Voltage drops – this is one of the most common problems faced by the owners of household appliances. Fluctuations in the electrical network can cause serious damage to devices, from minor malfunctions to complete failure. In conditions of unstable electricity supply, it is especially important to understand how to protect your household appliances from such troubles.
Why does the voltage jump?
A sudden and significant change in the voltage of the electrical network is called a voltage surge. First of all, the quality and stability of electricity supply are affected by two main factors: maintaining a continuous balance between production and consumption of electricity in the power system, as well as the technical condition of networks (power lines, transformers, etc.). Wear and tear of electrical networks – one of the main problems in the energy market.
Power surges in the network can also be caused by the inclusion of a powerful device with a high level of energy consumption. Practice shows that most often such situations occur in the winter period – this is facilitated by the fact that people are at home more and operate various appliances. In addition, the need to turn on heaters, which are one of the most powerful household appliances, worsens the situation.
Also, often the wiring in housing is simply not designed for heavy loads. The communications are too old, their intersection does not allow normal operation of a modern washing machine, vacuum cleaner, heater and several other devices at the same time. That is why connecting a new device to the network leads to a general drop in voltage, and turning it off – to a leap in a bigger direction.
How to understand that there is something wrong with the voltage in the house or apartment?
The best option to determine if there are voltage drops in your home – is to use a multimeter, measuring and recording the results obtained in different periods of time. During normal operation, the voltage in the electrical network is 220 Volts (single-phase network). Electrical devices can function normally if the permissible rate is 5-10% higher. That is, the voltage, which is lower than 198 Volts and higher than 242 Volts – this is already a problem.
It is clear that few people have a multimeter at home, so there are a few more simple indicators that indicate problems with voltage:
- Flicker or dim glow of lamps, their burnout is quite frequent;
< li>Disruptions in the operation of household appliances: heaters heat up slowly, transformers hum, timers are reset, devices do not turn on or fail for no apparent reason.
If you notice such signs, you should call energy supply company, report the problem and demand its solution.
How do voltage drops affect appliances at home?
A low voltage indicator leads to the fact that appliances may not turn on, and too large a voltage jump leads to a breakdown in the insulation, which causes the equipment to fail. . There is also a high risk of fire, especially in old houses where the network is in an emergency state.
What to do to protect yourself from power surges at home?
There are several ways to protect yourself from the negative effects of power surges:
- Unplug appliances you rarely use. For example, if you don't wash things every day, then you shouldn't keep the washing machine plugged in all the time. If you are going on vacation or on a business trip and there is no one at home, you should also turn off electrical appliances from the outlet – it can significantly extend the life of their work.
- Install a voltage relay or stabilizer for equipment. The relay works in such a way that when this device detects a voltage drop, it turns off all household appliances, and when the voltage stabilizes, it gives a signal that the equipment can be turned on. You can buy a device for the entire apartment or an outlet relay for each device separately. The stabilizer adjusts the voltage level, thereby protecting the equipment from burning out. Most often, stabilizers are installed for stable operation of boilers and refrigerators.
- Buy a generator. This option is more suitable for owners of private houses, but there are generators that are also suitable for high-rise buildings. Generators are used as a backup power source. They supply electrical energy if it is disconnected or absent in the network. The most popular are gasoline and diesel generators, which can run for an average of 7-8 hours after starting (although it all depends on the load).
- Install an uninterruptible power supply unit UPS – it is an automatic device that allows the equipment connected to it to run on batteries for a while if the light goes out or there are voltage drops.