I have heard of inumerable problems with electrical equipment being destroyed by "power surges" in the DR. From what I have observed of the electrical distribution system in the Sosua region, I believe the real problem to be "brown outs" or low voltage for prolonged periods of time.
Jan and I have a house in Casa Linda and the project has it's own generator. While we don't suffer the long periods of no electricity, it's problematic when the normal power comes back on and drops below 108 volts and higher than 102 volts for more than 2 minutes. The generator system is not set to recognize this voltage as a blackout so the normal power continues to stay connected, wrecking havoc with electrical systems like air conditioners, refrigerators, and pool and water system pumps.
Solid state electronic systems such as TVs and stereos tend to not be bothered by these low voltage episodes due to the capacitance of these systems. The normal power distribution system I have seen for residential applications is an open delta which tends to suppress voltage spikes due to the inherent impedence of the system (I know this is rather technical but it's worth trying to understand).
My question is whether anyone has ever used a CVT (or constant voltage transformer to the layman) to mitigate the effects of the "brown outs and any voltage spikes that occur. This device keeps voltages within acceptable ranges for a brief period of time to prevent damage.
I have a lot of experience in power distribution systems and I believe that an investment in a CVT could save people a lot of expense by prolonging the life of a lot of electrical equipment. We will be installing one on our home when we return, initial investment will be about $300 US, but avoiding a smoked TV or refrigerator will pay for that rather quickly
Please let me know if anyone is familiar with what I am talking about or interested in knowing more.
Doug
Jan and I have a house in Casa Linda and the project has it's own generator. While we don't suffer the long periods of no electricity, it's problematic when the normal power comes back on and drops below 108 volts and higher than 102 volts for more than 2 minutes. The generator system is not set to recognize this voltage as a blackout so the normal power continues to stay connected, wrecking havoc with electrical systems like air conditioners, refrigerators, and pool and water system pumps.
Solid state electronic systems such as TVs and stereos tend to not be bothered by these low voltage episodes due to the capacitance of these systems. The normal power distribution system I have seen for residential applications is an open delta which tends to suppress voltage spikes due to the inherent impedence of the system (I know this is rather technical but it's worth trying to understand).
My question is whether anyone has ever used a CVT (or constant voltage transformer to the layman) to mitigate the effects of the "brown outs and any voltage spikes that occur. This device keeps voltages within acceptable ranges for a brief period of time to prevent damage.
I have a lot of experience in power distribution systems and I believe that an investment in a CVT could save people a lot of expense by prolonging the life of a lot of electrical equipment. We will be installing one on our home when we return, initial investment will be about $300 US, but avoiding a smoked TV or refrigerator will pay for that rather quickly
Please let me know if anyone is familiar with what I am talking about or interested in knowing more.
Doug
