Surge protector, TVSS, surge arrestor, lightning suppressor; what is the difference???

There are a lot of terms thrown around in the electrical industry to describe a surge protector. These include TVSS (transient voltage surge suppressor), surge arrestor, lightning suppressor, and Surge Protective Device (SPD) among others. At one point some of these products had differences in installation and application usages but as of major industry changes in 2009 all of these terms have been abandoned by the surge protection industry in favor of the term Surge Protective Device. So while you may hear these terms still being used for under 1000 volt applications (like your home) they are all in fact "surge protective devices." 

For more information on surge protection check out the FAQ.

Surge Suppressor