Understanding Spike Block's technology called “Total Electrical Transient Eliminator”

US Patent Number 6,385.029.

 The ground wire does not shunt all high energy transients to ground.  A large part becomes bi-directional and travels back towards the electronics or computer.

The minus side of the DC logic BUS is referenced to the AC ground wire. The damaging transient energy will pass back onto the DC BUS.

 In our findings which lead to the development of the technology.  We saw substantial voltages on the DC logic BUS, which either caused an electronic device such as POS, PLC or the computer to lock-up, requiring a system re-boot or damage to the micro-processor, which was total system failure. This same problem occurs in fire and burglar alarm systems, causing false alarms.

 In the past individuals thought by adding an isolated ground would solve the problem. This doesn’t work since the isolated ground is  tied to another system ground, causing transients to feed back up the isolated ground wire and into the electronic device or computer. Many times a second ground wire or rod is added, causing more problems to occur and more ground loops. The ground wire is commonly connected to a host of other devices that are also connected to sensitive electronics and computers.

 Our solution was to develop a circuit that would pass UL, NEC, plus all other electrical safety agency requirements.  The circuit does not interfere with the intrinsic safety ground, otherwise we would not have been allowed agency approvals. The PVA circuit attenuates high frequency transients on the ground wire by blocking them.  Making them uni-directional, passing any surplus energy back down the neutral wire and into the transformer or back to the distribution panel. Whereby they are dissipated at the neutral  ground bond. 

 Today’s electronic systems are  more susceptible to a ground transient. Since the DC logic BUS is operating at much lower voltages,  plus higher speed  micro-processors.  Micro-processor operating speeds of 50, 100 & 500 Mhz were not as susceptible to ground transients as the newer processors that are  running at 1 to 2 Ghz.

It’s not just high end computer systems and electronics that are being affected by the  ground  transient. It’s standard desk top PC’s, laptop PC’s, POS’s or what’s known as electronic cash registers, PLC’s (programmable logic controllers) and electronic systems that we use in our everyday life. Even medical electronic devices such as MRI’s, CT’s, Ultra-sound and X-Ray equipment is being affected.  

The best example of the need for protection of the ground wire from electrical transients affecting electronics and computers is the following example. If one owns a manufacturing plant with 30 windows and 10 entry doors and they aren’t locked every night. What will  happen? We all know what will happen. Someone can and will gain access to your building and rob you of important things that pertain to your business.

That is  the very same thing happening in today’s high speed complex world of computing. Ground transients are robbing our systems of maximum efficiency, creating more downtime.  As an example a retail store like a Wal Mart has 20 electronic registers (POS’s) tied to routers that are in turn tied to severs. If every inlet to the POS, router or server aren’t protected from a neutral to ground transients from entering. Somewhere in the system a lock-up will occur, since every entry point for the transient to enter, wasn’t protected.

 Why is EPRI, the Electric Power Research Institute claiming system downtime is doubling in cost every year due to power line sags, surges and transients? It’s not software. In 1999 EPRI stated power sags, surges and transients cost US industry over $50 billion in  downtime. In year ending 2000 the figure doubled to over $100  billion, then doubled again to over $200 billion, year ending 2001.

  We’re going through a paradigm shift regarding the need to better protect our electronics and computer systems. What use to work, isn’t working today. There is one wire that has never been protected against electrical transients from passing back into the  electronic device or computer, it’s the  ground wire.

 Wouldn’t it make sense to protect the ground wire if there was a proven effective method that was safe? Then when we called to book a flight, reserve a car rental, make a hotel reservation or visit our local bank. We wouldn’t always hear…”Our systems are  down again.”  How many times a day does our PC lock-up? Many say  it’s software.  EPRI is saying otherwise.