Absolute Electric INC

What is a transient voltage?

A brief (sometimes one second or less) spike or dip in electrical voltage (strength)
or electrical current (flow).
A surge protector is necessary to protect electronics against “dirty” electricity.
Electrical power has a standard voltage for most residential uses of 120 volts, and it
remains relatively steady. But when that power makes a sharp and brief jump for
any of a variety of reasons, the resulting sudden alteration in voltage can seriously
damage delicate circuits.

It doesn’t take much to damage electronic circuits. A surge is defined as a voltage
increase that lasts for as little as three nanoseconds (one nanosecond is one
billionth of a second), and significant damage can be done in that miniscule amount
of time if the voltage surge is strong enough. A spike – which lasts for only one or
two nanoseconds – can also do its share of damage, especially when several spikes
occur repeatedly over an extended period.

Voltage surges and spikes occur for a number of reasons. Perhaps the most
common is the sudden jump in voltage that occurs when high-power appliances
such as refrigerators and air conditioners first start up. The appliances need quite a
bit of electrical energy to activate compressors, and that sudden and sharp increase
in flow through the lines will be felt by your electronics.