When Lightning Didn’t Strike, but the Surge Arresters Blew

The live presentation of this event has already taken place.

Please view the PDF slides here or watch the video recording below:

Emeritus Professor Akhtar Kalam’s Electrifying Mysteries

This webinar series provides a structured examination of real-world engineering challenges. Each session will address specific, technically focused topics relevant to professional engineers.

Webinar details

The webinar examines real-world cases in which surge arresters failed without direct lightning strikes. Participants explore hidden overvoltage mechanisms, such as switching transients, back-feed conditions, and insulation coordination errors. The session highlights how protection systems can be stressed by everyday network operations rather than extreme events.

• The webinar will be recorded and will be sent out to registered attendees afterwards.
• A certificate of attendance will be provided to attendees who request one near the end of the live webinar session.
• Please note: the time stated on this event is in UTC. You will need to convert this to your own time zone.

Key takeaways from this webinar

• Distinguish between lightning-induced surges and internally generated switching over voltages.
• Analyse surge arrester failure modes using field symptoms and protection records.
• Evaluate insulation coordination and arrester rating selection in practical networks.
• Understand the role of grounding, bonding, and lead length in arrester performance.
• Develop diagnostic approaches to prevent repeat failures in similar installations.

Related courses

This webinar/topic relates to our school of Electrical Engineering and is particularly found in the following courses:

• 52888WA Advanced Diploma of Applied Electrical Engineering (Power Industry)
• 52892WA Advanced Diploma of Electrical and Instrumentation (E&I) Engineering in Mining
• 52883WA Advanced Diploma of Applied Electrical Engineering (Electrical Systems)
• Professional Certificate of Competency in Circuit Breakers, Switchgear & Power Transformers
• UET60222 Advanced Diploma of ESI – Power Systems (Australia & New Zealand Only)
• Professional Certificate of Competency in Power Distribution
• Online – Bachelor of Science (Electrical Engineering)

To learn more about tuition fees, please click here.

About the presenter

Emeritus Professor Akhtar Kalam

BSc, BScEng, MS, PhD, FIET, CEng, FAIE, FIEAust, CPEng, NER, APEC Engineer, IntPE(Aus), PEV, MCIGRE, Life Senior Member of IEEE.

Professor Akhtar Kalam is a supervisor of EIT’s Doctoral students. He has worked at Victoria University since 1984 and recently associated with the Institute for Sustainable Industries and Liveable Cities. He is the Editor in Chief of Australian Journal of Electrical & Electronics Engineering. Further, he has Distinguished Professorship position in many national and international institutions. He has been recognized internationally and nationally for his research. He is regularly invited to deliver lectures, work on industrial projects, and examine external theses overseas. Professor Kalam is a registered Professional Engineer in the state of Victoria (PEV), Fellow of EA, IET, AIE, a life Senior Member of IEEE, NER, APEC Engineer, IntPE (Aus) and a member of CIGRE AP B5 Study Committee.