Re: Line Conditioner to Protect Electronics
By Fritz Gellerman
Further to Robbie Rhodes' comments on the Sola and similar voltage regulators, they are very frequency sensitive because they are resonant circuits. They work fine when the mains frequency is stable but only make matters worse when the frequency varies. I tell you this from personal experience. If you are going to use one you would of course make sure the wattage rating is sufficient for the load, then make sure the frequency of the regulator is right (Jakarta, for example, probably has 50 Herz mains), then verify that the mains frequency is stable.
It's been over 30 years since I looked at one of those regulators, but I would guess the tolerance is about +/- 1 Herz. There used to be a mechanical voltage regulator that was not frequency-sensitive. It consisted of an auto-transformer adjusted by some kind of a voltage- sensing circuit.
Lightning is a big problem in this area (central Florida). I have a heavy duty spike protector at the mains entrance and then the usual small ones for each piece of electronic equipment. Two very close lightning hits have not given any problems. (I also cross my fingers). The heavy duty outside protector protects the inside protectors.
Fritz Gellerman
[ The ordinary transformer doesn't offer the protection that the resonant
[ line conditioner provides. The two types are often installed together,
[ however. The line conditioner is usually rated for +/- 5% change in
[ mains frequency, or +/- 3 Hz at 60 Hz. -- Robbie
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(Message sent Fri 10 Jan 1997, 08:25:16 GMT, from time zone GMT-0500.) |
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