DITEK Case Studies

Demonstrate Tangible ROI for Surge Protection. Sometimes hearing about other customers’ challenges and solutions provides a tangible reference to help gauge one’s own specific needs. Here are some examples where DITEK customers improved their system reliability, uptime and overall results.

And if you have a good story to tell, please contact us! Maybe your experience has some unique lessons that can be shared to serve as a model for others!

A DITEK Customer & Partner for More Than a Decade

“Not many people do it the way that we do, and a lot of credit goes to our research and development department for designing a solution that works long-term for our clients. And, to do that, we need surge protection,” says Nathan Varn, VP Sales & Marketing at Envera Systems.

Envera provides security solutions and access management systems to hundreds of communities across Florida and Texas. To maintain efficiency and ensure the quality and safety of their customers’ investments, proactive protection is necessary.

Just over 10 years ago, Derek Wirsing, Envera’s Manager of Hardware Engineering, says they started to use DITEK surge protection devices (SPDs) “here and there. Then we took a deep-dive when Cheryl [Derenthal] came onboard. From there, she helped address our issues and provided recommendations to protect the rest of our equipment. It was a combination of using the right SPDs and the best way to implement each device.”

Wirsing, having been a part of the partnership from the beginning, noticed the immediate interest the DITEK team had in the specific needs and setup of Envera’s security solutions.

As a technology-based security company, Envera’s systems continue to evolve and improve with other technological advancements. “DITEK has been there with a solution and ahead of the technology. They’re ready to help us and make sure we have the right surge protection in place,” says Varn.

When it comes to technology, we continuously emphasize the importance of protecting each component, widget, and system. That’s because “everything is getting more sensitive. Technology isn’t getting more resilient to power quality issues; it’s getting less resilient. The importance of surge protection just increases each year, and Envera is a great template for how others can take care of their customers,” says Mike Molinari, DITEK’s Director of Business Development.

Envera’s proactive approach hasn’t gone unnoticed amongst the DITEK team. “We don’t often come across companies like Envera, who implement best practices when it comes to surge protection for their clients. There are many integrators not using SPDs for whatever reason, and it’s the end-user who pays the price,” Molinari explains, “That can mean damaged equipment, downtime, and headaches. It really should be a no-brainer at this point, but often, it gets omitted. Envera, on the other hand, is doing it correctly.”

That’s exactly the scenario that Envera tries to avoid with each customer, and they recognize it can impact the initial investment but is far more cost-efficient down the road. “We know that competitors might be less expensive upfront, but we’re not going to cut corners when someone needs a reliable solution that works when our end-user needs it. You don’t want to find out things don’t work because they took a surge or because you cut corners upfront and provided a product that wasn’t properly protected. We’re always going to put in the right equipment and best-in-class products because we care about the solution for our clients,” Varn says.

Ultimately, it’s the similar mindset between organizations that serves as the foundation for this partnership. Varn adds, “We unequivocally care about our clients and the services we provide. With each community, we invest in a relationship that we want to be long-term, and that’s why we use DITEK products. They feel the same way about us. They care about us. We have a relationship together that’s lasted over a decade, and they continue to partner with us as we expand our footprint. DITEK helps us understand what products we need to use to protect our clients and the solutions that solve their problems.”

Nathan Varn & Derek Wirsing – Envera Systems

Learn How DITEK Helps Keep This Customer Happy

“I have been using DITEK surge suppression for over 20 years and have not had an issue with them when they were installed per the specifications and here is why: Our first installation using DITEK was a school that had an external temporary building connected to the main fire alarm system. A direct strike on the external building was strong enough that the horn/strobe AV device exploded and was in pieces across the room.

Anything in the building that was connected to power was damaged, televisions, HVAC equipment, computers, even the lighting. The main fire alarm system was in trouble showing troubles on the external building but all components in the main building were operating normally. The box inside the building where the surge protection was located was covered internally in soot and when opened showed one surge protector was dirty but looked normal, the other that had been on the AV circuit had been completely destroyed with the only part being left were the terminal strips and the back of the device still mounted to the box. With a few new devices and a little wiring, the system was returned to normal. It is without a doubt that the DITEK protection had provided the service we were looking for and from that day forward has been the ONLY surge protection I have used across 4 different companies.

I have used DITEK products in many applications over the years, including to gain accounts where others used suppression devices that failed in the installed application. The DITEK products have not faltered.”

Kip Brandel – Protegis Fire & Safety, Bowling Green, KY

DITEK’s New Kool Guard Voltage Monitoring System Gave “Peace of Mind” to This Tampa Family

“I recently replaced my air conditioning system with a high SEER inverter system. Considering how much more advanced my new system is compared to the old one I wanted to protect my investment. Knowing my area is prone to lighting strikes and power irregularities I hired a licensed contractor to install the DTK-KG2 voltage monitor and surge protector on my system.

That same day, we had a typical afternoon storm for hurricane season, certainly not what I would consider a bad storm at all. However, there was a lightning strike in my neighborhood across the street from me. My Koolguard seen the voltage irregularity and or took the surge and protected my equipment. I went outside to see that the LEDs were flashing green indicating that the condition had returned to normal and power would be restored to my system shortly.

My system started up and has worked flawlessly in the weeks since. I could not have imagined being without heating or cooling and waiting for parts to come in on the first day of installation, had a circuit board or motor been damaged. The KG2 has been such a small investment for a large peace of mind, my family agrees. “  – James B.   Tampa Bay, Florida

DITEK Saves Money & Improves Security for South Florida’s Frenchman’s Creek

Adding surge protection substantially reduced both equipment losses and security downtime

When Fred Corvo arrived at Frenchman’s Creek two years ago as their new Director of Security, his top priority was to deliver a “Five Star” security environment suitable for this world-class community.

Frenchman’s Creek is a private, 700-acre beach and country club community located on the southern tip of Florida. Featuring multimillion-dollar homes, championship golf courses, plentiful tennis courts, deep water marina, and an outstanding fitness center, Frenchman’s Creek offers exceptional luxury at every turn.

“The homes, facilities, and amenities at Frenchman’s Creek are all designed to support the best that South Florida living can offer,” said Mr. Corvo. “Like every other element in the community, residents here also expect the best in security, absolutely the best. From my point of view, that has implications not only for the equipment we use here – cameras, recorders, emergency communications, and so on – but also for the performance and uptime of those systems.”

Lightning a constant threat

Mr. Corvo soon discovered a severe threat to both his security equipment and security system uptime.

Renowned for its violent tropical thunderstorms, Florida leads the nation as the state with the most lightning-related insurance claims, with almost 7,000 such claims in 2019 alone! (according to the Insurance Information Institute) Lightning strikes can cause power surges and spikes within electrical systems and other wired connections, even if the strike occurs miles away. The lightning can hit a tree or the ground and then travel along underground conduits and wiring to cause hidden damage.

Over his first two years at Frenchman’s Creek, Mr. Corvo lost approximately 20 outdoor cameras due to the effects of lightning and other power surges. This type of camera is very expensive to replace, especially considering service calls and installation expenses.

Moreover, Mr. Corvo knew that the price tag for the equipment wasn’t the only cost. Every minute of system downtime exposed the community to some additional risk. These risks include not only security risks from intruders and lawbreakers, but also the ability to detect the full range of safety and emergency situations, and even to protect against false liability claims in the case of injuries or property damage. He needed a solution to reduce the damaging effects of lightning and power surges, and he needed it right away.

Security System Upgrade

After considerable Internet research and discussions with his peers, Mr. Corvo found Florida-based DITEK and its wide range of professional-grade surge protection devices. It was clear that these products were specifically designed to divert excess voltages and protect all kinds of electronic systems, including the security and communication networks at Frenchman’s Creek. This was important because he knew that protecting the cameras may not be enough – he also needed to protect the networking equipment, and other networked devices, that connected to those cameras. Some of this equipment was located in exterior NEMA housings that were also vulnerable to the effects of lightning and power surges. With many SPD models to choose from, the next task would be to evaluate his system and decide on the best solution.

Fortunately, when Mr. Corvo contacted DITEK, he reported that the DITEK team was attentive and coached him how best to use the technology.

“When I first called DITEK and shared my ideas about what was needed to protect the security system at Frenchman’s Creek, they were willing to help me look at the system diagrams and coach me through the selection and implementation process,” Mr. Corvo said. “They made me feel confident that what I was doing was right and they showed me how to do it correctly.”

Camera and network protection

After analyzing the system at Frenchman’s Creek, the DITEK team recommended a separate surge protector for each camera and for each NEMA enclosure, and helped to confirm the selection of the best SPD for each location. While no surge protector can limit the damage of a direct lightning strike on exposed outdoor equipment, the much more likely scenario is a power surge or spike caused by a lightning strike in the distance – which DITEK surge protectors can handle with ease.

When it came time to install the new surge protection devices, Mr. Corvo’s team installed a surge protector at each camera, per DITEK’s directions. They then used 8-channel DITEK surge protectors near each NEMA enclosure to protect the power and communication circuits. Mr. Corvo’s team appreciated the efficient “plug-and-play” connections designed into the DITEK equipment.

Results

“The cost of surge protection is minimal compared to the equipment damage and system downtime that will occur without it,” said Mr. Corvo. “We had a nearby lightning strike earlier this year and immediately four of our cameras went down. It turned out that the surge protectors did their job and protected the cameras, which were undamaged. When the technician arrived and replaced the surge protectors, we had all four cameras back up with minimal downtime. Without the protectors, that incident alone would have cost us a very hefty sum, and the system wouldn’t be fully operational until replacement cameras could be delivered. Instead, it cost me about $600 for the technician call and all the replacement parts – and the security system was back to full functionality in a matter of minutes.”

Contact us at www.diteksurgeprotection.com for a free evaluation of your current surge protection status!

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