Surge Protective Devices (SPD): Benefits and Misconceptions - Electrical Safety Foundation International

Surge Protective Devices Benefits and Misconceptions

The Understanding of Surge Protective Devices Survey

In 2021 and 2024, the Electrical Safety Foundation International surveyed industrial and commercial facility professionals on the impact of voltage surges. These professionals provided insights on regarding power surge incidences and effects, as well as uses of surge protectives devices (SPD) in the facilities they manage.

Over a third of respondents reported typical lengths of over an hour when downtime occurs due to a surge
Surges aren’t just harming old equipment. 67% of devices damaged in surge events were less than 5 years old
The average cost per downtime to respondents’ facilities is $6,398. Just one downtime incident can be more expensive than installing an SPD

SPD and Surge Misconceptions

Facility professionals surveyed, ranked the type of electrical disturbances causing surges. Those in green can be protected against with surge protective devices, those in red cannot.

Sustained overvoltage
External sources (utility, indirect lightning strike)
Direct lightning strike*
Moor starts/stops or load switching
Overload caused by operating equipment above full-load rating

*SPDs can protect against indirect lightning strikes

Many incorrectly assume they following protect against voltage surges:

Fuses and breakers
Consumer uninterruptable power supplies
Ground-fault circuit interrupters
Properly installed wiring
Typical power strips

Surge Protective Devices Survey, 2024 and 2021 Results

1) In carrying out the responsibilities of your occupation, does your role involve any of the following? (select all that apply)

Occupation/role involvement

2) How familiar are you with surge protective devices (SPD), formally known as transient voltage surge suppression (TVSS)?

Surge protective devices familiarity

3) Which of the following may cause surges, also known as "spikes," "power surge," "voltage surge," or "transient voltage"? [select all that apply]

Which of the following may cause surges

4) Has your facility experienced surges?

Has your facility experienced surges?

4a) What locations of your facility experienced surges? [select all that apply]

What locations of your facility experienced surges

5) In what locations of your facility are surge protective devices (SPD) installed? [select all that apply]

Locations with installed SPDs

6) What circumstances do you believe can lead to surges? [select all that apply]

What circumstances do you believe can lead to surges?

7) Which of the following do you believe provide surge protection? [select all that apply]

Which of the following do you believe provide surge protection?

8) How long has your facility had surge protection technology? [Note: if you manage more than one facility, please answer in terms of the most recent addition of surge protection technology]

How long has your facility had surge protection technology

8a) When did you first purchase surge protective devices (SPD) for your facility?

When did you first purchase SPD for your facility?

8b) How frequently do you have your surge protective devices (SPD) inspected?

How frequently do you have your SPD inspected?

* “Continuously (remotely monitored)” response only available during 2024 survey.

8c) Is inspection of your facility's surge protective devices (SPD) part of your overall routine maintenance/inspection plan?

Is inspection of your facility's surge protective devices (SPD) part of your overall routine maintenance/inspection plan?

9) Has your organization implemented NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance?

Has your organization implemented NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance?

9a) Why did your organization choose to implement NFPA 70B? [select all that apply]

Why did your organization choose to implement NFPA 70B?

10) Why did you chose to install surge protection in your facility? [select all that apply]

When did you first purchase SPD for your facility?

11) Please rank your reasons for installing surge protection in your facility

Please rank your reasons for installing surge protection in your facility
Reason	Count	Average (smaller number = higher rank)
Have not installed new surge protection: already installed before I arrived	67	1.22
To protect recently installed equipment	90	1.52
To protect previously installed equipment	102	1.55
Did so as part of a renovation project	61	1.72

12) What role did the National Electrical Code have in your decision to install surge protection devices (SPD)?

What role did the National Electrical Code have in your decision to install surge protection devices (SPD)?

13) Has surge protection been recommended for your facility? {Asked of those whose facilities do not have surge protection}

Has surge protection been recommended for your facility?

14) Why did you decide not to have surge protective devices (SPD) installed in your facility? [select all that apply] {Asked of those whose facilities do not have surge protection}

Why did you decide not to have surge protective devices (SPD) installed in your facility?

15) When it occurs, how long is your facility typically affected by unexpected downtime?

When it occurs, how long is your facility typically affected by unexpected downtime? (In hours)

16) What would you estimate was the total yearly cost to your facility because of unplanned downtime in a typical year?

Mean yearly cost of unplanned downtime in a typical year
2024 Survey Result	2021 Survey Result
$50,400.35	$666,670.40

17) What would you estimate the cost per hour is to your facility because of unplanned downtime?

Mean post per hour of unplanned downtime
2024 Survey Result	2021 Survey Result
$6,381.41	$16,022.70

18) What events have caused unplanned downtime at your facility? [select all that apply]

What events have caused unplanned downtime at your facility? [select all that apply]

* Responses only available during 2024 survey.

19) Within the last 12 months, has your facility experienced unplanned downtime caused by a surge?

Within the last 12 months, has your facility experienced unplanned downtime caused by a surge?

20) How long did the most recent downtime incident caused by a surge at your facility last?

How long did the most recent downtime incident caused by a surge at your facility last? (In hours)

21) Has your facility experienced a surge that resulted in an equipment restart or mis-operation?

Has your facility experienced a surge that resulted in an equipment restart or mis-operation?

22) Has your facility experienced a surge that caused a power outage?

Has your facility experienced a surge that caused a power outage?

*Note: power outage and equipment failure were combined in 2021

23) Has your facility experienced a surge that caused equipment failure?

Has your facility experienced a surge that caused equipment failure?

*Note: power outage and equipment failure were combined in 2021

24) How often does your facility experience unplanned downtime from any cause?

How often does your facility experience unplanned downtime from any cause?

25) How often do you replace your surge protective devices (SPD)?

How often do you replace your surge protective devices (SPD)?

26) How do you determine the status of your surge protective devices (SPD)? [select all that apply]

How do you determine the status of your surge protective devices (SPD)? [select all that apply]

27) In the most recent case in which equipment failed at your facility -- for any reason -- how long after warranty expiration did the failure occur?

In the most recent case in which equipment failed at your facility -- for any reason -- how long after warranty expiration did the failure occur? (In years)

28) When was the last time you performed a resistance reading on your facility's grounding system?

When was the last time you performed a resistance reading on your facility's grounding system?

29) How recently did your facility experience a surge?

How recently did your facility experience a surge?

30) How often does your facility experience surges?

How often does your facility experience surges?

31) What has been the most common cause of surges within your facility?

What has been the most common cause of surges within your facility?

*Responses only available in 2024 survey

32) Estimate the percentage of surges affecting your facility that have been caused by factors outside of your facility versus those that have been caused by factors inside your facility.

Percentage of surges affecting your facility that have been caused by factors outside of your facility versus those that have been caused by factors inside your facility.

33) How much would you say the installation of surge protective devices (SPD) has cut down on the amount of downtime/equipment failure at your facility?

How much would you say the installation of surge protective devices (SPD) has cut down on the amount of downtime/equipment failure at your facility?

Downtime/equipment failure has...

34) What causes you to replace a surge protective device (SPD)? [select all that apply]

What causes you to replace a surge protective device (SPD)? [select all that apply]

35) Please select the primary business function of the facilities you manage.

Please select the primary business function of the facilities you manage.

36) What is the approximate total square footage of the facility or facilities you manage?

Mean approximate total square footage of the facility or facilities you manage?
2024 Survey	2021 Survey
34,445.34 square feet	29,316.90 square feet

37) In what region of the United States are you located?

In what region of the United States are you located?

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Surge Protective Devices Benefits and Misconceptions

The Understanding of Surge Protective Devices Survey

SPD and Surge Misconceptions

Surge Protective Devices Survey, 2024 and 2021 Results

Table of Contents

1) In carrying out the responsibilities of your occupation, does your role involve any of the following? (select all that apply)

Occupation/role involvement

2) How familiar are you with surge protective devices (SPD), formally known as transient voltage surge suppression (TVSS)?

Surge protective devices familiarity

3) Which of the following may cause surges, also known as "spikes," "power surge," "voltage surge," or "transient voltage"? [select all that apply]

Which of the following may cause surges

4) Has your facility experienced surges?

Has your facility experienced surges?

4a) What locations of your facility experienced surges? [select all that apply]

What locations of your facility experienced surges

5) In what locations of your facility are surge protective devices (SPD) installed? [select all that apply]

Locations with installed SPDs

6) What circumstances do you believe can lead to surges? [select all that apply]

What circumstances do you believe can lead to surges?

7) Which of the following do you believe provide surge protection? [select all that apply]

Which of the following do you believe provide surge protection?

8) How long has your facility had surge protection technology? [Note: if you manage more than one facility, please answer in terms of the most recent addition of surge protection technology]

How long has your facility had surge protection technology

8a) When did you first purchase surge protective devices (SPD) for your facility?

When did you first purchase SPD for your facility?

8b) How frequently do you have your surge protective devices (SPD) inspected?

How frequently do you have your SPD inspected?

8c) Is inspection of your facility's surge protective devices (SPD) part of your overall routine maintenance/inspection plan?

Is inspection of your facility's surge protective devices (SPD) part of your overall routine maintenance/inspection plan?

9) Has your organization implemented NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance?

Has your organization implemented NFPA 70B, Standard for Electrical Equipment Maintenance?

9a) Why did your organization choose to implement NFPA 70B? [select all that apply]

Why did your organization choose to implement NFPA 70B?

10) Why did you chose to install surge protection in your facility? [select all that apply]

When did you first purchase SPD for your facility?

11) Please rank your reasons for installing surge protection in your facility

12) What role did the National Electrical Code have in your decision to install surge protection devices (SPD)?

What role did the National Electrical Code have in your decision to install surge protection devices (SPD)?

13) Has surge protection been recommended for your facility? {Asked of those whose facilities do not have surge protection}

Has surge protection been recommended for your facility?

14) Why did you decide not to have surge protective devices (SPD) installed in your facility? [select all that apply] {Asked of those whose facilities do not have surge protection}

Why did you decide not to have surge protective devices (SPD) installed in your facility?

15) When it occurs, how long is your facility typically affected by unexpected downtime?

When it occurs, how long is your facility typically affected by unexpected downtime? (In hours)

16) What would you estimate was the total yearly cost to your facility because of unplanned downtime in a typical year?

17) What would you estimate the cost per hour is to your facility because of unplanned downtime?

18) What events have caused unplanned downtime at your facility? [select all that apply]

What events have caused unplanned downtime at your facility? [select all that apply]

19) Within the last 12 months, has your facility experienced unplanned downtime caused by a surge?

Within the last 12 months, has your facility experienced unplanned downtime caused by a surge?

20) How long did the most recent downtime incident caused by a surge at your facility last?

How long did the most recent downtime incident caused by a surge at your facility last? (In hours)

21) Has your facility experienced a surge that resulted in an equipment restart or mis-operation?

Has your facility experienced a surge that resulted in an equipment restart or mis-operation?

22) Has your facility experienced a surge that caused a power outage?

Has your facility experienced a surge that caused a power outage?

23) Has your facility experienced a surge that caused equipment failure?

Has your facility experienced a surge that caused equipment failure?

24) How often does your facility experience unplanned downtime from any cause?

How often does your facility experience unplanned downtime from any cause?

25) How often do you replace your surge protective devices (SPD)?

How often do you replace your surge protective devices (SPD)?

26) How do you determine the status of your surge protective devices (SPD)? [select all that apply]

How do you determine the status of your surge protective devices (SPD)? [select all that apply]

27) In the most recent case in which equipment failed at your facility -- for any reason -- how long after warranty expiration did the failure occur?

In the most recent case in which equipment failed at your facility -- for any reason -- how long after warranty expiration did the failure occur? (In years)

28) When was the last time you performed a resistance reading on your facility's grounding system?

When was the last time you performed a resistance reading on your facility's grounding system?

29) How recently did your facility experience a surge?

How recently did your facility experience a surge?

30) How often does your facility experience surges?

How often does your facility experience surges?

31) What has been the most common cause of surges within your facility?

What has been the most common cause of surges within your facility?

32) Estimate the percentage of surges affecting your facility that have been caused by factors outside of your facility versus those that have been caused by factors inside your facility.