Free checklist
Surge protective device (SPD) quarterly maintenance checklist
A quarterly surge protective device round is short on purpose: it catches the wear items that fail between annual services. This checklist is sized for a tech with a phone. Every item says what to look at and the photo that proves the round happened. Work is commonly verified against NEC (NFPA 70), manufacturer's published instructions. Confirm the edition your authority having jurisdiction has adopted.
- Items
- 5
- Photos required
- 7
- Built for
- Subcontractors
Who runs it
The electrician or maintenance tech on the quarterly panel round.
When in the schedule
Every quarter, walked with the panel it protects since a spent SPD looks identical to a healthy one until someone reads the indicators.
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.
Indication and alarm
- 2 photos
Diagnostic indicator read for every phase
Each phase indicator confirmed showing protected, not just the single summary light; any dark or amber phase noted as a module to replace.
- 1 photo
Audible and visual alarm confirmed working
Alarm exercised or its self-check confirmed, remote signal (dry contact or panel light) confirmed to actually report a fault.
Connections and mounting
- 2 photos
Connection points checked for heat and discoloration
Line and neutral/ground terminals felt or scanned for heat, no browning, melting or loose lugs at the SPD or its dedicated breaker.
- 1 photo
Lead length and mounting observed
Conductors as short and straight as the install allows, no unnecessary loops, device mounted solidly and close to the panel it serves.
Service
- 1 photo
End-of-life module replaced when indicated
A module showing spent replaced with the matching type and rating, replacement date recorded so the next round knows the module is fresh.
What usually sends this back
The failures are almost always the evidence, not the work
- One green light on the face taken as 'good' while a per-phase indicator has already gone dark and only that phase is now unprotected.
- A module that has reached end of life left in place because it still shows a light, when the light only means the device is still connected, not still protecting.
- Long, looped conductors between the breaker and the SPD left as installed, so the device can't clamp fast enough to matter.
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 7 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) quarterly checklist cover?
- 5 items across 3 sections, covering indication and alarm, connections and mounting, service. 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 or maintenance tech on the quarterly panel round.
- When in the schedule should this walk happen?
- Every quarter, walked with the panel it protects since a spent SPD looks identical to a healthy one until someone reads the indicators.
- Why does every item ask for a photo?
- 7 of the 5 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) quarterly inspection?
- One green light on the face taken as 'good' while a per-phase indicator has already gone dark and only that phase is now unprotected. A module that has reached end of life left in place because it still shows a light, when the light only means the device is still connected, not still protecting. Long, looped conductors between the breaker and the SPD left as installed, so the device can't clamp fast enough to matter.
- 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.
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