White Papers

Transtector has over 50 years of expertise providing surge protection devices (SPDs) to protect critical data signals, AC/DC, and RF applications. Transtector solutions are used to protect mission critical applications such as 9-1-1 call centers, data centers, cell tower sites, missile defense applications, and many more.

AXIS Communications is the global leader in the network camera and video encoder markets. AXIS customers deploy PoE-fed cameras in harsh outdoor environments. Designers, installers and end users must ensure signal integrity in these mission-critical applications. Robust, reliable surge protection devices (SPDs) help to do just this.

The latest NEC 2020 Sections detail the requirement of surge protection devices (SPDs) in specific applications. In this document, we will go through each section and identify the application, provide examples, and identify potential surge protection solutions.

PoE network engineers should deploy high-quality external surge protection devices (SPDs) to help ensure safe, secure network operation, reduce downtime, minimize site visits, and ultimately, decrease overall equipment costs. Integrating surge protection into radios, power injectors, mid-spans, and other critical power-over-Ethernet (PoE) devices, however, is an example of combining two devices that should remain separate. Unfortunately, many providers of this equipment promote their built-in surge protection as an added benefit rather than the potential weak link it truly is.

As end users continue to demand more data at greater speeds, network engineers and designers must seek ways to deliver high service levels efficiently, reliably, and cost-effectively. The move to 5G and other advanced network topologies means that this demand is greater today than it’s ever been.

Modern Ethernet network technologies are growing more complex and robust with each passing year. Every new innovation - more features, better security, expanding sets of powerful applications - opens new possibilities, and delivers solid, bottom-line opportunities for building new value in your technology investments.

It’s not just something from science fiction. High-altitude electromagnetic pulse (HEMP) is a threat that government organizations, military agencies, communications leaders, and network engineers continue to research, developing systems, standards and equipment to address this ever-present danger. But what is HEMP?

An Electromagnetic pulse or EMP is a burst of radiation created by a high-altitude nuclear explosion. The range and extent of damage this type of destructive event would cause to commercial networks including utilities, 911 responders and transportation hubs is being evaluate globally by government leaders, military agencies, and scientists.

The incidence of damage to equipment in general is higher from power line surges than by any other I/O port. This is not to say more energy comes through the power line, just that the damage is more visible there. Since the coax connection to the tower is the source of the largest surge current in the building, power line port damage is usually due to improper grounding techniques and lack of surge protection devices. There are two probable ways power line caused equipment damage occurs.

Antenna manufacturers utilize shunt-fed dc grounded antennas as a means of impedance matching and providing some form of lightning protection to their customers. It has been proven that these antennas do work and should be used as a means of diverting a portion of the direct strike energy to the tower and its ground system. Unfortunately this protection is designed to help the antenna survive and not the equipment. A direct hit, or even a near hit, can “ring” an antenna whether it is grounded or not since it is a tuned (resonant) circuit. The ringing waveform will contain all resonances that are present in the antenna and its coax phasing lines. This means both “on frequency” ringing and other frequencies present will be propagating down the transmission line towards the equipment. The “on frequency” energy will not be attenuated by a high Q duplex filter or a 1/4 wave grounded stub being used as a protector. In both instances, the “on frequency” energy will pass right through. Also, if we look at a typical dc grounded/ shunt-fed antenna at the top of our 150-foot tower example, both the center conductor and shield will be at the same 243kV potential above ground at the antenna feed. Although the grounded antenna will help prevent arc over of the transmission line, it will have a 6kA peak current traversing its length. The same parallel tower segment will have 12kA. The shared strike current, between the tower and the coax, will contain mostly low frequency components.