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P3 Power Protection & Tech Chefs cook up winning surge protection strategy for Sonic restaurants.
Background
As an Eaton power quality agent, Power Protection Products (P3) specializes in providing comprehensive power quality solutions customized to fit clients’ individual needs. For more than 10 years, P3 has been overseeing unique industry solutions to resolve various power quality issues for a wide-ranging customer base.
In a similar fashion, electrical contractor TechChefs, was in the process of completing an Eaton program designed to educate contractors on surge protection concepts and applications. TechChefs specializes in restaurant clients and fast-food applications. During the certification process, one of TechChef’s clients, fast-food industry giant Sonic, began to experience failures at their Fort Worth area locations.
Challenge
Sonic Fort Worth locations were experiencing a number of glitches with a variety of its equipment, including panelboards, subpanels, communications equipment, fire alarms and other sensitive electronics. As a result, power interruptions were becoming increasingly prevalent.
“They were experiencing a lot of downtime,” Dion recalls, noting that in some instances, the intermittent issues were causing the restaurant’s two-way speakers to fail, impacting customers’ ability to place orders.
“Sensitive equipment was going down and they noticed that it seemed to be particularly bad after storms and lightning,” Dion continues. “So, we suggested attaching surge protection to the equipment as a starting point.”
“Sensitive equipment was going down and they noticed that it seemed to be particularly bad after storms and lightning. So, we suggested attaching surge protection to the equipment as a starting point.”
Working together, P3 and TechChefs identified Eaton's SP1 surge protector as the ideal option for Sonic.
The UL 1449 4th edition surge device provides reliable, cost-effective surge protection, with an industry-best 20KA nominal discharge rating.
With the knowledge acquired through the surge certification program, TechChefs completed the installation in several Sonic drive-through locations. The unit’s compact 50KA-per-phase footprint makes it easy to install on point-of-use locations, control panels, load centers and small distribution panels. In addition, the Type 1 SPD is capable of being installed on either the line or load side of the service entrance disconnect.
Available in many common voltages and configurations, the SP1 comes pre-wired with 24 inches of 12-gauge wire and is mounted via the 1/2-inch nipple that is molded into its enclosure. Wall or DIN rail mounting can also be accomplished with the addition of an optional kit.
Sonic can stay apprised of power conditions all times by visually accessing protection status, thanks to the unit’s light-emitting diode (LED). The status indicator provides surge protection status at-a-glance, with a blue light indicating when protection is active. Any loss of protection is signaled when the LED extinguishes.
Furthermore, with a compact UV-resistant NEMA 4x enclosure, Eaton’s SP1 surge protection device is made to withstand any environment ― both indoor or outdoor. It can also be used as a replacement for devices formerly known as secondary surge arrestors or lightning arrestors, which could not be manufactured after UL 1449 4th Edition went into effect.
Having completed multiple orders over the past year and a half, TechChefs has now installed nearly 2,000 Eaton SP1 surge suppression devices in more than 150 Sonic drive-through locations. “Sonic reports that the devices are doing their job as intended and definitely helping out,” says Dion.
The partnership with P3 and Eaton has also been a success for TechChefs. “Having certified TechChefs as a surge contractor with Eaton, the company was able to put these devices in numerous Sonic locations and they’ve had a lot of success,” Dion reports. Even more, as TechChefs continues to evolve its relationship with Sonic drive-ins, it appears likely that the chain will request additional power quality solutions. “If issues arise, we have the power quality products to support them,” Dion emphasizes. “There’s a real potential for continued growth in this ongoing partnership between Tech Chefs, P3 and Eaton.”
