In most cases, how are surge arresters connected?

Surge arresters are typically connected in a wye configuration due to the way this setup effectively addresses surge protection in electrical systems. In a wye connection, the surge arresters can safely redirect transient overvoltages to the ground, protecting the equipment from damage. This configuration not only provides a solid neutral point for balancing load and managing fault conditions but also ensures that the operational voltages across each phase are maintained, which is crucial for stability and protection.

By connecting surge arresters in a wye configuration, they can be effectively utilized to protect against line-to-ground surges, which are common in electrical systems. The grounding of the wye connection allows the surge arresters to function effectively by providing a path for fault currents and transient voltages to dissipate safely into the ground. This is particularly important in three-phase systems where maintaining the balance across phases is essential for optimal performance and safety.

In contrast, other configurations like delta do not have a direct ground reference, making it less effective for surge protection. Line-to-line and line-to-ground connections refer to how voltages are measured between phases or phases and ground rather than how the arresters are connected, thus they do not offer the same level of transient voltage protection as the wye configuration does