page_title: Surge protector
section_title: Definitions
hierarchical_section_title: Surge protector / Definitions
caption_attribution_description: English: A Spike Stopper Home Surge Protector
context_page_description: A surge protector is an appliance or device designed to protect electrical devices from voltage spikes.
context_section_description: The terms surge protection device (SPD) and transient voltage surge suppressor (TVSS) are used to describe electrical devices typically installed in power distribution panels, process control systems, communications systems, and other heavy-duty industrial systems, for the purpose of protecting against electrical surges and spikes, including those caused by lightning. Scaled-down versions of these devices are sometimes installed in residential service entrance electrical panels, to protect equipment in a household from similar hazards.
  Many power strips have basic surge protection built in; these are typically clearly labeled as such. However, in unregulated countries there are power strips labelled as "surge" or "spike" protectors that only have a capacitor or RFI circuit (or nothing) that do not provide true (or any) spike protection.
caption: A surge protection device mounted on a residential circuit breaker panel
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