ABOUT THIS BOOKLET

This booklet has been prepared to help home dwellers, owners, contractors, insurance agents and all parties interested in reducing the number of cases and severity of equipment damage caused by the unavoidable surges that occur in the electrical systems. It is offered as a public service without any commercia! intentions.

The information offered here is the result of collective efforts by several experts on the subject, but presented in a simple format with practical hints on what to avoid and what to do. General principles are explained, but specific brand names are not discussed or mentioned as the technology and packaging techniques are constantly evolving.

• The need for protection -What is a "surge"
• A few words about other power problems
• Source of surges -Lightning and other
• How tough are today's appliances
• Protection for the whole house
• Protection at the outlet
• Good and bad installations
• Where and how to get help
• Common questions and answers
• A few hints for your electrical contractor

What is a surge?

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Donald L. Evans, Secretary
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Karen H. Brown, Acting Director

NIST Special Publication 960-6
May 2001
20 pages
CODEN: NSPUE2

Electricity Division
National Institute of Standards and Technology
Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8110

U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE
WASHINGTON: 2001

Co-Sponsors:

EPRI
Illinois Power Company
State Farm Insurance Companies

Text by Frangois Martzloff based on Special Publication 0545.R,
Recommended Practice for Protecting Residential Structures and Appliances Against Surges,
EPRI PEAC Corporation, Knoxville TN.
[Available at http://www.epri-peac.com]

Cover and illustrations by Susan Spangler