Commercial Surge Protection

Power reliability is a business priority. Whether you’re overseeing new construction, managing upgrades or maintaining high-performance systems, a power surge can disrupt operations or damage equipment.

Surge protection contributes to the long-term health of your electrical infrastructure. It keeps systems stable, downtime minimal and investments protected.

Explore what surge protection is, why it’s beneficial and commercial power safety solutions.

What Is a Surge Suppressor?

A surge suppressor, or a surge protective device (SPD), is a mechanism that detects and diverts excess voltage from power spikes away from critical equipment. These surges can originate from heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems cycling, lightning strikes or grid switching events.

Key features of a voltage surge suppressor include:

• Voltage regulation: Surge suppression devices stabilize incoming voltage, preventing harmful spikes from reaching sensitive systems.
• Surge handling capacity: Commercial suppressors are rated by their ability to absorb and redirect surge energy, usually measured in joules. Higher ratings offer greater protection.
• Multiple protection levels: SPDs have tiered protection, including point-of-use devices and service entrance protection. This layered defense ensures redundancy and improves fault tolerance.
• Mounting options: SPDs come in various mounting configurations to accommodate a facility’s system layout.

Types of Surge Suppressor

The National Electrical Code (NEC) defines SPDs by three classifications — Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3. Each serves a distinct purpose with a facility’s power infrastructure. Here’s a look at these types:

• Type 1: Type 1 SPDs are installed before or at the main disconnect, often between the utility power and the building’s electrical panel. They protect against externally generated surges like lightning or utility-side disturbances. For commercial buildings, Type 1 protection at the service entrance can prevent damage to systems. It’s often used with Type 2 SPDs for layered protection.
• Type 2: Installed at or near distribution panels, control panels and subpanels, Type 2 SPDs reduce surges that originate from within the building. They protect equipment and integrated systems across a facility.
• Type 3: Type 3 SPDs protect computers, communication equipment or digital control interfaces. They come as plug-in strips or outlet-mounted suppressors and can be used with Type 1 and 2 protection.

While the NEC classification focuses on function and installation location, form factors refer to how these devices are built and mounted. Commercial SPDs can be:

• Wall-mounted for visibility and access
• Plug-in for use with localized electronics
• Rack-mounted for server rooms and IT environments
• Whole-building systems that integrate with generators or microgrids
• Panel-mounted by integrating them into distribution boards or switchgear

Benefits of Commercial Surge Protection

Surge protection offers various operational and financial benefits. Here are the perks of installing these devices.

1. Protects Systems

Most commercial buildings depend on interconnected power systems. These systems operate on calibrated electronics, which are vulnerable to voltage spikes, even those that last only a few seconds.

Surge protection helps shield these systems from transient overvoltages, preventing damage and wear that can accumulate from repeated exposure. By intercepting voltage spikes before they reach sensitive components, surge protective devices relieve the stress before it causes failure. This provides building owners with stability in their daily operations.

2. Reduces Downtime and Enhances Equipment Lifespan

A surge-related outage can disrupt workflows, pause production, compromise tenant satisfaction or delay critical building operations. By integrating protective devices at key points in the power infrastructure, facilities can reduce failures that may impact multiple systems. When equipment needs service, root causes are easier to diagnose when transient damage isn’t the source of the problem. This leads to more consistent uptime, better operational planning and reliability in a facility’s power network.

Commercial surge protection allows systems to operate within their designed voltage range, protecting the investment in capital equipment. Instead of replacing assets sooner than expected, facilities can extend their useful life and defer capital expenditure.

3. Ensures Compliance With Regulatory Requirements

Various industries have specific electrical protection standards to meet building codes, insurance requirements or operational certifications.

Additionally, the NEC provides guidance on where and how SPDs should be used in commercial facilities. In some settings, surge protection devices must be integrated into the power design to pass inspection.

By adopting a surge protection strategy that aligns with these codes and industry standards, facility managers can avoid compliance issues, reduce liability and ensure their infrastructure remains audit-ready.

4. Improves Safety

Electrical arcs, insulation breakdown, overheating or system misfires carry potential safety hazards for employees and tenants.

Surge protection devices reduce these risks by controlling the voltage within a building’s power system. When integrated properly, they help maintain consistent system behavior, preventing anomalies before they escalate.

Types of Commercial Surge Protection Solutions

In commercial buildings, surge protection should be applied with intention and tailored and designed for unique operational needs.

Below are solutions that support reliability, safety and asset protection:

• Surge protection devices in control panels: Control panels manage lighting, HVAC, automation systems and production equipment. A single surge can disrupt flow and damage critical components. Installing SPDs within control panels provides localized protection by intercepting surges where the equipment connects. This minimizes interference and allows control systems to operate within safe voltage parameters.
• Switchgear and paralleling controls: Paralleling switchgear manages load, protects circuits and controls the flow of electricity throughout the building. Installing SPDs at the service entrance or within switchgear enclosures helps maintain voltage consistency across a facility.
• Automatic transfer switches (ATS): In facilities that rely on backup power systems, the ATS supports utility service and standby generation by enabling generators to respond quickly during an outage. By integrating surge suppression into or near the ATS, commercial building operators can ensure a clean, reliable transition between power sources.
• Custom-built control panels with SPD: Custom-built control panels allow for fully integrated surge protection tailored to a facility’s unique needs. This approach can benefit facilities with on-site generation, automation or microgrid configurations. When surge suppression is designed into the panel, performance, safety and coordination improve. This integration streamlines maintenance and troubleshooting, since protection, distribution and control are within a unified system.
• Battery energy storage systems (BESS): Batteries and inverters are sensitive to electrical disturbances. Without proper protection, a voltage spike could degrade performance or damage the system. Including surge suppression within a BESS helps maintain stable energy storage performance and prolongs equipment life.

Protect Your Commercial Electrical Systems With Thompson Power Systems

Thompson Power Systems has over 65 years of experience helping businesses protect their operations from power disturbances. We design and deliver solutions that fit your needs, from surge protection in control panels and integrated solutions across generators to ATS units and energy storage systems.

When you partner with us, you get expertise and local support. We’ll help you choose the right surge protection strategy for your facility so you can protect your staff, systems and bottom line.

Contact us today to get started.