Surge Protection 4 - Heating the fusible link inside the SPD

It is like having an empty fire extinguisher, just looks good.

[@possiblyrandomgaming]

I don’t think this feature is actually designed to act like a fuse or breaker. It’s probably just so that if the MOV overheats, it will indicate to the user that a high energy surge has occurred and that they need to replace the unit.

[@michaelcostello6991]

Then you could have a permanent short and not know. These devices are hidden in panels so no one will see it has failed !!!!

[@jeffconway8958]

had a set of those cheap SPD in a solar panel combiner box, replaced them immediately with "phoenix contact - Valvetab" devices. i have opened both manufacuters SPD and it is a night and day difference in the size and quality of the compnents inside. do it right or dont bother.

[@mumbaiverve2307]

I don't know if this is a relevant question. Will a surge provide enough energy to heat up a thermal fuse and make it trip ? Or is it a protection from a degraded MOV which has sustained surges ?

[@apbosh1]

Thanks for showing that. I wonder why they only colour in a small strip of red, It cant be lazyness surely........can it?

[@michaelcostello6991]

Could these devices start leaking current and add to your electricity bill without being detected ????? Seems a big risk

[@michaelcostello6991]

Great video.

[@MalagasOnFire]

Well not as expected to work for protection in terms of cut off. what is going to be next for the two remaining units? Create a overload till it fails?

[@MrYevelnad]

I think this should be hooked with an rcbo protection. This is potentially hazardous.

[@belarus4790]

what's inside? what is the size of the varistor?

[@Basement-Science]

Do you have any big high voltage capacitors with which you could test an actual transient? Maybe some 400v electrolytics in series, charged by a microwave transformer on a variac.

[@macman6421]

He needs to borrow the Destruct-O-Tron from Mikes electric stuff kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYC4hHd6gbB8ec0 see 25 minutes in.

[@leexgx]

Bit silly they didn't use low melting point solder (it is China made so classic how to make something that should fail simply but fail implementing it) and they did not just simply use touch solder (but a massive blob) , like the 2 in 1 spd uk ones only use 1 slot in the consumer unit , the tabs for fault are only held on via a touch of 1-2mm of solder (I would assume the spds that don't need a MCB have a internal fuse wire as well)

[@bartfeiken9270]

In part 2 at 1:25 you can see the green switching part of the cartridge sticking out at the bottom. Would that give extra pressure to the green p when the cartridge is inside the socket?

[@mungelectronics7601]

thanks

[@michaelagnew7825]

wonder what the difference is between dc and ac types are?

[@mrtom64]

Not that it matters all that much considering the overall quality but would this have worked properly if not deformed by clamping it in the vice? Just a thought as it looks as if the indicator just catches on the inside of the case.

[@nightshadelenar]

the case doesn't look deformed if any at all, it might be the braid to the contact in addition to the longer that it should be contact.

[@markpunt9638]

Fail!

[@johnhill5745]

Yes I agree, the clamp was the probable cause that it didn`t go all the way down.He should do it again clamping it in a different position.

[@PelDaddy]

This is why one should pretty much never connect any Chinese junk to the mains. Scary.

[@Nikolasz1173]

Are you the esport CS GO Player JW?

[@jeffmoye]

Is it SUPPOSED to disconnect, then? Isn’t the purpose of the indicator just to show you that the surge protection is (probably) worn out so needs replacing? The only time current flows through the device is when the surge protector detects a spike and sinks it to neutral. If, when the device fails, it always fails open circuit, then there is no need for the mechanical side to disconnect. In fact you could have a situation where the indicator has tripped, but the surge protector still works to some degree....

[@bigjd2k]

The surge suppression elements always fail by going “leaky” i.e. passing current, and when they do they start dissipating power and heat up. This makes them pass even more current and they get hotter and hotter until something either cuts them out of circuit (the thermally actuated switch) or they catch fire...

[@rarbiart]

the contact piece is too long and in plus the copper wire is spot welded in a position which causes unneccesary limitation of spring action. Bad design plus bad QC (not looking at the indicator issue from the previous video)

[@dineshmehta3688]

V good

[@GG-gotr6]

Hi John, enjoy your channel and the way you present topics. An interesting subject I'd love your thoughts on concerns my partners property in the country which is separate to my house. She's just had an en-suit added with a 10kW shower. The bathroom also has a 9kW shower. I've pointed out using both at the same time, which could happen with guests, may be an issue and blow the main fuse especially if someone puts the kettle on as well! I mentioned this to the "qualified" electrician who installed the shower. He said no issue, so my partner has accepted his word. I'm not happy with the situation, I don't know what the supply fuse rating is, could be 60, 80 or 100 - without breaking the seal no way to know. From your experience can we ask the power company to check and upgrade to 100, the property is supplied by overhead cabling and I've no idea what the maximum current for that would be? I've checked and found there are Shower Priority Units available which I would recommend she has fitted, but that's an extra expense if unnecessary. Your thoughts on this are very welcome and a description on how the Priority units work would help me and maybe others in this situation.

[@jwflame]

You can ask and they will tell you what the fuse rating is - whether it can be upgraded depends on what capacity is available in the area. Those two showers are 80A, and that's without any other loads, so unless the fuse is 100A, it's not suitable for continued use and the second shower should not have been installed. The priority units prevent both showers being used at the same time - switching one of them on will disconnect the power from the other one, and it will remain like that until the first shower is switched off. Garo are the main manufacturer of those units.

[@GG-gotr6]

@@jwflame Thanks John, has the electrician broken any of the 18th edition Wiring Regulations by signing this job off? I'm not looking for blame - just interested if this arrangement has been covered?

[@michaelcostello6991]

@@GG-gotr6 Did you really expect a reply !!!!! Are you trying to get John in trouble !!

[@GG-gotr6]

@@michaelcostello6991 This is two years old - do you really need to comment? Johns first answer was sufficient…. Thanks for reading.

[@stewben1169]

I dare bet there a few out there who will buy theses and pass then of as a genuine SPD. They should only be bought already installed within a CU personally I like using Fusebox.

[@BitcoinHashing]

@Jules Moules Waste Of Time Testing In This Manor, Test Simulation Should Represent A Rael Fault, Not This Nonsense.

[@echothehusky]

I did suggest the tab was too long!!

[@rarbiart]

this is honestly disturbing!

[@UCCLdIk6R5ECGtaGm7oqO-TQ]

Not worth the module spaces they consume.

[@kubeek]

i think it would have worked, if you didn´t have it pinched in the vise. Please try again on a din rail or something.

[@jwflame]

Nothing was pinched, the orange plastic case is full of rock hard resin and would take a massive force to even slightly distort it.

[@kubeek]

@@jwflame I am not sure we understand each other, the front part of the case is not cast in resin and has voids, and the jaws of the vise seem to be made of some rubber, which would bend the front edge and due to the tight space block the green lever from being fully retracted by the spring. I think the force you had to apply was so high because the solder had solidified, if it were still molten it would probably need just a slight nudge.

[@pichacker]

I thought that too....

[@ianhill20101]

Got to hope the overload blows the guts clean out of it not a good design when a meltdown is the aim of the game. For the bin extremely junkie crap.

[@zjzozn]

👍

[@BitcoinHashing]

Waste Of Time To Be Honest, Bad Test Simulation Using A Hot Air Gun,, Not An Accurate Result At All.

[@HuntersMoon78]

No one forced you to watch it douche bag.

[@ickipoo]

I disagree. How would you propose to improve the test?

[@BitcoinHashing]

@@ickipoo By Applying A Fault Simulation In The Manor That It Would Likey Happen In The Real World, Not Tearing The Side Open And Using A Hot Air Gun, Pointless Test, Not Accurate At All.

[@BitcoinHashing]

@@HuntersMoon78 Another Brain Dead Tosser Bashing His Keyboard. The Test Is Not Accurate, SIMPLE, That Is All I Was Pointing Out, Im Sure John Would Agree.

[@ickipoo]

@@BitcoinHashing And how would it happen in the "real world"? One tip: the answer is NOT "as a result of a surge" - that is not what this protection feature is targeted at.

[@markholmes4143]

Just goes to show how little these SPD's can be made for so surely good manufacturers could do them for twice the price not 10 or 20 time's which is what I'm paying now.

[@mattgayda2840]

Mark Holmes It's about reliability and legal consequences if the QC isn't proper. Any factory in China full of wuflu can churn out these for lower cost but when we're looking at devices that need to be manufactured correctly, very precisely, meeting specific and right and tight specifications, they need to be produced by someone competent and reliable!

[@markholmes4143]

@@mattgayda2840 the sooner we get away from Chinese manufacturers the better as there prices just give a false impression of value. UK manufacturers may then have more money to help train electricians make the right choices instead we just fumble in the dark. (Things are improving thankfully)