MOV vs TVS vs MLV Surge Protection Comparison Guide

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MOV handles surge energy at power entry, TVS clamps residual voltage at DC rails, and MLV protects high-speed interfaces from ESD. Selecting devices by energy domain, response speed, and capacitance prevents system-level failures during IEC 61000-4-2 and IEC 61000-4-5 testing.

Designs that pass individual component testing may still fail at system level when surge and ESD events occur at different ports. Field returns often show controller reset without permanent damage, indicating residual voltage coupling into logic domains rather than catastrophic failure.

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Failure Scenario

A typical industrial controller includes a MOV at the AC input and a TVS diode on the DC rail. During IEC 61000-4-2 discharge at the Ethernet connector, packet loss and PHY reinitialization occur. During IEC 61000-4-5 surge testing, the TVS diode shows junction temperature rise and post-stress leakage shift.

Device Operating Domains

MOV operates in the high-energy region with nonlinear bulk conduction. TVS provides fast avalanche clamping at lower energy levels. MLV functions as a multilayer structure optimized for sub-nanosecond ESD response and low capacitance.

MOV vs TVS vs MLV Technical Comparison

Parameter	MOV	TVS Diode	MLV
Energy capability	High	Low to medium	Low
Response time	Slower	Fast	Fast
Capacitance	High	Medium	Very low
Typical placement	AC input, DC bus	Secondary DC clamp	Connector, data line
Primary function	Bulk surge absorption	Voltage clamping	ESD shunting
Failure mode	Thermal aging	Leakage shift or short	Capacitance drift

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IEC Stress Mapping

IEC 61000-4-5 surge applies a 1.2/50 µs voltage and 8/20 µs current waveform with energy levels that must be dissipated by a volume device such as a MOV. IEC 61000-4-2 ESD produces a fast rise time below 1 ns with low total energy but high peak current density, requiring low-inductance protection at the connector.

Capacitance and Signal Integrity

Protection capacitance affects differential impedance and eye diagram margin in USB, Ethernet, and RF links. MOV capacitance exceeds hundreds of pF and is unsuitable for high-speed data lines. TVS introduces tens of pF, while MLV with sub-5 pF preserves signal integrity.

Clamping Hierarchy Coordination

The MOV clamping voltage must be higher than the TVS breakdown voltage to ensure energy flows into the MOV first. The TVS then limits residual voltage at the DC rail, and the MLV provides localized ESD shunting.

Thermal and Lifetime Behavior

MOV degradation is cumulative and proportional to absorbed energy per pulse. TVS exposed to surge-level energy experiences junction heating and parameter drift. Thermal spacing and series impedance maintain lifetime margin.

Layered Protection Architecture

Stage 1 MOV at AC input absorbs surge energy. Stage 2 Series impedance limits di/dt. Stage 3 TVS clamps the DC bus. Stage 4 Low-capacitance MLV protects signal interfaces.

Application Example Industrial IoT Gateway

AC input 230 V with IEC 61000-4-5 level 2 uses a 14D MOV across line and neutral. A common mode choke provides impedance before the rectifier. A TVS diode clamps the DC bus, and MLV devices protect Ethernet and USB ports.

Verification Method

Measure DC bus clamping voltage during surge injection. Monitor MOV temperature under repetitive pulses. Record TVS leakage current before and after stress. Perform ESD discharge at connectors and verify link stability.

Selection Flow

Identify stress type at each port. Calculate surge energy for power lines. Define allowable capacitance for data interfaces. Set clamping hierarchy MOV > TVS > MLV. Confirm thermal margin.

Key Parameters Required

Working voltage for each node Surge level and waveform ESD test level Maximum allowable capacitance PCB space Number of repetitive pulses

Conclusion

MOV, TVS, and MLV must be selected according to energy domain, response speed, and capacitance constraints. A coordinated hierarchy distributes stress and improves IEC compliance without redesigning the power stage.

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For IEC 61000-4-5 surge energy sizing and MOV disc selection, refer to the dedicated MOV design guide.