Overvoltage is the unwanted and temporary increase in electrical voltage. These occur in electrical circuits or electrical devices of all kinds. Overvoltage is the opposite of undervoltage.
Overvoltages can be caused by lightning strikes, current peaks from other sources or switching operations in the power grid. Overvoltages can cause considerable damage to electrical devices and components as they can overload the electrical components. The use of surge protection devices can protect electronic systems from damaging effects. Surge protection devices detect the occurrence of overvoltages and discharge the excess current to protect the devices.
The consequences of surges can be data loss, expensive repairs and downtime. It is therefore important to protect sensitive IT infrastructures and data centers, where the integrity and availability of data is critical, from surges.
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