How Do Surge Protectors Work

At Surge-Protectors.org the surge protectors act like a sponge, absorbing dangerous excess voltage and preventing most of it from reaching electronic equipment. Like a sponge, surge protectors have a limited capacity to absorb. The surge protection selected must be UL rated on response time (where lower clamping voltage is better) and surge rating (where the greater the surge current rating, the longer the surge protector will last).A standard surge protector passes the electrical current along from the outlet to a number of electrical and electronic devices plugged into the power strip. If the voltage from the outlet surges or spikes -- rises above the accepted level -- the surge protector diverts the extra electricity into the outlet's grounding wire.

In the most common type of surge protector, a component called a metal oxide varistor, or MOV, diverts the extra voltage. An MOV forms a connection between the hot power line and the grounding line. An MOV has three parts: a piece of metal oxide material in the middle, joined to the power and grounding line by two semiconductors. These semiconductors have a variable resistance that is dependent on voltage. When voltage is below a certain level, the electrons in the semiconductors flow in such a way as to create a very high resistance. When the voltage exceeds that level, the electrons behave differently, creating a much lower resistance. When the voltage is correct, an MOV does nothing. When voltage is too high, an MOV can conduct a lot of current to eliminate the extra voltage. So surge protectors work according to the above process and helps to protect your all your electronic equipment. Hence Surge-Protectors.org will help you as a guide for surge protector usage and even buying guide.