Swings in the network - not news for most consumers of electricity. Such "surprises" do not affect electrical appliances in the best way, sometimes even provoke their combustion. Therefore, you need good protection against power surges 220V for the home. You can choose a finished device or make a simple device with your own hands.
Reasons for power surges
The main triggering factors for voltage drops in the network are:
- Simultaneous load from several powerful devices. More often this happens in winter, when residents of an apartment building or a village connect electric convectors.
- Poor electrical equipment or wiring / wiring with errors.
- Weather conditions - a gale, thunder, thunder, lightning.
- Improper use of electrical appliances.
- Welding work provided that the apparatus is connected to the home network.
In all these cases, both voltage surges and its drop can be observed.
Types of Network Changes
There are several types of voltage surges:
- Deviations. This implies a change in amplitude, the duration of each of which is more than 60 seconds. Moreover, there is a normally permissible and maximum permissible deviation. In the second case, the norm is considered an indicator of not more than 10% of normal.
- Fluctuations (voltage drop). Here, the amplitude changes downward and amounts to 60 sec. Also, a normal figure is up to 10% of the optimal.
- Overvoltage. This is a sharp increase in current above 242 volts. The duration of such jumps is up to 1 second.
Power surges are small, but extensive changes in the network, or extremely high, but short-term drops. In the latter case, they are called pulsed.
How to protect household appliances
Do not underestimate the importance of surge protection. Regular drops in the network malfunction electronics of precision equipment, disable relays and motors of refrigerators and freezers. Often even contribute to the combustion of technology. To prevent this from happening, you need to equip the house with reliable protective equipment.
Voltage monitoring relay
This overvoltage protection allows you to instantly disconnect all devices from the network. The device monitors the Volt parameters and, when they increase sharply, blocks the power supply to household appliances. After the network stabilizes its work, the device switches back into operation and starts the equipment.
There are point relays (plugs and adapters), as well as devices of the type of machine for installation on a DIN rail to the distribution panel. In the first case, the devices control and protect individual household appliances. So to speak, are individual. The second option is a reliable automatic circuit breaker for the entire house.
The voltage relay is not a stabilizer. Do not confuse it with this type of equipment. The relay only monitors the voltage level and, if necessary, produces an open circuit to zero.
Voltage regulator
Such voltage protection involves changing the parameters in Volts until they are brought to a normal state.For example, a washing machine or TV connected through a stabilizer always works on the same voltage. If the device catches a sharp jump, it passes only normal indicator 220-230 V. to household appliances.
The main technical parameters of the stabilizers are the response time to the jump, the stabilization accuracy, the input voltage ranges and the noise level.
All devices of this type are divided into several types:
- Relay. The cheapest types of stabilizers. They have a low power level. If they are still used, then on separate household devices.
- Electromechanical (they are also called servo-driven). The performance characteristics of such devices differ little from relay stabilizers. The only difference between the first and second is a slightly higher price.
- Electronic. Such devices are assembled on the basis of a triac or thyristor. Such stabilizers are distinguished by good power, durability, accuracy of response to voltage surges. With the fastest possible action, electronic devices provide reliable protection against voltage surges.
- Electronic double conversion. Such stabilizers are the most expensive of all. At the same time, they well protect both individual household appliances and the entire electrical network in the house. Single and three-phase devices are distinguished. The first is used in everyday life. The second - at large industrial, commercial facilities. Double conversion stabilizers are able to smooth out sharp drops in the ranges from 90 to 380 volts with excellent accuracy.
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- Electromechanical
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- Electronic
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- Double conversion
For a private house, it is better to buy an inverter stabilizer.
UPS (uninterruptible power supply)
The main task of the UPS is not protection against high voltage, but the provision of autonomous backup power supply during sharp and short power outages. Such devices are especially needed in private homes, if in the village there is an acute problem of frequent blackouts.
There is also a kind of uninterruptible power supply with stabilizer function. If a sharp high power surge occurs, such a UPS is able to instantly switch to backup power and align the parameters of the Volt in the network to the optimum.
Differential Voltage Sensor
This small device, like a relay, controls power surges. But it is mounted immediately with an RCD (residual current device). If the sensor detects a violation of the network parameters, it causes a current leak. In this case, the RCD detects it and turns off the power to the house in emergency mode.
Network Filter Help
This device is a good protection of LED lamps from burnout and any other household appliances. Outwardly resembles an extension adapter for several outlets. A circuit breaker or fuse is built into surge protectors. If a sudden overload occurs in the network, the device will simply cut off the circuit.
Also, to protect the LEDs, you can use a special device from surge surges.
How to choose the best protection for your home
The choice in favor of a device for protection against network differences should be made based on the main problem and the operating conditions of the device:
- If the house has normal power supply with a stable voltage, but they often turn off the light, it is better to give preference to an uninterruptible power supply.
- If there is electricity constantly, but voltage surges are noted, it is advisable to put a stabilizer on the entire network. Or at least connect the most expensive types of equipment through surge protectors.
The best solution is to install both types of devices. They are able to complement each other.
The most modern device is considered an uninterruptible power supply with a dual energy converter ON-LINE. It is capable of stabilizing voltage over a wide range in real time. If the lights are turned off, the device automatically switches to battery operation - it works as a stand-alone generator.
DIY security system
If you wish, you can independently make the simplest device to protect the refrigerator from changes in the network. To do this, you can take a standard transformer from an old TV as a basis.
It is necessary to consistently turn on one of the available secondary windings with the primary winding. The primary is connected to the network using a fuse. Then, the load is connected to the tandem and primary windings connected in series.
It is very important to connect the beginning of the secondary to the end of the primary winding. If this principle is not observed, the input voltage will be reduced, not increased. As a test of the device, two standard 98 W bulbs can be connected in parallel.
The finished device assembled in this way is connected to the network. Here you need to check the voltage at the input and output. If the device overheats, you need to replace the transformer with a more powerful one. According to this scheme, the simplest household stabilizer for an apartment with your own hands is going to.
