Very high voltage problem

[6pack]

Am having some really high voltage problem in my building from time to time. It does not happen frequently but at some strange times only. Like sometimes it starts around 7 am in the morning and keeps dipping between high and low voltages. Then it comes back to normal after 8:30 or 9. Then again around 4-5 i see it oscillate between high and low and again around 7 in evening to 8 (i guess).

I got the mseb person to check lines coming to the building. We found a fault in one of the phase cables. Society is stingy and dilly dallying on changing it cause its expensive to replace.

My meter line is connected on another phase cable though.
The voltage is so high that the stabilizer i connected before the ups goes on "buck" and the ups goes on battery too. The stabilizer is rated till 280v and i saw that above 280v it reduces the voltage by around 40-50v max. And my ups is set to go on battery above 255v. So that makes the input voltage 300v+
This happens like three or 4 times a day max and it happens continuously for around 1hr intervals. My fridge shuts off automatically at these times.
Also lost a cfl when it exploded when i switched it on during one of these times.

How do i cope with this? If this continues, i fear for the appliances connected in my home. All the wiring is internal and i dont think i could separate the light and utility lines. will an inverter with inbuilt stabilizer help? have blackouts here so suggest something so that with my limited budget i can get power too.

Limited budget = either i buy inverter or buy stabilizer. cant do both. (stabilizers are too costly :ashamed

 

[M@crosoft]

Which city is this?

 

[iChaitanya]

300+ V is not a joke. I suggest you talk with the society members and get the lines changed. I'm sure you're not the only person (in your society/apartment) facing this problem.

Get a decent voltage stabilizer right away. Preferably APC.

 

[asingh]

Take the lazy a** + stingy society elected leaders and show them the voltage ratings. Do it in one of their own houses so their noob eyes are open. Then tell them the truth, what all the spikes can take out. Preferably point at the most expensive device in the room. LED/LCD.

 

[adder]

I used to get this kind of voltages late at night or even in the afternoon ,the highest voltage i measured was 307.Obviously majority of the stabilizer out there can buck the voltage upto 290v.Beyond that they shutdown the output stage and they themself will go kaput at 320v.Obviously you will see some burn marks of the components inside the stabilizer if the voltage goes above 300v.

So only solution is confront the power company and ask them to keep the voltage in check .There is mostly a power conditioner near or at the transformer (or atleast that the case in most places in bangalore)and they need to set the voltage properly taking into account when the load decreases which happens usually at night.

 

[6pack]

guess i need to go and complain to the power company then. i'll also complain to the society leaders telling them of this problem. problem is they have inverters installed at their home and i've seen that these give out a fairly stable output. checked with my neighbour who has an inverter. asked them to switch it off and then could see the fluctuation in bulb output.

people in my building act only after something burns out - like their tv set.

 

[matoind]

which city are you in? Are you staying near an Industrial Area. The high voltage is mostly due the power factor capacitors left on despite no load. In Delhi it is necessary to connect the capacitors through the controllers that switch on/off as per requirement. But during the Government Board days, the only compulsion was to install capacitors. Using the controller was not necessary. That used to lead to Voltage surge during off peak hours. Guess you will have to go for a Voltage transformer with Voltage High/Low cut off.

 

[Emperor]

people in my building act only after something burns out - like their tv set.

Type a letter & bring 20-25 print out & distribute among few houses in society including Secretary & other governing body members explaining the problem & what can happens with them also & mentioned that if Society do some expense for repair will NOT ONLY benefit you but ALL SOCIETY MEMBERS including Water Pump (tell them what if water pump burns frequently)