what is the cause of fluctuation in voltage in house?how can i overcome this problem ?

Question

there is continuous fluctuation in voltage in my home.sometimes it is for 2 to 3 hours.this fluctuation can damage my UPS.how can i overcome this problem?is this because of loose earthing?

Answer 1

A power strip will prevent damage from spikes, but not from drops in voltage. You need a sine wave modulator. This will provide steady current that is very clean. Your power company should be notified of this problem. I had problem with refrigerators burning up one year. I proved it was due to a drop in voltage during the peak summer usage, and they replaced the refrigerator.

Answer 2

When you say "may occur", what you really want to ask is , "is permissible under the rules governing my public utility". The first step is to contact your power company. Have them quantify what exactly is going on. The next step would be to contact your state's utility board. Find out what your rights are with respect to your electric utility. The last step would be to approach the welding shop. More than likely the rules make them responsible for activity that disrupts the power supply beyond the limits set by the rules. Through all of this, keep in mind that there are devices on the market you can buy to protect equipment from minor voltage fluctuations. I have one that cost about $100 to protect my electronics from the dips that occur when my laser printer is warming up (noticeable as the lights flicker). Search Amazon for "voltage regulator" and you'll find many to choose from. If all you are seeing is a swing of 5V or so then that's probably going to be your only option. Remember, you are only being supplied 110 / 120 VAC, which is an AVERAGE voltage, not a guaranteed constant voltage.

Answer 3

I cannot explain the great fluctuation in voltage, especially in 2-3 hour periods. If I were you, I would call the electric utility and complain. Most will send someone out free of charge to analyze the power in your house. You may not like their answer, but you will have a professional opinion. You can also spend a couple hundred dollars on an electrician. The problem is the electrician may not know what he's doing and may try to sell you something you don't need. The utility is doing it as a public service, part of their role as a regulated monopoly.

Power can be corrected, but that is not the consumer's responsibility if the problem is in the system. Electric companies in the U.S. are mandated to provide a constant voltage.

Answer 4

May be yes.

Ask the people next door if they have same problem then it is the main supply from power company that is at the root of this malfunction (most likely).

This can be solved by installing voltage stabiliser on sensitive items or whole house. Surge protector is a good idea at all location they are very cheap now.

You can have qualified honest electrical contractor check the wiring for proper size and loose connection and if require remedy that first. Only thing about checking the connection is some connections may be unreachable and uncheckable they can be even be fire hazard (they will just look at the load to see wires are big enough, at that point they will tighten the screw type connection if loose they will know it and will get tightened).

Do it step by step, least expensive first, electric supplier will tel you that they are working on it if it is their problem (They may have over load condition), may let you borrow some equipment of short period of time.

Answer 5

Depending on the age of your house it may be that it's wired with aluminum wire. Aluminum wire is every bit as good at carrying electric current as copper wire but most electrical devices have brass or copper terminals on them and since aluminum and copper are dissimilar, Galvanic action causes corrosion to build up on the connections. The more build up, the less connection between the copper and aluminum. In affect this connection is like using a smaller wire than needed to power your appliances. If you have, for instance, a light on and, at the same time your electric water heater comes on automatically, then they are sharing that connection. The connection is not able to handle this load and both appliances suffer. the light goes dim and the water heater has to run longer to heat water.
In addition this a dangerous situation because these connections heat up and could cause a fire. Call an electrician and get it fixed.

Answer 6

You really should be telling your utility company about these spikes. Especially since they are happening often and perhaps for longer periods of time.

However, for your electronics such as computer, TV, and even telephones you need a power strip. The higher the joules the better. Granted those are a wee bit pricey but good protection. Besides isn't your investment worth protection?

Answer 7

First call the the electric company see if they will do something and if not you will have to call a electrician to put in a voltage regulator