utility switching — that destroys electronics without tripping any protection. A permanent overvoltage is a raised voltage sustained for seconds or minutes, almost always caused by a broken neutral, and it burns motors, power supplies and appliance boards.

The transient protector diverts the spike to earth; the permanent one monitors voltage and disconnects the installation when it leaves the acceptable range. With the electrical storms of September and October, and overhead supply lines still common in many estates, fitting both is the sensible choice. The REBT instruction covering this protection is ITC-BT-23.

Three things: how the supply arrives, what needs protecting and how much free space is left in the panel. A house on an overhead line with no tall buildings around it is far more exposed than a central flat on an underground supply, and calls for a device with a higher discharge capacity. If the panel has no free modules, the installation is planned together with enlarging it.

The other condition is the earthing. A transient protector diverts the spike into the ground, so with poor earthing its effectiveness drops. We measure the resistance before fitting it and, if it does not comply, that is corrected first. The devices carry a status indicator or a replaceable cartridge: it is worth checking after a heavy storm, because a spent protector stops protecting without warning.