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Is Your AC Power Line Going Wild ???

Think "Voltage Regulators" !

A few short years ago those "in the know" said "The Voltage Regulator Market is Dead!".

Computer gurus figured that a UPS under every desk would solve all power problems.

Whoa !!

First, most UPS units sold today, were, in the "good old days", more properly called SPS or Standby Power Supplies.

When AC Power is at normal levels, all present day lower cost UPS units merely pass AC Power directly from the wall sockets to operating equipment.  Your delicate equipment, operating directly off the power line, is still blasted with power line fluctuations, electrical noise interference and surges.

Only when line voltage falls to a threshold level - usually about 105 Volts - is operating equipment switched  to the battery operated portion - the UPS.  You then have 5 - 10 minutes to save your work, exit programs and shut down.

If the UPS is preceded by a good Voltage Regulator, the battery operated UPS will not kick in until Power Line voltage falls to about 85 or 90 Volts. 

This is particularly important during brown out conditions, when line voltage may hover between  103 Volts and 107 Volts for extended periods.

Your poor UPS is snapping between internal battery and commercial power all day long.  Internal battery is never fully recharged before it is called upon to supply power to connected equipment.

Your lights are still "on", so you're getting power;  all seems well. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, your system crashes.

What Happened ?

What happened is that your UPS battery became discharged by the intermittent demands and was unable to continue generating power during one of those low voltage brown out swings.

A voltage regulator can prevent this from happening to you by maintaining normal line voltage to your equipment - even when your AC Power sinks to an abysmal 85 - 90 volts !

Brown Out Surges and Electrical  Disturbances

As mentioned earlier, except during low voltage intervals, with lower cost "UPS" systems, your equipment is connected directly to commercial power.

Man made surges created by commercial and home equipment increase dramatically during brown out periods.  Electrical spikes and interference also increase greatly during brown outs. This is the stuff that can cause occasional erratic system performance.

A high performance voltage regulator can prevent this from happening to you by soaking up surges, spikes and disruptive electrical interference.  Your system will retain the silky smooth performance you need.

Indeed, a voltage regulator will extend your equipment operating life in addition to the many benefits it provides during brown outs by keeping your equipment operating smoothly.

Is a Voltage Regulator worth the Cost ?

We all know - Time is Money

It is generally felt that preventing just one system crash saves more than enough time to pay for the Voltage Regulator.

In addition, extended equipment operating life yields savings more than equal the Regulator cost.

What about other Voltage Regulator applications ?

Modern electronic equipment is becoming more sensitive to AC power variations, and many technical managers turn to Power Line Voltage Regulators to tame erratic system performance.

Field installations often obtain operating electricity from either field generators, or long commercial feeds. Voltage often varies wildly.  A voltage regulator can tame this beast before it gets to your equipment.

Sensitive Test and Measurement instrumentation programs often find regulator installation provides added stability.

Lighting used for TV or movie recording is often regulator controlled to provide consistent color renditions.

What Voltage Regulator types are available ?

Basically two voltage regulator operating modes are currently manufactured.

a. Ferroresonant Regulator

b. Tap-Changer (aka Voltage-Jumper) Regulator

The Differences ?

Ferroresonant Regulators:
1. Correct (regulate) output voltage continuously
2. Hold output voltage constant for input voltage down to about 85 volts
3. Transformer primary isolated from secondary to prevent line noise transfer to equipment
4. Provide massive absorption of power line spikes, surges, transients and electrical noise
5. Are a tad expensive

Tap-Changer (Voltage-Jumper) Regulators:
1. Correct (regulate) output voltage in 8 to 10 Volt steps (or jumps)
2. Provide voltage correction down to about 95 Volts
3. Equipment essentially connected to incoming power line
4. Use with Hi-Performance Filter-Suppressor for RFI & Surge suppression
5. Are quite modestly priced

In conclusion:

This segment has pointed up reasons to consider voltage regulators in your system protection planning.

Several application scenarios were presented to illustrate present day regulator usage.

The 2 major categories of regulators were discussed, with major points for each itemized.

With this information you will be able to decide if a regulator will provide cost-effective benefits for your system.   Should you decide to include a Voltage Regulator in your line of defense against spikes, surges, transients and electrical interference pollution, comparison drawn between the two major regulator categories will help you determine which best will serve your needs.

Special Voltage Regulator Tutorial Page

Also,
our FAQ pages discuss a wide range of practical problems and solutions based upon countless hours I have spent beating  spikes, transients, surges and interference into submission.  Check 'em out!

In particular, we have a number of FAQs and Application Notes dedicated to Voltage Regulators:

More Voltage Regulator Information to help you grasp the protection potential of these devices

Kleen Line Regulator-Isolator-Conditioners ...... the Ultimate System Protection
...... the Ultimate System Protection
Learn why these units provide an isle of tranquility in a sea of Power Pollution
transients, surges suppression lightning arrestors ground loops security

Specifications - Kleen Line Regulator-Isolator-Conditioners ... Can't be Beat
Compare performance specifications & you'll agree ... Buy 'em & You'll Love 'em!

UPS operation in Deep Brown-out Zone ....Application Note
Deep Brown-out zone operation offers a Severe Challenge. Here's how to do it

The Case for Voltage Regulators, even if you have a UPS ... Application Note
What you don't Know can (and will) hurt you, if you think a UPS will solve all Power Line problems. Learn why they're widely used for telecommunications, automation, security

Comparison
Kleen Line Regulator-Isolator-Condition vs Tap Changer/Voltage Jumper ...Amazing !!
Save a few bucks at your own peril ! Get the complete story here

Need Variable Regulated Voltage?   Check this !

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Download Adobe Acrobat ^(tm) Printer Friendly Voltage Regulator Tutorial .............

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Permission is granted to reproduce above copyrighted tutorial, or portions thereof, for in-house training, educational use or inclusion in technical magazine articles, e-zines, web site, newsletter or text books
Credit must be given to Electronic Specialists, Inc and author

The company Web Site Address (http://www.elect-spec.com) must be included

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