Surge protector question...

[Twoplanker]

OK, so here's the dealio...

My company is building a prototype electronic device.



Inside of this device are several electronics that plug into a power strip (surge suppressor). All of the electronics and the power strip are US style pugs and are designed for 110 V.

After finishing building the device, we sent it off to England for a demonstration. My colleague there failed to operate a down converter correctly, so the prototype received 240 V instead of 110 V. There was a 'pop'.

Question: would the power strip (designed to take a surge of 2560 joules) have been blown or would it have just tripped if it received 240 V? If tripped, then it would just need to be reset.

Any ideas?

[strawjack]

i think its blown. most surge suppressors are designed to take spikes, not constant overages.

[strawjack]

twoplanker -

i asked an engineer from a mfg of surge suppressors. here is his reply...

Most components in the suppressor are designed to handle a nominal 120 voltage. Most likely several components and traces were damaged by a continuous over-voltage. The re-settable circuit breaker will “trip” in the event of an over-current. Unfortunately this is not the case and the device must be replaced.

[El Chupacabra]

OK, so here's the dealio...

My company is building a prototype electronic device.

Is that the 2009 PM Gear corporate dentist model herb vaporizer?

[Twoplanker]

twoplanker -

i asked an engineer from a mfg of surge suppressors. here is his reply...

Most components in the suppressor are designed to handle a nominal 120 voltage. Most likely several components and traces were damaged by a continuous over-voltage. The re-settable circuit breaker will “trip” in the event of an over-current. Unfortunately this is not the case and the device must be replaced.

That's what I figured. New suppressor on the way to merry ol' England as we speak. I just hope that none of the electronics plugged into the suppressor were damaged!

[Twoplanker]

Is that the 2009 PM Gear corporate dentist model herb vaporizer?

Very close... You would not believe what is behind that little door!

[PNWbrit]

Very close... You would not believe what is behind that little door!

The worst thing in the world?

[Twoplanker]

twoplanker -

i asked an engineer from a mfg of surge suppressors. here is his reply...

Most components in the suppressor are designed to handle a nominal 120 voltage. Most likely several components and traces were damaged by a continuous over-voltage. The re-settable circuit breaker will “trip” in the event of an over-current. Unfortunately this is not the case and the device must be replaced.

Hmmm... when he says "several components and traces" is he talking about within the suppressor or the devices plugged into the suppressor?

I should have gotten a degree in electrical engineering instead of psychology...

[MrZach]

Hmmm... when he says "several components and traces" is he talking about within the suppressor or the devices plugged into the suppressor?

I should have gotten a degree in electrical engineering instead of psychology...

He's referring to the suppressor itself. The devices plugged into the unit should be OK.

[Twoplanker]

He's referring to the suppressor itself. The devices plugged into the unit should be OK.

Great! That makes the difference between an inconvenience and an international incident...

[2FUNKY]

He's referring to the suppressor itself. The devices plugged into the unit should be OK.

Key word.

[Twoplanker]

Key word.

I take some comfort in knowing that the most important (and expensive) electronics are rated for inputs up to 240 V anyway.

[Hugh Conway]

The worst thing in the world?

[PNWbrit]

Help me out Hugh.

What's the picture from?

[SkiOrDie]

Twoplanker,

A couple of things. There is a pretty good chance that something in the power-strip or surge-suppressor blew up before something in the stuff plugged into the power-strip blew up. But, that's only a guess. If the power-strip lasted long enough, before melting/failing, then there's a chance some of the stuff plugged into it failed too. Many (if not most) power-strips have a circuit breaker that is sensitive enough to pop fast, saving the other stuff. But, again, that's just a guess.

Second, within a number of devices there are protection devices of other sorts. However, and this may be good news, almost all the electronic devices I know of (I'm in the biz) are designed to handle everything from 90 to 250 volts. What that means is that there's a reasonable chance that the devices that are within the weird science project box may have taken the higher voltage, while the inexpensive power strip may have failed.

Good luck!!!

(BTW - next time, pick all the parts so that they can take from 90 to 250 volts and 50 to 60 Hertz.)

[Twoplanker]

Twoplanker,

A couple of things. There is a pretty good chance that something in the power-strip or surge-suppressor blew up before something in the stuff plugged into the power-strip blew up. But, that's only a guess. If the power-strip lasted long enough, before melting/failing, then there's a chance some of the stuff plugged into it failed too. Many (if not most) power-strips have a circuit breaker that is sensitive enough to pop fast, saving the other stuff. But, again, that's just a guess.

Second, within a number of devices there are protection devices of other sorts. However, and this may be good news, almost all the electronic devices I know of (I'm in the biz) are designed to handle everything from 90 to 250 volts. What that means is that there's a reasonable chance that the devices that are within the weird science project box may have taken the higher voltage, while the inexpensive power strip may have failed.

Good luck!!!

(BTW - next time, pick all the parts so that they can take from 90 to 250 volts and 50 to 60 Hertz.)

Great help -- thanks. Here's some more information that may either confuse or simply the situation.

On my advice, my English colleague used a converter at the mains that both adapted the plug pattern and was supposed to downconvert from 220 V to 110 V. Unfortunately, he did not operate the converter correctly (the switch indicates the voltage you want to convert TO, not FROM).

So, the suppressor took 220 V instead of 110 V. The weird part is that, in addition to to the 'pop' sound heard from within the device (presumably the suppressor biting the big one) the bloke also saw a puff of smoke and heard a slight 'pop' from the converter at the mains.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot?

I get that the suppressor shit the bed when it took the big 220 V load, but what happened to the converter?

[Hugh Conway]

What's the picture from?

Belle de Jour. It's the mystery box.

In the future specify a 220-240 version and a 110 version

[Twoplanker]

In the future specify a 220-240 version and a 110 version

Absolutely. When we started building these prototypes, we had no idea they were going to the U.K.