Free checklist
Surge protective device (SPD) annual maintenance checklist
The annual surge protective device service is the deep pass: the measurements, cleanings and tests a quarterly round doesn't reach. This checklist keeps the full service on record with the photos that make it defensible later. Work is commonly verified against NEC (NFPA 70), manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 4
- Photos required
- 6
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The electrician on the annual electrical service, with the panel de-energized where the scope requires.
When in the schedule
Once a year, folded into the annual panel and breaker service so the SPD connections are checked while the enclosure is already open.
The checklist
Every item, and the photo that proves it
The photo count on each row is what RTI would require before the item can be submitted. Copy the list as is, or load it into RTI and let the gate enforce it.
Protection status
- 2 photos
Each phase indicator verified against live panel state
Per-phase indication confirmed against the phases actually present at the panel, so a lost phase of protection can't hide behind a summary light.
- 1 photo
Surge counter or event log read where fitted
Event count or log noted against the prior year; a jump in events flagged as a site with a real surge problem to look into.
Connection integrity
- 2 photos
All accessible connections inspected and re-torqued
Line, neutral and ground terminals inspected and brought to the specified torque, no signs of heat, corrosion or arcing at any lug.
- 1 photo
Enclosure, breaker and ground path confirmed intact
Dedicated overcurrent device confirmed correct, ground/bonding conductor intact and unbroken, enclosure sealed against the environment it sits in.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- Indicators glanced at with the cover on all year, so a phase that dropped protection months ago is only caught now, if at all.
- Terminal lugs assumed tight because nothing looked wrong, when an annual re-torque would have caught the connection that was slowly backing off.
Run it with the Photo Gate
A checklist nobody can submit half-finished
Load this list into RTI, stick a QR tag on the area it covers, and the submit button stays locked until every mandatory item is answered and the 6 required photos exist. Approved walks roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident record behind every line.
Submission state
The gate is enforced on the server, so it holds even if the phone is offline when the walk happens.
Verified against
Common questions
- What does this surge protective device (spd) annual checklist cover?
- 4 items across 2 sections, covering protection status, connection integrity. Each item spells out what the person walking the job is actually looking for, not just a box to tick.
- Who should run this inspection?
- The electrician on the annual electrical service, with the panel de-energized where the scope requires.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Once a year, folded into the annual panel and breaker service so the SPD connections are checked while the enclosure is already open.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 6 of the 4 items call for photo evidence. A checklist answer without the photo is a claim; the photo is what makes the record worth something in a dispute and lets a reviewer approve work without re-walking the job.
- What most often fails a surge protective device (spd) annual inspection?
- Indicators glanced at with the cover on all year, so a phase that dropped protection months ago is only caught now, if at all. Terminal lugs assumed tight because nothing looked wrong, when an annual re-torque would have caught the connection that was slowly backing off.
- Can I use this checklist in RTI?
- Yes. Start a free RTI workspace, build this list as a checklist, and the Photo Gate holds the submit button until every mandatory item is answered and its photos are attached. Approved inspections roll into a branded turnover package with a tamper-evident audit trail.
Related checklists
2642 items and 4211 photo requirements in total.