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Welcome to the Surge Protective Device Committee “Grouper” Web site, hosted by the IEEE Standards Association. This page gives an overview of the devices we deal with and our activities. More details are available by clicking the underlined text links or menu buttons.

What is a Surge Protective Device (SPD)?
Electrical events, such as lightning, can couple into metallic conductors and cause damage from the excessive system voltages and currents (surges) generated. SPDs are used to mitigate these coupled surges in both High Voltage (HV) and Low Voltage (LV) power systems and communication systems. An SPD has a non-linear voltage-current characteristic that reduces voltages exceeding the normal safe system levels by a rapid increase in conducted current. SPDs are also called voltage limiters or overvoltage protectors or (surge) arresters.

What is the Surge Protective Devices Committee (SPDC)?
The SPDC is a technical committee of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Power & Energy Society (PES). It is the Working Groups (WGs) of the SPDC Subcommittees (SCs) that create and maintain SPD related IEEE Standards, Guides and Practice documents. These documents are classified here by their voltage and application:

HV (>1000 V rms) Power SPDs
LV (<1000 V rms) Power SPDs
LV (<1000 V rms) Communications SPDs
LV (<1000 V rms) SPD Components

Clicking on an above list item will display the publications for that class and the WGs responsible.

In addition to this “open” Grouper Web site (i.e. Internet search engine accessible), the SPDC has a password-protected IEEE Surge Protective Devices (SPD) Forum site for standards development and information sharing. To access the SPD Forum you have to have an IEEE Web Account (free) and join the Online Community using the IEEE Web Account User Name and Password.

To receive SPDC news updates by e-mail, subscribe to the STDS-SPD Mailing List.

Site Content

Besides listing SPDC publications, clicking the various navigation buttons will give; documents under development, development reports, contacts, SPDC details; the latest news and meeting details; how to learn more and possibly participate; links to other sites.

We welcome your suggestions. Please contact our web site author.

Acknowledgement: Banner picture showing multiple cloud-to-ground lightning strokes during a nighttime thunderstorm is from the National Severe Storms Laboratory (NSSL) Collection.

WARNING: The site content is of a general nature only and is not intended to address the specific circumstances of any particular individual or entity; nor be necessarily comprehensive, complete, accurate or up to date; nor represent professional or legal advice.

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