The role of protectors in electronic equipment

Protectors are electronic components or devices designed to detect and respond to abnormal conditions in an electrical circuit to protect equipment or systems from damage. It can monitor overvoltage, overcurrent, overtemperature and other faults, and take measures, such as disconnecting circuits, reducing current, limiting voltage, etc., to ensure safe operation of the equipment. Protectors are used in a wide variety of electronic devices and systems, from small consumer electronics to large industrial equipment.

Protector Classification
Overvoltage protector: used to prevent equipment from being damaged by transient overvoltage, lightning strikes or other power interference on power lines. Overvoltage is usually eliminated by introducing components such as thyristors and gas discharge tubes.
Overcurrent protector: used to monitor whether the current in the circuit exceeds the set value. Once overcurrent is detected, the circuit will be quickly cut off to avoid equipment overload or short circuit.
Over-temperature protector: used to monitor the temperature of a device or system. Once the temperature exceeds a safe range, a protection mechanism will be triggered, such as cutting off the power supply or reducing power output, to prevent the device from overheating.
Undervoltage protector: An undervoltage protector is an electronic device used to monitor whether the voltage in a circuit is lower than a set value. Once it detects that the voltage is lower than the set threshold, the undervoltage protector will take measures, such as cutting off the circuit or sounding an alarm, to prevent the equipment from malfunctioning due to insufficient voltage. This protector is important to protect equipment from possible damage caused by low voltage, especially in the case of unstable power supply or grid failure.
Overload protector: used to monitor whether the equipment or system withstands current or power exceeding the rated load. Once an overload condition is detected, measures will be taken immediately, such as cutting off the circuit, reducing the output power, etc., to prevent the equipment from being damaged due to overload.
Short-circuit protector: used to detect short-circuit faults in the circuit. Once a short-circuit is detected, the circuit will be quickly cut off to prevent the risk of excessive current, equipment burning or even fire.

How the protector works
Protectors are usually based on monitoring parameters in the circuit, such as voltage, current, temperature, etc., and triggering protective measures based on preset conditions. The working principle includes detection stage, judgment stage and response stage.

Protector application areas
Protectors are widely used in various electronic equipment and systems, including household appliances, industrial equipment, communication equipment, medical equipment, and automotive electronics, to protect equipment from damage.