10-19-2006, 07:53 PM
Hi,
At home, the usual culprits are electronics on the same circuit as induction loads (e.g., washers, driers, refrigerators, garage door openers, air conditioners, etc.) When these things turn off they generate spikes and when they turn on they pull down the line voltage. Find your fuse/breaker box and determine what each circuit supplies and try to put your electronics on 'clean' circuits.
In an industrial/commercial environment, your neighbors can have a big influence quality on your power. Big motors, especially if older and not well maintained, can put a lot of noise on your lines. And what I said about induction loads at home goes even more for the commercial loads.
About the best way to clean up power is to use a UPS that is line interactive (or an equivalent newer technology). A well designed unit pretty well isolates the load (computer or whatever) from the line, and can handle over/under voltage as well as most spikes. And the prices have come way down from what they were just ten years ago.
--Pete
Quote:Anyone else have some insight?It depends a lot on your environment. Some of the problems are from the power company, or rather, from the power distribution grid. Most of those are from the inability of the grid to supply enough power at certain times.
At home, the usual culprits are electronics on the same circuit as induction loads (e.g., washers, driers, refrigerators, garage door openers, air conditioners, etc.) When these things turn off they generate spikes and when they turn on they pull down the line voltage. Find your fuse/breaker box and determine what each circuit supplies and try to put your electronics on 'clean' circuits.
In an industrial/commercial environment, your neighbors can have a big influence quality on your power. Big motors, especially if older and not well maintained, can put a lot of noise on your lines. And what I said about induction loads at home goes even more for the commercial loads.
About the best way to clean up power is to use a UPS that is line interactive (or an equivalent newer technology). A well designed unit pretty well isolates the load (computer or whatever) from the line, and can handle over/under voltage as well as most spikes. And the prices have come way down from what they were just ten years ago.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?