International. In order to protect electrical installations and the solutions that must be applied after damage by lightning or storms, Schneider Electric gave a series of recommendations to take into account in these cases of energy management. Francisco Hurtado Head of Loyalty of the brand, talks about myths and realities of this topic.
It is said that lightning is the only cause of damage to electronic equipment False!
These represent approximately 30% of the causes for which there are failures or destruction in electronic equipment. The other 70% are internal causes such as network alterations due to connection and disconnection of switching equipment, motors and capacitive equipment, among others that can generate damage in transient surges.
· Lightning can be attracted or prevented False!
It is proven that lightning rods or some other capture terminal cannot influence their behavior, that is, they are a measure but not a solution. It is necessary to evaluate the risk situation and implement security measures, such as the installation of protection devices against transient surge and not think that with only lightning rods everything is fixed.
· Only direct impacts can cause damage False!
This myth is the result of not taking into account an invisible phenomenon: electromagnetic fields. They can induce surges in the nearby network that travel through the connections and can reach the connected appliances in our home, causing this extra energy to damage our electronic loads.
· Atmospheric discharges are frequent in Colombia¡ Verdadero!
Our country, being in a tropical zone, has one of the highest percentages of lightning strikes on the planet, as recognized by THE RETIE itself in its article 16. To get an idea, the density of rays in Florida (United States), one of the areas of that country where they occur the most, is 16 rays / km2 and in Bogotá there are places where it reaches 80 rays / km2. Did you know that, according to NASA, Colombia has a high density of lightning due to its geological and meteorological characteristics?
In conclusion, it is important to understand the nature of lightning in order to take the necessary and appropriate measures in order to protect firstly the lives of people and, secondly, the integrity of electronic equipment connected to electrical installations. That is why Schneider Electric advises you to protect your work equipment and appliances, especially in rainy seasons with the Surge Protection Device (DPS) of the Homeline line of easy and safe installation.
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