
260 Shipboard Electrical Power Systems
loads by diverting the voltage spikes to ground through the outlet’s ground wire. For
this reason, running a surge suppressor from an ungrounded outlet prevents the surge
suppressor from providing such protection.
The surge suppressor is connected in front of the load. It typically contains a diode-
type material in the reverse bias to the ground. It blocks the ground current under
rated line voltage. However, if the line voltage exceeds the diode breakdown voltage,
it becomes conductive and diverts the voltage spike to the ground. The highest volt-
age the load equipment would, therefore, see is the rev