Frequently Asked Questions
ISOLATION & SURGE SUPPRESSION QUESTIONS
1) WHAT IS ELECTROSTATIC PROTECTION CIRCUITRY? IS IT THE SAME AS OPTICAL ISOLATION?
Answer: Electrostatic protection circuitry refers to circuitry in a device which guards against device failure from sudden, short, high-voltage discharges commonly encountered on ungrounded objects - the human body, for example. Any charge buildup can create a spark, known as Electrostatic Discharge (ESD), with enough energy to destroy unprotected electronics. Electrostatic protection circuitry provides the device with tolerance to most commonly encountered ESD events experienced during device handling and use. Our electrostatic protection circuitry tolerates up to 1500 volts of ESD. Static Protection is not the same as Surge Suppression or Optical Isolation. Surge Suppression refers to circuitry designed to protect a device from slower, lower voltage changes than those experienced from ESD, and commonly experienced during line power surges and droops. Optical Isolation refers to components added to a circuit using integrated circuit optical isolators which (a) protect against high energy voltage spikes induced in electronics and wiring from strong electromagnetic induction sources (like lightning strikes), and (b) electrically isolate circuitry in a device from other interconnected devices. One use for optical isolators is to prevent current on ground lines from 'floating' the ground (a.k.a., 'ground loops'), which raise (or lower) the local ground voltage reference on a device, typically on a cable GND pin.
