[HAL]

Ok, to start off Dave's new Circle, might be interesting to see what everyones AC line waveform and spectrum look like.  Here is what mine looks like on one phase.

Notice the top of the waveform.  That is where most electronics charge their power supplies.  It is getting rounded off due to the AC loads on the line. 

When you look at the spectral components of the waveform, you can see that there is a third harmonic in the third screen capture is where most of the distortion is contained.  The second harmonic of 60Hz is very low.

[srb]

Ok, to start off Dave's new Circle, might be interesting to see what everyones AC line waveform and spectrum look like.

And how are we supposed to gather this data?
 
Steve

[werd]

A fluke with a graph.

[HAL]

When I have gone to audio GTG's at folks places, I usually take the Fluke 43B with me to take a look.  Always interesting to see how different power systems compare.  My house is on a seperate transformer in my neighborhood, so I have pretty clean power. 

I did have a problem once that I purchased the Fluke to find.  The local power company came out and corrected the issue after sending them data.  Turned out to be corroded contacts in the AC power meter.  During that time, the line distortion was up around 6% and you could hear most toroidal transformers in the house hum.  Some people think it is DC on the line, some think it was a bad neutral.  Whatever the cause, the solution gave much cleaner audio system reproduction! 

[srb]

When I have gone to audio GTG's at folks places, I usually take the Fluke 43B with me to take a look.

The Fluke 43B Power Quality Analyzer looks like it retails for ~ $2700.  What is the least expensive Fluke meter that will accomplish this?  What would the Model 279 287 Multimeter at ~ $450 be able to accomplish?
 
Steve
 
(Edited for incorrect model number)

[HAL]

It has been 5 years since I bought the Fluke 43B.  I could not find the Fluke 279 meter on the website.  The 43B can be had for a lot less than $2700.

You could use an o'scope to measure the waveform and an audio spectrum analyzer to measure the harmonic structure.  Some newer o'scopes have spectrum analysis, but usually more expensive than the Fluke 43B.

My old Fluke 87III DMM was about $300 long ago. 

Sorry been along time since I looked in the market.

[werd]

When I have gone to audio GTG's at folks places, I usually take the Fluke 43B with me to take a look.  Always interesting to see how different power systems compare.  My house is on a seperate transformer in my neighborhood, so I have pretty clean power. 

I did have a problem once that I purchased the Fluke to find.  The local power company came out and corrected the issue after sending them data.  Turned out to be corroded contacts in the AC power meter.  During that time, the line distortion was up around 6% and you could hear most toroidal transformers in the house hum.  Some people think it is DC on the line, some think it was a bad neutral.  Whatever the cause, the solution gave much cleaner audio system reproduction!

Hi Hal

How much can a power conditioner fix that ac distortion do you think?

[srb]

It has been 5 years since I bought the Fluke 43B.  I could not find the Fluke 279 meter on the website.  The 43B can be had for a lot less than $2700.

The best price I could find on the 43B was ~ $2200 new and ~ 1600 refurbished.  Even if one can find it even cheaper, it's still too pricey for the average audio person who is curious about their AC.
 
Sorry, I had the model number wrong on the multimeter.  The least expensive Fluke I could find with graphing and capture is the model 287.  http://us.fluke.com/fluke/usen/Digital-Multimeters/Fluke-287.htm?PID=56058
 
Steve

[werd]

I am sure there are ones that memory it and you can dl on to your comp. some of the cheaper automotive meters might do that...

this one might work, i think it will they are only about 400 bucks on ebay.


http://ca.fluke.com/Fluke/caen/Digital-Multimeters/Fluke-287.htm?PID=56058

[HAL]

The Fluke 287 has a scope and will work over the AC line voltage range and frequency.  That part should be fine.

It does not have the spectrum analyzer, but that part is usually where the cost goes.

The meter also has the optical output to send data to a PC like the 43B.

[HAL]

Hi Hal

How much can a power conditioner fix that ac distortion do you think?

To make it a low distortion sinewave again would take a power regenerator. 

Folks like PS Audio create a waveform other than a sinewave to make a power supply charge for a longer period of time. There one waveform completly flattens the top of the sinewave to let a power supply charge longer.

I think Dave takes another approach since he is using power factor correction. 

[werd]

To make it a low distortion sinewave again would take a power regenerator. 

Folks like PS Audio create a waveform other than a sinewave to make a power supply charge for a longer period of time. There one waveform completly flattens the top of the sinewave to let a power supply charge longer.

I think Dave takes another approach since he is using power factor correction.

Wow!!, it makes me wonder how much we need to investigate our own AC and then decide on what method to use for conditioning......