Circuit arrangement for electronic control of triggerable surge

The invention relates to a circuit arrangement for electronic control of triggerable surge arresters such as spark gaps, multi-electrode gas discharge tubes or the like means, said at least one power semiconductor is activated by a switching circuit upon detection of an overvoltage event and the power semiconductor is on the output side to a trigger input of the surge arrester in connection. According to the invention the switching stage is designed as a control and evaluation unit for the detection of transient overvoltage events and firstly has a pulse detection level, which enables a pulse detection level sensitive or slope-dependent, and, secondly, a microcontroller or the like means for event evaluation. The microcontroller executes the output side to the control input of the power semiconductor. Between the output of the power semiconductor and the trigger input of the surge arrester, a fast switching rectifier is provided.