Lightning protection for microprocessor based electronic systems

The authors address the issues of lightning threats, suppressor components, and guidelines for selection and placement of protectors for microprocessor-based electronic systems. It is noted that more than 75% of all field failures of microprocessor-based electronic systems are caused by electrical overstress. The fundamental ingredients of an effective protection scheme, namely, grounding, bonding, shielding, and protective devices, are briefly discussed. Protective devices are then examined in more detail, and key parameters for selecting protectors for a specific application are considered. Protector installation is discussed, and some case histories are presented to illustrate the points made