What is the Voltage in Your System Today?

FullRangeMan · « **on:** 25 Jan 2022, 01:05 am »

At the beginning of this year the Voltage was not bad here at home, it was around 215V, but arrived a very unpleasant heat wave with temperatures of 40ºC and now we are at 210V to 215V all day long,

Some years ago the situation was worse around 201V-209V, but they made a new distribution center in the area and the voltage has improved a little. There is no way to turn on the system with such a low voltage.
So now 22h00 = 212V - 213V

dwmaggie · « **Reply #1 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 01:57 am »

111.1 volts is on the Monster filter display. Normally it is rock steady at 120. The power pole across the street has a transformer, my house is the only one hooked up to it. I live on a dead-end street. While writing this the voltage dropped to 110.5.

dlaloum · « **Reply #2 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 03:40 am »

Officially here in Australia - we moved from a previous 240V standard, to our current 230V standard

Having said that, the utilities have been rorting the system and maintaining voltages at the upper end of the 10% allowance

My voltage here has been 245V for years, with occasional peaks up to 253V (!!).

Yes this increases power bills, it also decreases electronic components lifetime.

On the positive side, it may provide more grunt to power amps, depending on the power supply design...

toocool4 · « **Reply #3 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 09:44 am »

I used to have power fluctuations, then I put in a regenerator. I set the regenerator to put out a constant 240V, no matter what the input voltage is. Much better for the equipment to have a constant voltage.

jtwrace · « **Reply #4 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 03:52 pm »

Quote from: dlaloum on 25 Jan 2022, 03:40 am

Yes this increases power bills

How is that possible though? Increased voltage decreases the load. Less load = less power consumption.

Speedskater · « **Reply #5 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 09:22 pm »

It's rather cold and sunny today.
I read 120.8V, but we often have over 123V readings.

dlaloum · « **Reply #6 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 09:30 pm »

Quote from: jtwrace on 25 Jan 2022, 03:52 pm

How is that possible though? Increased voltage decreases the load. Less load = less power consumption.

Not sure - it is related to how the power meters measure...

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-11-08/high-voltage-fuelling-increased-electricity-consumption/10460212#:~:text=%22Sustained%20high%20voltages%20at%20very,the%20country%2C%22%20he%20said.

Merryvale92 · « **Reply #7 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 09:55 pm »

My Furman ELITE 15I says 124, but I've seen it go up to 127. Florida has some filthy, erratic power, but at least the place I bought is reasonable.

SET Man · « **Reply #8 on:** 25 Jan 2022, 11:30 pm »

Hey!

I'm in Queens NYC. Right now on Tuesday January 25th at 6:30PM. According to my Fluke 179 multimeter the line is at 121V.

As for line voltage here in my area is pretty good and steady. Usually around 120-123V. Although during hot summer days here I see sometime the voltage will drop down to 110V. Which is not good for anything.

The Con Edison, the electric provider here would drop the line voltage down to 110V to prevent grid overload and burnout. Although, I'm using PS Audio P600 power regenerator, I usually don't turn my system on when I see the voltage drop to 110V.

Buddy

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #9 on:** 26 Jan 2022, 12:10 am »

Quote from: jtwrace on 25 Jan 2022, 03:52 pm

How is that possible though? Increased voltage decreases the load. Less load = less power consumption.

In my area they adjust the power transformer RTF phases to peak the T phase and use this phase at the power meter to read my electric consumption, this phase T increase the bill about 20-30%.

Tyson · « **Reply #10 on:** 26 Jan 2022, 12:15 am »

The voltage going to my audio system is exactly 120v, and it's been at exactly that same level ever since I got a PS Audio P5

Wayner · « **Reply #11 on:** 26 Jan 2022, 12:40 am »

Here in my home town my meter is almost always at 120, but will drift downward occasionally. I give our local power company an A+

And yes, I have a voltage meter installed from the mains.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #12 on:** 26 Jan 2022, 12:58 am »

Quote from: SET Man on 25 Jan 2022, 11:30 pm

The Con Edison, the electric provider here would drop the line voltage down to 110V to prevent grid overload and burnout. Although, I'm using PS Audio P600 power regenerator, I usually don't turn my system on when I see the voltage drop to 110V.

I think they dont drop the nominal 120V voltage but the voltage decreases according the network consumption, since they cant sustain the demand at 120V the voltage drops, the 225KVA transformer in my condo can down til 201V, at 200V-201V it shuts down by it cannot sustain the demand, IMO the transformer that serve your home would down till 100-105V until it shuts off.

Speedskater · « **Reply #13 on:** 27 Jan 2022, 04:59 pm »

Modern [Switch Mode Power Supplies] SMPS, don't care what the line voltage is.
If the line voltage is low, then they draw more current for the same power.
If the line voltage is high, then they draw less current for the same power.
They work the opposite of traditional linear power supplies.

Jeff_From_Michigan · « **Reply #14 on:** 27 Jan 2022, 06:28 pm »

Interesting thread.

Before Klaus built my Odyssey Audio amplification system, he was quite insistent on me testing and retesting the voltage coming out of the wall and he built the amps with that number in mind.

If I remember correctly, he was surprised that I was getting readings consistently in the 126-127V range. Just to be sure, I had my neighbor test mine and his, each with both my meter and his, and the numbers were consistent across the board. This was in the summer when demand was high.

The power company came out and tested the voltage from the meter outside, and he said that it was at 126V coming into the house. He said that 126 number was right at the top of the range that they considered normal, so he couldn't do anything about it.

Anyway, Klaus is the only audio manufacturer that I've had experience with that even talks about the electricity coming into the unit (granted, my experience with buying custom-built amps is limited).

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #15 on:** 27 Jan 2022, 11:33 pm »

Match point to Klaus, always first Class service.
Twenty years warranty at no extra cost

After the heat wave gone Iam getting 216-217V at the peak hour.

SET Man · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 Jan 2022, 02:14 am »

Quote from: FullRangeMan on 26 Jan 2022, 12:58 am

I think they dont drop the nominal 120V voltage but the voltage decreases according the network consumption, since they cant sustain the demand at 120V the voltage drops, the 225KVA transformer in my condo can down til 201V, at 200V-201V it shuts down by it cannot sustain the demand, IMO the transformer that serve your home would down till 100-105V until it shuts off.

Hey!

No, really it is for real. Yes, I know the voltage sagged with heavy uses in the area. But my electric company here, the Con Edison also drop the voltage and they even announced it on the news and asks people to conserve the power during the heatwave here in NYC.

Buddy

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 Jan 2022, 02:32 am »

Quote from: SET Man on 30 Jan 2022, 02:14 am

Hey!

No, really it is for real. Yes, I know the voltage sagged with heavy uses in the area. But my electric company here, the Con Edison also drop the voltage and they even announced it on the news and asks people to conserve the power during the heatwave here in NYC.

Buddy

Since the Voltage naturally drops by itself when we move away from the transformer that serves us, this is a amazing procedure.

Speedskater · « **Reply #18 on:** 1 Feb 2022, 02:24 pm »

Quote from: Speedskater on 25 Jan 2022, 09:22 pm

It's rather cold and sunny today.
I read 120.8V, but we often have over 123V readings.

A few afternoons later it was 118.2V.
This morning it's 122.0V.

FullRangeMan · « **Reply #19 on:** 17 Feb 2022, 02:12 am »

With heat wave return voltage has dropped to 210/215V all the day.