What defining characteristic do Gas Discharge Tubes (GDTs) possess when contrasted with the standard Metal-Oxide Varistor (MOV) in surge suppression?

Answer

They can handle much higher surge currents but react slower

Gas Discharge Tubes (GDTs) represent an older or specialized technology often found in industrial protectors or communication line suppressors, differing significantly from the MOVs used in most home power strips. While GDTs have the advantage of being able to manage much higher surge currents, they are inherently slower in their reaction time compared to the nearly instantaneous response of an MOV. Because of this slower reaction, a GDT allows a higher spike voltage—sometimes 500 volts or more—to pass through to the protected equipment before the tube fully ionizes and begins conducting the excess energy away. Conversely, MOVs are chosen for consumer applications due to their speed in managing the smaller, faster transients common in home electronics.

What defining characteristic do Gas Discharge Tubes (GDTs) possess when contrasted with the standard Metal-Oxide Varistor (MOV) in surge suppression?

Related Questions

What device did Harold P. Kopp secure a patent for in 1941 as the first dedicated electronic voltage surge suppressor?Which scientist and team are credited with the discovery of the highly effective, modern Zinc Oxide (ZnO) based MOV in 1967?What term did Carl M. Peterson use for his 1929 patent that represented an early iteration of grouping electrical sockets together?What physical consequence occurs to a Metal-Oxide Varistor (MOV) every time it successfully clamps a surge event?In the evolution of industrial surge arresters, when did Misao Kobayashi’s team at Meidensha introduce the first high-voltage MOV-type arrester?How is the capacity of a quality modern consumer surge protector to absorb energy in a single event quantified?What defining characteristic do Gas Discharge Tubes (GDTs) possess when contrasted with the standard Metal-Oxide Varistor (MOV) in surge suppression?What was the recommended inspiration for Harold P. Kopp's Zap Trap, according to his high school classmate David Quagliana?What common practice involving connecting multiple MOV-based power strips in series is strongly discouraged by safety codes?For 120 VAC devices, what was the commonly cited standard let-through voltage before the adoption of the Voltage Protection Rating (VPR) system?
inventordeviceelectricitysurge protector