Safety Alert - Surge Protector Linked to House Fires

Investigators in Cary, NC have determined that a house fire in December was linked to a faulty surge protector.

Jessica Patrick, WRAL digital journalist reports that the December 28 fire is at least the fifth in Cary to be connected to a specific kind of surge protector which is often installed with heating and air conditioners.

The affected surge protectors are identified as Type 2 surge protectors and are labeled Supco Model SCM150, and Sycom Model SYC-120/240-T2. Both are manufactured by Sycom Surge, Inc.

According to Cary officials, these models are deemed potentially hazardous by UL, a global safety consulting and certification company.

Homeowners are asked to spread the word and check their surge protectors. In the most recent fire, investigators determined that a Supco surge protector on the home's A/C unit caught fire, scorching the side of the home.

If a device bearing one of the labels below is identified at the home, citizens should contact a licensed electrician or heating and A/C contractor. If you have questions or concerns, call Sycom at 800-622-9904.

More label information can be found on the town's website.
UL Warns of Potentially Hazardous Surge Protectors.

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To whom it may concern: The Sycom T2 unit was not involved in the Cary incidents or any other instances of fires. The Supco SCM 150 was the named product in these cases. Research indicates that the fire situations occurred due to a grounding issue, not a manufacturer defect or design flaw. Only when installed to the AC disconnect on residential applications. When resistance to ground is too high where installed, (with a shunting device such as these)a surge can cause heat to build in the units. This is not limited to Sycom or Supco units, this is a rule for all shunt-to-ground type surge protectors. The NEC maximum resistance at ground for shunt-to-ground surge protectors is 25Ohms or less. Any variation of this requirement can cause performance issues. This is a installation problem not a defect or design flaw. Sycom has worked with UL on a voluntary replacement program (approved by UL) since July of 2016. The program ended on 1/1/2019. We suggest any concerned contractors or home owners to check the ground resistance at the point of installation.

Thank you, Sycom Management

Ray Staples January 18 2019, 1:51 pm EST

Reply from: Mike Holt January 18 2019, 3:50 pm EST
The earth ground resistance has nothing to do with the performance of surge protection devices. There is no NEC 25 ohms ground resistance requirement.

Reply from: Charlene January 18 2019, 7:27 pm EST
Mike,

When did the 25ohm requirement get pulled from NEC?

Thank you, Charlene

Reply from: Mike Holt January 20 2019, 6:56 pm EST
There has never been a minimum NEC ground resistance in the NEC, and ground resistance has nothing to do with surge protection performance or lack of performance...

Reply from: Charlene Mobsby January 21 2019, 9:10 pm EST
To my knowledge, all new house grounds require 25ohms or less, otherwise, you have to drive another rod

Reply from: Mike Holt January 21 2019, 9:51 pm EST
Correct, but if the one ground rod is 100 ohms, then driving another 100 ohm ground is fine (total resistance of 50 ohms).

Reply from: Roger Leavitt January 19 2019, 3:29 pm EST
Don't surges from lightning seek the earth rather than the utility neutral? Seems like a low resistance path to ground would help a surge protector do its job.

Reply from: Mike Holt January 20 2019, 6:56 pm EST
Not from a surge protector...

Reply from: Charlene Mobsby January 21 2019, 9:09 pm EST
That's exactly how surge protection works.

All Surge protection diverts the over voltage to the ground, a must for Surge Protection.

Reply from: Mike Holt January 21 2019, 9:50 pm EST
I'm sorry that you 'think' this is how surge protection works. If this is true, please do me a favor, draw up the circuit, add values that you feel apply, show me the direction of current into and out of the SPD. Show me, via the math, how you think the 'earth' impacts 'surge protection.'

Now Surge Arrestors do shunt current to the earth, but that is a totally different topic. Surge Arrestors are not installed on premises wiring, they are for high-voltage systems, typically utility wiring. Suggestion: You might want to take this topic off-line so that you don't say anything else that is not true...

Reply from: David Cameron January 18 2019, 8:31 pm EST
can you tell me where in the nec you find, The NEC maximum resistance at ground for shunt-to-ground surge protectors is 25 Ohms or less. thank you

Reply from: Mike Holt January 20 2019, 6:56 pm EST
There is no such requirement.

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