Quite often, owners of private houses are faced with the fact that the voltage in the network is significantly different from that which is necessary for the operation of household appliances. At the same time, such jumps occur several times a day, which leads to the failure of equipment. Therefore, experts recommend using a thyristor voltage stabilizer, which will provide the state of the supply network necessary for safe operation.
Why thyristor?
Three models of stabilizers dominate the current market for such products. They differ in their characteristics and have a completely different principle of operation. Therefore, before you buy a thyristor voltage stabilizer, you need to consider other types of designs to be sure of your own choice.
Shared device
The main element of the stabilizer is an autotransformer. This product can be made of copper or aluminum. The service life and the final cost depend on this.
The control circuit is an element of the device that allows you to set the necessary parameters, control and switch all the details among themselves.
Locking keys are exactly what a certain construction depends on. If triacs are used as them, then a thyristor voltage stabilizer is obtained, and if a relay is used, the device is called a relay. Also, latr can be installed as keys. Such stabilizers are called electromechanical or servo.
It is the keys that should be considered first of all, since the main characteristics of the device depend on them.
Relay designs
If we compare thyristor triac voltage stabilizers with relay devices, then the latter primarily have low cost and are easy to maintain after warranty. However, their reliability leaves much to be desired, and the stabilization accuracy is far inferior to other models.
Also, consumers note the very noisy operation of the structure. At the same time, such a disadvantage can be easily eliminated using special insulating materials.
Relay systems used to be thought to have a slow adjustment speed, but modern parts have almost completely eliminated this problem. New units are almost as fast as thyristors.
Systems using latr
Some users, in terms of reliability, compare a thyristor-type voltage stabilizer with designs that use latr as keys. However, such statements are without foundation. The fact is that servo-driven products have a special motor, quite often andquickly failing.
Also, such designs have a number of small drawbacks, which together can become a real problem. They are noisy, lose power, require regular maintenance, are very sensitive to high overloads and have large dimensions.
However, such products have their own advantages. They are expressed in low cost and a wide range of adjustment.
Thyristors (triacs)
It should be noted right away that electronic thyristor voltage stabilizers are quite expensive. However, they practically combined all the advantages of previous designs and brought products of this type to a completely different level. Such stabilizers can be called one of the most reliable and durable.
Products of this type have a minimum adjustment time, which makes the protection of household appliances the most effective. Power is practically not lost during the stabilization process, which is also important for some equipment. At the same time, the device is characterized by high adjustment accuracy.
Among the disadvantages of such designs is the distortion of the output signal and the formation of interference. However, this defect in new models is eliminated during manufacture, as well as other minor flaws. The main factor that repels buyers is considered exorbitant price, although some experts argue that such costs are fully justified.
Given that in the life of a modern person it is practically impossible to do without an expensivehousehold appliances, it is best to invest in thyristor voltage stabilizers for the home than to carry a TV or refrigerator for repair later. This is a smart economy and the right approach to security.
Thyristor or triac?
Some consumers often fail to understand that both of these terms are considered similar in the context of the story about voltage stabilizers. The fact is that the triac is one of the varieties of the thyristor. However, unlike the latter, it does not have a division into cathodes and anodes. In these semiconductor devices, all leads can be both at the same time.
Therefore, it is generally accepted that stabilizers assembled on triacs can be conditionally called thyristor ones. However, for ease of understanding the principle of operation and abbreviation of the name, most manufacturers do not use this term. They just say they are electronic stabilisers, even though they are designed to have a mechanical component as well.
Things to consider when choosing
Before choosing thyristor voltage stabilizers for the home, you need to understand what problems arise in the network. It is also important to measure the voltage and take into account the frequency of drops. This may require some time and appropriate equipment. Therefore, it is much easier to invite a specialist to perform such manipulations.
Power
This parameteris very important because it determines the degree of load on the product. It should be noted right away that it is not advisable to buy a stabilizer of this type for specific equipment, which means that the consumption of all devices should be calculated. To do this, you need to find a plate on the equipment indicating the parameters, where power is usually indicated. Then all the data obtained are added up and 20% is added to them. This reserve is simply necessary, because it will ensure smooth operation, allow you to connect additional equipment and increase the life of the device. It is important to remember that electric motors and refrigerators at their start-up significantly exceed the rated power, which is also better to take into account.
Number of phases
For private houses, thyristor three-phase voltage stabilizers are usually used. They are several times more expensive, their performance by some manufacturers is significantly different. In general, this parameter directly depends on the technical conditions of the building to which the electrical network is suitable.
Minimum and maximum voltage
This parameter is the main one, since the thyristor voltage stabilizer simply turns off when the minimum value in the network is reached. This is due to the fact that the device needs to take voltage for equalization, and it begins to load the line, which lowers its voltage even more. Given this, experts advise taking the lower limit for this parameter with a significant margin. However, this also affectsproduct cost.
The maximum voltage parameter is also important. However, it can be limited to an approximate value. The voltage margin in this direction will lead to unnecessary costs and may not even be used during the entire operation.
Additions
Even the most common single-phase thyristor voltage stabilizer can have a lot of different add-ons that simplify its operation and maintenance. Many manufacturers equip their products with a range of electronic circuits, control and monitoring systems. It comes to the fact that there are models that can connect to a computer and display diagrams of their work.
At this stage, everyone has the right to choose what he needs. However, experts believe that the presence of its own processor or a complex control system only increases the cost of the structure and its repair. Therefore, they prefer to opt for products with a quality transformer and a minimum package of add-ons.
Choosing a product based on a specific problem
If there are frequent fluctuations with minor deviations from the norm, then for such cases you can purchase a typical thyristor voltage regulator “Energy” or buy a product based on a relay. In the second case, you can save a little, although a quality design will always be quite expensive. Both of these devices respond quickly to changes in the network and ensure the safe operation of all household appliances even with the intensity of surges.
When the voltage rises or falls onfor a long time and at this jump value is too large (30-60 volts), then you can use a 220V thyristor voltage stabilizer, which takes into account the parameters of such drops. A servo-driven design is also suitable for such situations. However, it is worth remembering that a high-quality key of this type can sometimes cost more than a transformer, and cheap products fail too quickly. Given this, professionals almost completely abandon the use of electromechanical systems. They are used only in everyday life.
If the consumer is faced with the fact that he has all the problems that were listed above, then he only needs a thyristor stabilizer. The fact is that it can be called universal and able to cope with almost any task included in the list of its functions. It is fast, accurate and yet the most reliable.
General protection without specific network problems
Very often, people purchase a thyristor voltage regulator in order to protect their equipment from possible surges. At the same time, they are not going to spend significant amounts and they are not interested in high-quality products of high reliability. This approach can be called absolutely wrong, since it not only leads to unnecessary costs, but also cannot provide the necessary level of protection.
The fact is that if you do not have large drops or sudden voltage surges in your network, then the stabilizer is simply not needed. Its acquisition will only lead to additional costs, and if you want to save money, there is a chanceacquire a design that itself can cause a short circuit.
For such cases, it is worth using special relays that simply turn off the power in the network when a surge occurs. However, they have a certain delay, which is very good with several jumps in a row.
Some manufacturers offer to purchase household stabilizers that can be connected to certain appliances. This technical solution fits perfectly in combination with a relay and is considered optimal.
Recommendations from experts
You can assemble a thyristor voltage regulator with your own hands. However, it is worth remembering that the factory device undergoes a series of tests on a special stand, where its reliability and quality are checked. Also, such designs need adjustment of parameters so that they meet specific specifications. Therefore, home-made products are not in demand, since the protection of expensive household appliances depends on their operation.
Using a voltage stabilizer is not a panacea for all network problems associated with the operation of various household appliances. Experts say that only comprehensive protection can give a certain guarantee. Therefore, it is worth additionally purchasing other devices that respond to both surges and short circuits.
You can't save on this kind of technology, but this does not mean that you should overpay for certain brands or additional features that you will never have totake advantage. Specialists opt for reputable manufacturers and try to purchase models that do not have a large number of electronic control systems. It is better to spend more on a quality product with a good transformer than to buy a fancy stabilizer with a bunch of new options that will fail in a few months.
When purchasing such products, it is very important to find out about the availability of the warranty period and the service center in your city. Sometimes a failed product has to be simply thrown away, since it is unrealistic to find spare parts for it. Also, for these reasons, you should not take too complex models with a lot of electronics or control equipment.
Conclusion
When purchasing a thyristor voltage stabilizer, you need to take into account a number of factors that will subsequently affect the operation of the product. Based on the text presented above, we can conclude that in order to increase the level of comfort and safety, it is not worth saving by choosing cheap designs with optimal characteristics. All parameters that the stabilizer must have must correspond to the real state of the serviced network.
