ferroresonance voltage stabilizer

Don Pedro

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Apr 2, 2005
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Did someone buy a ferroresonance voltage stabilizer?
This is a very old (70 years) but very efficient system to stabilize th voltage.

My question are :
Where did you buy it if you have one?

A such stabilizer is able to get 115 with an 79 input?

Friendly regards.

P.
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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They do sell voltage regulators here. Most major hardware stores have them. So do computer stores and electrical supply stores, in most cases.

As to whether they can up a 79 input to 115, I kinda doubt it. There are limits as to what they can do.

HB
 

gmiller261

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Dec 29, 2002
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I like the idea

In fact, when properly sized, these voltage-regulating transformers can provide a nominal output voltage ? even if the input voltage momentarily sags to 50 percent of nominal.

Haven't found what they mean by 'momentarily', milli-seconds or more.

If anyone finds these, please post.

PQSI Constant Voltage Transformers
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Did someone buy a ferroresonance voltage stabilizer?
This is a very old (70 years) but very efficient system to stabilize th voltage.

My question are :
Where did you buy it if you have one?

A such stabilizer is able to get 115 with an 79 input?

Friendly regards.

P.

As someone who has to fight the same battle I understand you're problem. Here in Gurabo, sometimes they send out voltage at 90 Volts, which won't turn on many appliances. Also, the wattage we receive is low as well, more that likley due to the number of people on the line after the transformer and the thin guage wire and even if the voltage is 110 the fridge compressor won't cut on.

My solution was to go to 220 - this way I never have less than 110 and can pull double the amperage that anyone else with 110. you will need to get a voltage regulator and they will run from RD16k and up installed.
 

Capt. Rob57

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Mar 22, 2006
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Hertz is the answer not watts or volts. it is the cycles. in the U.s. it is 60 hrtz. So some elevators won't work because they are made for 60 hrtz. In Monte Cristi many years back we had only 40 hrtz. so if you bought one rated for 60 hrtz. it would boost the power but, worked it to death. Check the hrtz. first then buy. Some of the more expensive ones will do both. The one I had in M.C. was rated for 40-60 hrtz. and boosted the current from 80 to 110 with no problem. All my stuff was made in the U.S. and never lost anything.
 

Chip

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Hertz is the answer not watts or volts. it is the cycles. in the U.s. it is 60 hrtz. So some elevators won't work because they are made for 60 hrtz. In Monte Cristi many years back we had only 40 hrtz. so if you bought one rated for 60 hrtz. it would boost the power but, worked it to death. Check the hrtz. first then buy. Some of the more expensive ones will do both. The one I had in M.C. was rated for 40-60 hrtz. and boosted the current from 80 to 110 with no problem. All my stuff was made in the U.S. and never lost anything.

The OP's question was specifically regarding increasing voltage so I assume he is having a problem with his equipment not working. It is a fact that if the voltage is low that many appliances will not work, regardless if the Hertz is at 60 cps.
 

Capt. Rob57

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Right, but if it is not a match sustem it won't work correctly. Hertz first then volts. For example: if you buy a elevator rated for 60 hertz and your input is only 40 hertz it is not going to boost the volts correctly. It will but, the system will get HOT and may damage equipt. Match the hertz for your area and then boost the volts. If for example your refirg. compressor goes boom, boom, boom it may be the volts are correct but the hertz are not. Look on the back of the thing bought here they are rated for low watts and hertz. But not american stuff. I went through this 10 years ago. A good one automatic will run around 300 dollars. But, well worth the money. Name brand new with warrt. just make sure whoever installs it know what they are doing. If you are running 220 by all means run a seperate line into your house. I don't know if they make elevators for 220 they did not when I bought mine.
 

Chip

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Right, but if it is not a match sustem it won't work correctly. Hertz first then volts. For example: if you buy a elevator rated for 60 hertz and your input is only 40 hertz it is not going to boost the volts correctly. It will but, the system will get HOT and may damage equipt. Match the hertz for your area and then boost the volts. If for example your refirg. compressor goes boom, boom, boom it may be the volts are correct but the hertz are not. Look on the back of the thing bought here they are rated for low watts and hertz. But not american stuff. I went through this 10 years ago. A good one automatic will run around 300 dollars. But, well worth the money. Name brand new with warrt. just make sure whoever installs it know what they are doing. If you are running 220 by all means run a seperate line into your house. I don't know if they make elevators for 220 they did not when I bought mine.

I bring 220 into the house for the sole purpose of converting it to a steady 110 with double the amperage I can normally pull. When the line voltage drops to 85 in the street I actually have 170 volts but the regulator will always keep it above 110 as long as the two component lines have a greater combined voltage.
 

Capt. Rob57

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you still don't understand. ok 220 divided by two is 110. so the means the hertz could be different also. Depends where you live in this country. In the capital we have 60 hrtz. but for example in the campos you don't. all I am saying is check the hrtz. first. before u buy an elevator that may not work properly. Hrtz are cycles get a cyclescope and look at the wave pattern. What will blow up you stuff is not low volts. as much as it is low hrtz. low volts it just won't run. low hrtz. with correct volts it will run but, ruin you stuff. Hey i am a redneck don't spell well but, know mt chit.
 

Chip

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you still don't understand. ok 220 divided by two is 110. so the means the hertz could be different also. Depends where you live in this country. In the capital we have 60 hrtz. but for example in the campos you don't. all I am saying is check the hrtz. first. before u buy an elevator that may not work properly. Hrtz are cycles get a cyclescope and look at the wave pattern. What will blow up you stuff is not low volts. as much as it is low hrtz. low volts it just won't run. low hrtz. with correct volts it will run but, ruin you stuff. Hey i am a redneck don't spell well but, know mt chit.

You don't undestand me, I'm not talking about elevators - I have a voltage regulator. I am simply stating what I have done to address the solution that I had specific to the location. I'm pretty certain I don't have a problem becasue my electric clocks typically stay close to the real time.

The OP needs to figure out if the problem he has is do to with Htz or, like in my case, low voltage.
 

sjh

aka - shadley
Jan 1, 2002
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Incorrect frequency and low voltage can both cause overheating. Low frequency is most damaging to electrical equipment that contains coils like transformers and motors because it allows more current to pass unimpeded. I doubt it will bother lightbulbs, but it will blow your computer power supply, fridge compressor, invertor transformer etc.

In places where the voltage is almost always low, lots of people like to play that trick with low voltage 220 fed into a 110 regulator. It works great until someone fixes the problem and you burn the regulator and sometimes every device in the house. I have seen more than one electrical fire caused by this.

Voltage regulators correct problems of low and high voltage. Here they usually work on the principle of a variable transformer. Some require the owner to adjust it manually, some have electronics that adjust it automatically. typically they can adjust from 90 - 140V and output at 110. Some also take 220 in. More expensive models have wider ranges and higher wattage ratings. They come in sizes as small as 500W up to 25K or much more. The small units come in a standard electric equipment box with meters and outlets on the front, larger units look very much like the transformers mounted on the utility poles. Ochoa can have them made to your specifications if you visit the electrical department. If you are on street power it is the second thing you should buy after you get your invertor.

I dont know of a good way to fix a low frequency problem. If your problem is really serious an inefficient way to fix it is to make a heavy duty battery charger that is rated at that frequency to charge your batteries and link your inverter to your batteries only and not to street power. This will decouple you entirely from the street power. If there is such a thing as a frequency shifter it would be nice if someone posted the info.

Not that it is important to this discussion but 220 is not actual 2 times 110 as you would mathematically expect. It is 2 phases out of a 3 phase system. A fourth wire would act as the neutral between the three phases. Connecting the neutral to any of the other 3 wires will give 110. This may not be true on a generator designed for 220 only but i am not sure.

I would like to note that i am not an electrical engineer.... It would be nice if one was around to correct any mistakes....
 

Don Pedro

Member
Apr 2, 2005
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As to whether they can up a 79 input to 115, I kinda doubt it. There are limits as to what they can do.

HB

I have an electronic voltage stabilizer, 3KW, 3000 watts for all my house.
Brand Avtek.
I use it for years. It works only from 52/53 volts and give you 115.
It works fine.
After 5 years it is time to change.
The problem of the Avtek is:
you have to know what the input is for example 60/70 and you connect wires accordingly . But in DR you never know this week it good be 60 volts , next week 90, today 55.

Why I want ferroresonnance: there is no electronic part, They gave you a 25 years warranty.it is very robust especially when surge power.
 

Don Pedro

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Apr 2, 2005
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Haven't found what they mean by 'momentarily', milli-seconds or more.

transformers[/url]

milli-secondes means a drop in a voltage, you have 115 and ''a micro cut'''in milli second and you burn you Hard disk as we did 20 years ago.

In DR , as you know , the drop is not in unity of milli seconds but weeks , month.

Is any one saw a 115 voltage without a booster?
 

sjh

aka - shadley
Jan 1, 2002
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www.geocities.com
http://www.elect-spec.com/klr_$.htm#Base

If the prices of these things are anything like what i see on the site above, it is a very expensive solution. 2175$ for a 2.5 Kw system

I bought a 2K automatic regulator for maybe 200$ a few years ago.
 

sjh

aka - shadley
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another suggestion: this is not a great country for desktop computers. The power supplies, even on a battery back just arent designed to handle the crap that comes down our powerlines.

get a laptop, the built in battery and high quality external power supply eliminate most problems. When they occur, usually you just need a new power supply (75 to 100$), rather than a new PC. The ratings on my dell power supply 50-60hz, 100 to 240 V.
 

Don Pedro

Member
Apr 2, 2005
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twice 110 to get 220 is a criollo way

http://www.elect-spec.com/klr_$.htm#Base

If the prices of these things are anything like what i see on the site above, it is a very expensive solution. 2175$ for a 2.5 Kw system

I bought a 2K automatic regulator for maybe 200$ a few years ago.

Once again you are right very expensive...

I say once again because what you said about twice 110 do not give you 220 of course.
Many houses burnt in the campo not to respect this fact.

To sum up what you wrote : twice 110 to get 220 it a criollo way not appropriate for a gringo house .
 

Chip

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FYI I have a voltage regulator being fed from 180 to 240 volts and the output is always around 110 volts. It was built by an Engineer that I know personally who worked at Trace. I am also an engineer myself, thought not electrical, and so therefore am not completely in the dark on this matter.

I also have a complete assortment of electrical equipment, including a desktop, that runs fine with the voltage regultaor(1.5 yrs and running). This equipment is my liveliehood so I won't take any chances. I also recommend in addition to the inverter having a surge protector to having a local one for important equipment. I also have a UPC in addition to a local surge protector to protect my scanner, computers, large format printer and regular printer among other sensitive equipment
 
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gmiller261

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Don Pedro

The comment ?monetarily? was based on the quote I found.

?Can provide a nominal output voltage ? even if the input voltage momentarily sags to 50 percent of nominal.?

As you pointed out nothing in the DR electrical service is momentary, therefore it may be a waste of money if the sag is 50% of nominal for 3 weeks.
 

elkangorito

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Sep 24, 2007
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A ferroresonant transformer is not the solution for the problems experienced in domestic premises (in DR).

These 'special' constant voltage transformers are generally applied where the electricity supply is essentially stable. They are mainly used to overcome the minor supply variations (voltage only) & are therefore ideal to protect sensitive electronic equipment & the like. They can only correct a problem that generally doesn't last any longer than 1 cycle (for 60Hz - 16.7mS), as they need time to 're-charge' after a line fault.

To alleviate the problems that are experienced in the homes of DR dwellers, an AVS (automatic voltage stabiliser) is recommended. The manual voltage stabilisers are not recommended due to the nature of the supply problems in DR.
 

Luperon

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Jun 28, 2004
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As someone who has to fight the same battle I understand you're problem. Here in Gurabo, sometimes they send out voltage at 90 Volts, which won't turn on many appliances. Also, the wattage we receive is low as well, more that likley due to the number of people on the line after the transformer and the thin guage wire and even if the voltage is 110 the fridge compressor won't cut on.

My solution was to go to 220 - this way I never have less than 110 and can pull double the amperage that anyone else with 110. you will need to get a voltage regulator and they will run from RD16k and up installed.

Chip, Can I ask you a few questions to clear up some things I have been told?
1- Should a 7000 watt 220 voltage regulator cost about $200 US?
2- Do you have only two live 110 wires from the street going into the voltage regulator, or do you have a third (ground) wire also?
3- Someone told me you would actually save money on the electric bill by using a voltage regulator..... Could that be true? Somehow I doubt it, since the voltage regulator itself has a fan and has to consume electricity.

Anyone else with knowldege of these voltage regulators (rocky..hillbilly.. etc) feel free to comment, this is all so confusing.

Thanks,
John