Schneider Electric USA, Inc.

Gregory Hoepfner

John R Ruess

A hybrid surge protection device (SPD) having a clamping voltage that is controlled by precisely limiting the overshoot voltage of a gas discharge tube (GDT) in a hybrid suppression network. The suppression network is conventionally connected between a protected line carrying current from a power source to a load and a return connection. The network includes a main surge suppression varistor (VR) connected in series with the GDT. A clamping control circuit in parallel with the network includes a voltage limiting device (VR) in parallel with the GDT for preventing voltage overshoot by the GDT above a limiting voltage responsive to an occurrence on the protected line of a surge combination wave. The clamping control circuit also includes a capacitor (C) connected in parallel with the VRproviding a bypass path for electrical current and voltage potential to the GDT. Biasing resistors Rand Rcan be connected in parallel to Cand VR, respectively, to distribute the voltage between the clamping control circuit and the network.

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Salt Lake City, UT, United States of America

Gregory Hoepfner