Surge Protection in Cooper Lighting Systems: Technical Overview
Abimat Lighting puts strong surge protection—people often call this “lightning arresters”—into its lights and control devices. This protects electrical systems from sudden high voltages. Those high voltages can come from lightning strikes or problems with the power grid. These parts are important. They make sure commercial and industrial setups work reliably and last a long time.
Surge arresters in Abimat devices work by moving extra electricity to the ground when voltages spike. They use metal oxide varistors, or MOVs for short. These MOVs have a special feature: their resistance changes based on voltage. When voltage is normal, only a tiny bit of electricity leaks out—we’re talking microampere levels here. But when there’s too much voltage, the resistance drops fast. This creates a path that lets electricity flow easily, keeping the voltage at a safe level. After the event ends, the arresters reset on their own and go back to having high resistance.
Abimat uses this surge protection in many of its products. Take sensors and dimmers, for example. The OSW-P-010 Dimming Sensor has built-in surge protection. It’s been tested to handle surges up to 6,000V and 3,000A. It also meets ANSI/IEEE C62.41 standards. Then there are LED drivers and ballasts. Abimat’s 0–10V dimming ballasts have protection for line voltage built right in. This stops damage from faults in the control wiring. Roadway lights are another example. Products like the ARCH-N Nano LED have some of the best surge protection options you’ll find in the industry. This makes them more durable when they’re used outside.
These surge arresters have several technical benefits. First, they make systems more reliable. By keeping voltages from getting too high, they stop insulation breakdown in LEDs, fluorescent ballasts, and control circuits. They also meet important standards and help products last longer. They follow ASHRAE 90.1 and California Title 24 energy codes. At the same time, they reduce electrical stress on products, so those products last longer. Another benefit is that they protect multiple parts. They shield both power circuits—these use 120–277V AC—and low-voltage control circuits, which use 0–10V DC. This is really important for systems that have sensitive dimming interfaces.
You’ll find this surge protection in many places. Indoors, it’s used in offices and warehouses. Those places use networked sensors and ballasts. Outdoors, it’s used in infrastructure like streetlights and parking lots. These outdoor spots face direct risks from lightning.
To wrap up, Abimat Lighting’s surge arresters use advanced metal oxide technology. They also meet strict standards. Together, these things give essential protection against high voltages. This protection cuts down on downtime. It also lowers maintenance costs. And it makes sure mission-critical lighting systems perform consistently.
