What is a Surge Arrester
A surge arrester is a parallel protective device that sits idle at normal voltage and, when a lightning- or switching-induced surge arrives, instantly conducts that excess energy to ground to clamp equipment voltage to a safe level—like an automatic floodgate/pressure-relief valve that stays closed in calm water, opens for a brief flood, then closes again. It doesn’t “stop” or absorb lightning; it diverts surge current and limits voltage to protect gear, as defined in industry standards.
Why Use Surge Arrester
Protection
Diverts surge energy to ground and clamps voltage to safe levels, preventing insulation breakdown and equipment damage.
Reliability
Reduces lightning-induced faults and nuisance trips, improving uptime and power quality.
Coordination
Enables proper insulation coordination/BIL so systems meet standards without oversizing.
Economics
Lowers failure, repair, and downtime costs over the asset life, improving total cost of ownership.
Types of Surge Arrester
When a surge occurs, the arrester introduces a shunt resistor to the ground to absorb the surge energy and prevent excessive voltage. The following three types of arresters are the most common types used by HAIVOL.
Polymeric (Gapless) Metal-Oxide Arrester
Engineered with a composite silicone housing and gapless ZnO blocks, this series delivers fast, repeatable clamping and strong pollution resistance for harsh outdoor sites. Ideal for distribution feeders, substations, and overhead equipment with multiple voltage ratings available.
Porcelain-Housed Metal-Oxide Arrester
A classic porcelain insulation design for utilities that prefer rigid shells and proven substation durability. Provides reliable overvoltage protection and easy integration with existing porcelain fleets in distribution and substation environments.
Line-Type MOA for Overhead/Transmission Lines
Purpose-built for pole/tower mounting on overhead spans, this line-type arrester mitigates lightning and switching surges right where they occur—on the conductor—reducing flashovers and improving line reliability.
How Do Surge Arresters Work
Nonlinear “switch-on”
Surge arresters sit in parallel and look like an insulator at normal voltage. When a surge pushes voltage above the arrester’s reference level, the metal-oxide varistor (MOV) blocks conduct heavily, creating a low-impedance path. Once the surge subsides and voltage drops, conduction stops.
Divert, don’t absorb
Instead of “stopping” lightning, the arrester diverts surge current to ground and limits (clamps) the equipment voltage to a safer level; this shunt action is repeatable by design.
Built for real surges
They handle both lightning-induced and switching overvoltages; arrester ratings also specify temporary overvoltage (TOV) capability, defining how much overvoltage (and for how long) the device can withstand without damage.
Where and why it works
Placed at key nodes (e.g., riser poles, transformers, substations), the arrester intercepts surges where they enter or reflect in the system, limiting stress on insulation and equipment downstream.
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