What is a “series connected” surge protector?
A. Surge Pure SPD units are ‘parallel connected’ surge protectors. “Series connected” units are hooked up directly in series with the load and thus must handle all the load current. Because their size is dependent on the amount of current drawn by the load they are generally more expensive and usually only available in ratings of 20 to 30 amperes for 120/240 single phase volt loads. They are typically only suitable for category A applications because they have very limited surge current capability. Thus they must be protected by an upstream “parallel connected” suppressor at a category B or C location. Many incorporate EMI/RFI filters for high frequency noise filtering. Mach 1 – Applications up to 100kW Systems – Multi-Element – Residential use – Commercial & Industrial use Must be Down Line from a Mach 2 or larger – For IEEE Cat. B Sub-Panels / Secondary Locations only – Rule of thumb 5 Hp loads and down Mach 2 – Applications up to 250kW Systems – Non-Degrading Single Element Technolo
