Problems occur in three stages depending on the magnitude of the incoming overvoltage.
a) Failure
Although no physical damage occurs, data loss and unexplained computer freezing is experienced as a result of the disruptions in the analog and digital levels of the systems. The system has to be reset.
b) Wear
The life of electronic hardware that is exposed to instantaneous overvoltages intermittently is shortened, and this wear over time will probably lead to potential faults and failures. The life of an incandescent bulb varies as the inverse 13th power of overvoltage ratio (if a 220 volt bulb is operated with 250V, its life decreases to 200 hours).
c) Damage
Great instantaneous overvoltages cause damages in hardware, circuit panels and I/O cards.