No matter how trite it may sound, the most common reason for failures of household appliances is the poor quality of the voltage in the power supply network. In some areas of cities, villages, garden and garage societies, a reduced voltage is always observed, in others it is increased, and thirdly, it generally depends on the time of day or season. In this article we will tell you why there is a high voltage in the network and how to protect your household appliances from it.
Content:
- Causes of occurrence
- Than dangerously high voltage
- Where to go to solve the problem
- What to do to reduce stress at home
Causes of occurrence
Overvoltage in the network can occur for a number of reasons, both emergency and technological, due to the characteristics of your power grids. Let's consider several situations in more detail:
- Fluctuations caused by the difference in network consumption during the day and at night. The voltage rises closer to midnight, when all residents are asleep and nearby large consumers of energy are not working. During the day, the voltage may be normal or even low.
- In winter, the network is normal, and in summer the volts in the outlet are more than normal. Also related to the difference in power consumption. In winter, the heaters are turned on, in connection with this, the load increases, and the subsidence on the line also increases.
- Burning off zero and phase imbalance. When the neutral wire is faulty, for example, at the input to the house there are problems with the contact or the zero is completely burnt out, then the voltage in apartments connected to one phase will be high - up to and more than 300 volts, depending on how asymmetrical load. But in apartments connected to other phases, there will be undervoltage. A similar situation arises in case of problems with zero in external power lines, then the problem will not only be in apartments, but entire streets with private houses may suffer.
The first two problems are caused by the device of the transformer substation, they are equipped with on-load tap-changers (control device under load), booster transformers or other technical solutions. In this way, the voltage is adjusted for the correct power supply.
But let's say there is a long street in a village of private houses. Then the substation is equipped so as to provide normal power supply to remote consumers, then at those consumers that are located closer to the transformer substation will have high voltage, and in the last houses there will be normal or low. This is especially pronounced at a time when the line is heavily loaded.
Than dangerously high voltage
We figured out why there is an increased voltage in the electrical network, but what is its danger? This phenomenon in the network is dangerous primarily for household appliances. Although modern devices use switching power supplies with stabilized output circuits, but their input stages experience increased loads and can prematurely exit building.
Heating devices are also influenced - boilers, electric stoves, heating elements of washing machines, etc. Due to the high voltage, an increased current flows through their spirals. Accordingly, more power is allocated and the service life is reduced. This is especially dangerous for air heating elements, for example, convector threads and spirals.
Such a malfunction of the electrical network is also unfavorable for equipment with engines, such products include compressors of refrigerators, air conditioners, fans and pumps. Their windings will heat up and may eventually fail. The same applies to mains transformers.
Do not forget that since the current consumption also increases due to high voltage, then the wiring is loaded. In the best case, the consequences will lead to damage to the contact connections (especially if there are twists), and at worst to the burning of wires, melting of insulation and fire.
Where to go to solve the problem
You can influence the situation, but let's decide where to complain if there is a high voltage in the network. You need to ask your neighbors how things are in their houses and apartments. After you come to a common opinion, contact the supply company or network organization, or find out who the balance holder of the supply transformer substation is.
After that, you need to submit a collective application on behalf of the residents of the house or neighborhood. One application is usually not enough, so the more repeated calls, the sooner the problem will be eliminated! The application must be submitted in two copies, one remains with the applicants, but in it the organization to which the applicant applies must put a note of acceptance. Otherwise, you will not be able to prove that you applied.
If your home appliances are out of order due to surges or unstable power supply, do the same. We described this process in more detail in the article: https://samelectrik.ru/sgorela-bytovaya-texnika-iz-za-skachka-napryazheniya.html.
What to do to reduce stress at home
If for some reason collective appeal to the organization is difficult, or the electricity supplier ignores statements without providing quality energy, you can reduce the voltage in your apartment or for a specific device.
To do this, you need a mains voltage stabilizer, the cheapest option is a relay-type stabilizer. With its help, the power supply in a private house will return to nominal parameters. We considered this issue in more detail in the article: https://samelectrik.ru/kak-ponizit-postoyannoe-i-peremennoe-napryazhenie.html.
And if it is possible to connect to three phases - install phase switch, for example, PEF-301. It will automatically select the line with the best parameters. Or voltage relay type RN-111 to protect the most expensive consumers. If its rated current is not enough, connect the load through the contactor.
Finally, we recommend watching a useful video on the topic of the article:
Now you know what are the causes of high voltage in a house or apartment, as well as how you can protect equipment from the negative impact of this phenomenon. We hope the information provided was useful and interesting for you!
Related materials:
- Overvoltage in the network
- How to choose a stabilizer for your home
- Basic wiring faults
Normal voltage in the alternating current network is 50 Hz 230 volts.
Standard voltage values are regulated by GOST 29322-92. According to this document, all networks with a voltage of 220 volts before 2003 must be brought to a nominal voltage of 230 volts. And the edition of the standard GOST 29322 of 2014. prescribes this voltage standard as mandatory for all power supply organizations.
220 volts is an acceptable value, but it is closer to the lower acceptable limit.
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Cunning from the "children of Chubais" - industrial consumers have noticeably thinned out, and they want to get money. Raised the mains voltage to the upper permitted limit and here's a "raise in salary" (P = U * U / R). So, as a result, from the permitted power of 10kW at 220V, 11kW at 230V is obtained.
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About two years ago, a powerful housekeeper-a light bulb with sparks and smoke exploded, some of the electrical appliances of the neighbors on the street burnt out at the same moment, in one house even an entrance bag and an electric meter burned out. This year, the old drill suddenly overheated, the grinder's anchor burned out, regularly changed the LED lamps under warranty, but when the step-up transformer just caught fire in front of our eyes, I suspected something was wrong... I bought and installed the RN-104 voltage relay. ($ 25) I thought I wasted. It turned out that the voltage in the network jumps from 200 to 250 volts. When the relay was installed at 245 volts, it worked several times a day, and at night, when the street lighting was turned off, it was always necessary. It turned out to be very inconvenient, you watch TV and on: sit in the dark and wait for the tension to drop. Now I have set the relay limit to 250 volts - it works 2-3 times a week, but I think for a new grinder working at a voltage of 249 volts and a heat of +30 is not very comfortable, and an old electrical wiring is simple dangerous. I think now to pull several wiring lines, electrical appliances with protection, lighting, (I sacrifice light bulbs) - without protection, a TV with a stabilizer, a computer with a UPS.
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