Voltage regulator

jaguarbob

Bronze
Mar 2, 2004
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Sorry,meant Voltage regulator


Need info on purchasing voltage regulator for my house in Samana.Anyone using one and where to purchase.
thanks,
Bob
 

AlterEgo

Administrator
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Jan 9, 2009
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We had a whole house voltage regulator installed earlier this month, made a tremendous difference.

Hopefully someone out your way will have a contact for you, ours is from Sabana Grande de Palenque in San Cristobal province, too far!!

As a basis for comparison, we got a 4KW [I think that's right] voltage regulator, installed, for 4000 pesos.
 

cobraboy

Pro-Bono Demolition Hobbyist
Jul 24, 2004
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We had a whole house voltage regulator installed earlier this month, made a tremendous difference.

Hopefully someone out your way will have a contact for you, ours is from Sabana Grande de Palenque in San Cristobal province, too far!!

As a basis for comparison, we got a 4KW [I think that's right] voltage regulator, installed, for 4000 pesos.
4000 pesos? Wow! Don't you mean 40,000?

We have pool pumps, water pumps and an a/c. For a whole house VR, we'd need something rather massive. I doubt 4kw is enough and it'd certainly be more than $RD4000...
 

Luperon

Who empowered China's crime against humanity?
Jun 28, 2004
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I'm looking for two of them...I have two 3.5Kw inverters so I want to get 2-4Kw voltage regulators to cover the entire house. I'm getting tired of listening to "humming" from the ceiling fans! :)

I could be wrong but, unless your inverters are pure sine wave you will still get a hum, it has nothing to do with having a voltage regulator.
 

AlterEgo

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4000 pesos? Wow! Don't you mean 40,000?

We have pool pumps, water pumps and an a/c. For a whole house VR, we'd need something rather massive. I doubt 4kw is enough and it'd certainly be more than $RD4000...

Our electrician builds them himself...we only needed 4KW, and that's what we paid him. Installed. All our appliances are running better and stronger, even the well pump is pumping with more pressure.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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I could be wrong but, unless your inverters are pure sine wave you will still get a hum, it has nothing to do with having a voltage regulator.

You are correct. In order to get rid of the hum when in inverter mode, you would need pure sine wave inverters.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Our electrician builds them himself...we only needed 4KW, and that's what we paid him. Installed. All our appliances are running better and stronger, even the well pump is pumping with more pressure.

Are you sure it is a "voltage regulator" and not just a "step-up transformer"? The transformer alone could end up frying your appliances if you get voltage spikes.
 

AlterEgo

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Are you sure it is a "voltage regulator" and not just a "step-up transformer"? The transformer alone could end up frying your appliances if you get voltage spikes.

I can only go by what he called it. I'm back in the US so can't post a photo, but I will when we get back.

I had that conversation with AE and her other half the other day. I still think that's what they got. A voltage regulator is much more complex.

Yep, you did warn us - let's hope everything goes well. The only appliance plugged in all the time is the fridge - everything else is only plugged in when used [except ceiling fans and ceiling light fixtures]
 

cruzan

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May 3, 2006
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Do yourself a huge favor, do not have anything installed unless you are there to watch the whole procedure. Make sure it is a NEW regulator on the inside, not just the outside so it looks new. Also,,,get a step up and a step down regulator, not all regulators step the current down.
 

malko

Campesino !! :)
Jan 12, 2013
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I do not know if u speaking of what U think of...
We had problems with " low tension regulator" , a stabilisateur they call it. I dont know how it works , I have currently no batteries ( even if I do have an inverter installed, its just my batteries are dead), before the fridge would hardly ever work, lights were low, fridge piece( cant remember the name burned twice, only 200 pesos but inconvient), etc.......
Since stabilisateur no problem, 2 water pumps pool and house, fans, 2 fridges, microwave, mixers......I got an 8 kw ( I think need to check it might be k)and installation plus equipment, just under 10 000 pesos....not cheap but it works, all I need now is electricity ( if ednorte happens to be listning).
 

mart1n

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Jul 13, 2006
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A voltage regulator is a unit that will take the incoming voltage and bring it up to 110volts. A good unit is not just a transformer it is more. They make a lot of transformers here and call them voltage regulators they work fine long as the incoming voltage stay the same but it does not. If you have a inverter your voltage regulator should be close to twice as large for example if you have a 3k inverter you should use a minimum of 5k voltage regulator. Most people that sell inverters also sell voltage regulators.
 

AlterEgo

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A voltage regulator is a unit that will take the incoming voltage and bring it up to 110volts. A good unit is not just a transformer it is more. They make a lot of transformers here and call them voltage regulators they work fine long as the incoming voltage stay the same but it does not. If you have a inverter your voltage regulator should be close to twice as large for example if you have a 3k inverter you should use a minimum of 5k voltage regulator. Most people that sell inverters also sell voltage regulators.

What we got was for the exact purpose you describe - our incoming voltage was 90ish, several appliances wouldn't run at all [microwave, new Kenmore washer]. Since the installation we have 110 all the time, and everything works. The well pump is 220, even that is running better. He installed the unit on the incoming line, before the pump [which is of course not on the inverter], then it runs into the inverters and power box.
 

Casino127

Member
Jan 13, 2012
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I live in the campo and voltage is like a yoyo. I loose around 600$ of equipment every years. I use to have regulators 1k, 2k. In my case they use to correct the voltage minus 5, plus 5 and not over that much and i use to burn the fuse often. What shall be the solution to get a steady 110 ??
Someone told me to get 220 volt and have a 110 transfo. ?
Thanks .
 

Castellamonte

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Mar 3, 2005
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The only way to get steady 110 is to run a generator 24/7.

The only way to get steady 110 without a generator is to install your own dedicated transformer on a pole, near your home. You won't have electricity when it goes off, unless you have an inverter or a generator.

Actually, I was told this and did this and it still doesn't work. I installed 13 concrete poles to drag the wire to my ranch, installed a 25Kw transformer (I'm the only draw) and I still do not get a reliable 110/120 unless I am on my generator. I also have a booster/regulator which was supposed to help...and probably does...but EdeNada sends electrical current at such weird voltages/amperage/wattage or whatever that nothing seems to be able to correct it all of the time.
 

windeguy

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Jul 10, 2004
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Actually, I was told this and did this and it still doesn't work. I installed 13 concrete poles to drag the wire to my ranch, installed a 25Kw transformer (I'm the only draw) and I still do not get a reliable 110/120 unless I am on my generator. I also have a booster/regulator which was supposed to help...and probably does...but EdeNada sends electrical current at such weird voltages/amperage/wattage or whatever that nothing seems to be able to correct it all of the time.

The reason in your case is that the high voltage line (probably about 7,000 volts) leading to your transformer has a lot of voltage swings present at the input of your transformer. That is a fault of Edenorte's distribution system. Your transformer cannot eliminate those voltage swings since it has no circuitry to "regulate" them. A voltage regulator between the transformer and your house would still be needed to improve the situation.
 

Kozy

Member
Jun 1, 2002
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We are considering buying a 35Kw voltage regulator, of two 20Kw. The prices we are being quoted vary as much as the electricity from Edenorte. One quote is about 1,100 US for a 20Kv, made in Korea(or Japan). Another quote is 17,000 US for a 35Kv made in the United States. Very confusing. Can anyone recommend a company and/or person on the north coast who can offer some reliable advice? K
 

andy_089

New member
Mar 23, 2003
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I bought one in 2009, but then moved to another area and never used it.
I would sell it for RD$8,000

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