Created by: Glen Zhu | Updated Date: March 18th, 2025
In modern electrical systems, Surge Protection Devices play a crucial role. They protect electronic devices from voltage fluctuations caused by lightning, switch operations, or power failures by absorbing and redirecting surge currents. However, the answer to whether surge protection devices are mandatory for installation varies depending on the country, region, industry, and application scenario.
The installation requirements of surge protective devices (SPDs) vary depending on the country, industry, and specific application scenarios. The regulations of electrical standards and laws in different countries mainly depend on the following factors:
Here is an overview of the mandatory requirements for surge protection device in some major countries and regions:
The United States (USA)
Regulatory basis: NEC (National Electrical Code)
Europe (EU)
Regulatory basis: IEC 60364 & EN 61643
Europe adopts the standards of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), with IEC 60364 specifying electrical installation requirements and EN 61643 detailing the technical parameters and applications of SPD.
The United Kingdom (UK)
Regulatory basis: BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations)
In the UK, BS 7671 (IET Wiring Regulations) is used as the electrical installation standard, which directly references IEC 60364.
Australia
Regulatory basis: AS/NZS 3000 (Australian and New Zealand electrical standards)
India
Regulatory basis: IS/IEC 62305 (Lightning protection standard)
Japan
Regulations: JIS C 5381 & Building Lightning Protection Code
Country/Region | Residential mandatory requirements | Business/Industrial Mandatory Requirements | Photovoltaic system | Main regulations |
USA | Yes (NEC 230.67) | Yes (NEC 242) | Yes (NEC 690.67) | NEC 2020 |
EU | Some countries enforce | Yes | Yes | IEC 60364, EN 61643 |
UK | Recommend | Yes | Yes | BS 7671 |
AU | Recommend | Yes (Some industries) | Mandatory in some areas | AS/NZS 3000 |
India | Mandatory in some areas | Yes | Yes | IS/IEC 62305 |
Japan | Recommend | Yes | Mandatory in some areas | JIS C 5381 |
More and more countries and industries are mandating the use of surge protective devices (SPD), with the main reasons being:
Modern electronic devices (such as computers, servers, smart home devices, industrial automation equipment, etc.) are extremely sensitive to voltage fluctuations. Slight surges can damage the equipment or affect its operation. Therefore, government and industry standards are increasingly inclined to require the installation of SPDs to ensure the safety and reliability of the equipment.
With global climate change, the frequency of extreme weather events (such as thunderstorms) is increasing, exacerbating the risk of electrical surges caused by lightning strikes. In addition, the instability of the grid, operation of power switches, and start-up of high-power equipment can all generate surges that affect the stability of electrical systems. Therefore, more and more countries are mandating the use of SPD in regulations to reduce the risk of electrical surges.
Many countries and regions’ electrical safety regulations (such as IEC 60364, NEC 2020, BS 7671, GB/T 18802) have clearly required the installation of SPD in specific locations (such as residential areas, commercial buildings, industrial facilities, photovoltaic systems, charging stations, etc.) to meet safety standards. For example:
With the growth of renewable energy and electric vehicle industries, the application of photovoltaic power generation systems, energy storage systems, and EV charging piles is becoming more widespread. However, these systems are susceptible to lightning strikes and surges, so many countries have included SPD in mandatory requirements for photovoltaic systems and charging piles to ensure the safe operation of equipment. For example:
With the development of digitization and cloud computing, data centers, communication base stations, server rooms, etc., have extremely high requirements for the stability of power supply. Any power surge may lead to data loss or equipment damage. Communication and IT industry standards in various countries (such as ANSI/TIA-942, IEC 61643-21) require the installation of SPDs to ensure data security and network stability.
Many insurance companies, when assessing risks for commercial and industrial facilities, consider whether SPDs are installed. If a business does not have the required surge protection measures in place, insurance costs may increase or coverage may even be denied. In addition, some industry regulatory agencies are starting to require critical infrastructure (such as hospitals, banks, airports, etc.) to install SPDs to improve power supply reliability and safety.
Surge may cause expensive equipment damage, production downtime or even fires. The cost of installing SPD is relatively low, so many countries and industries are increasingly inclined to mandate the installation of SPD to reduce economic losses caused by surges. For example, Germany’s VdS standard requires commercial and industrial facilities to install SPDs to reduce insurance claim risks.
With the development of smart grids, distributed energy, and energy storage technologies, power systems have become more complex, leading to increased instability and surge issues in the grid. Installing SPDs can reduce surge interference in the grid, improve overall stability and supply reliability of the power grid, which is also an important reason for governments around the world to promote mandatory installation of SPDs.
Surge protection is crucial for the safety of electrical systems and electronic devices, with the main purpose being to prevent damage caused by transient high voltages (surges).
A surge refers to a sudden increase in grid voltage in an extremely short period of time, typically lasting from microseconds to milliseconds. Surges may come from external factors (such as lightning strikes) or internal factors (such as the start-up and shutdown of high-power equipment).
Without surge protection devices (SPDs), these momentary high voltages could burn out electronic devices, circuit boards, motors, and even cause fires.
Different application scenarios require different types of SPDs, and the following factors should be considered when selecting:
1. Select the type of SPD according to the installation location
Types | Applicable location | Protect the target |
Type 1 SPD | Distribution cabinet, main feeder | Prevent lightning strikes and surges |
Type 2 SPD | Secondary distribution cabinet, branch circuit | Protect electrical equipment from power grid surges. |
Type 3 SPD | Terminal device front end | Protect precision electronic equipment, such as computers, servers, and medical devices. |
2. Select according to voltage and working environment
Recommendation: Choose the appropriate SPD based on voltage level, discharge capacity (kA), response time (ns), and installation location.
With the development of technology, the popularization of electronic devices, and the increasing risks of lightning and surge protection, governments, industry standard organizations, and insurance companies are all promoting the mandatory use of SPDs. In the future, mandatory requirements for surge protection devices may expand to more industries and application areas, becoming an indispensable part of electrical safety.
LSP’s reliable surge protection devices (SPDs) are designed to meet the protection needs of installations against lightning and surges. Contact our Experts!
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