(Topic ID: 100511)

low line voltage in house...will a power conditioner help

By cosmokramer

9 years ago


Topic Heartbeat

Topic Stats

  • 30 posts
  • 15 Pinsiders participating
  • Latest reply 9 years ago by thedefog
  • Topic is favorited by 1 Pinsider

You

Linked Games

No games have been linked to this topic.

    Topic Gallery

    View topic image gallery

    20140817_185706.jpg
    #1 9 years ago

    my line voltage in the summer sometimes drops as low as 103.5v at every outlet in my home...this causes some of my older games (no fear, the shadow and black knight) to have reset issues...my newer sterns (MET, STLE, IMVE)work ok but im sure the low voltage is not good for them...I found out that there are power conditioners used my musicians mostly to clean up and regulate the voltage...anybody use these or have any knowledge if they will help out with the low voltage?...Thanks

    ...btw when I talk to my power company about the issue they could care less...

    #2 9 years ago

    Only if it includes batteries. Many of the lower cost ones are more just surge suppressors than anything.

    Tripp Lite offers a number that will work for you.

    http://www.tripplite.com/product/Line-Conditioners/838

    Expect to spend $100 or so to get one that will fit your needs.

    #3 9 years ago

    For that low a voltage dip and 11 machines, nope. Pointless to have a battery back up as it would trip the second it switched. They aren't designed for that kinda draw. I own a furman power conditioner in my studio. There are surge strips that will auto shut off/trip on brown outs for 1/5th the price.

    #4 9 years ago
    Quoted from cosmokramer:

    my line voltage in the summer sometimes drops as low as 103.5v at every outlet in my home...this causes some of my older games (No Fear, The Shadow and black knight) to have reset issues...my newer sterns (MET, STLE, IMVE)work ok but im sure the low voltage is not good for them...I found out that there are power conditioners used my musicians mostly to clean up and regulate the voltage...anybody use these or have any knowledge if they will help out with the low voltage?...Thanks
    ...btw when I talk to my power company about the issue they could care less...

    Your power company is likely violating federal regulations if your voltage is falling below 108 volts. I would call the power company and if they are not responsive I would tell them I am going to call the Department of Energy and any other applicable agencies.

    #5 9 years ago
    Quoted from thedefog:

    For that low a voltage dip and 11 machines, nope. Pointless to have a battery back up as it would trip the second it switched. They aren't designed for that kinda draw. I own a furman power conditioner in my studio. There are surge strips that will auto shut off/trip on brown outs for 1/5th the price.

    I would be ok by not playing the other machines during summer peak season but I would like something to plug the nf,ts,met,stle and imve into...what would you recommend to run just those five machines?

    #6 9 years ago

    This photo was taken at 7pm... well after peak draw...it was 103.9v a few hours ago...
    20140817_185706.jpg20140817_185706.jpg

    #7 9 years ago

    Have you looked into solar? Don't have it myself, but if it will bump up your voltage, it will do it at exactly the right time.

    Before you call the DOE, double check with a different meter. Just to be sure.

    #8 9 years ago

    Call the power company. They have to maintain a certain voltage level. They will send out an engineer to check your transformer, service wire and replace it if it is undersized.

    #9 9 years ago
    Quoted from Deez:

    Call the power company. They have to maintain a certain voltage level. They will send out an engineer to check your transformer, service wire and replace it if it is undersized.

    Yes, and the power company should be willing to check the voltage at the meter. If it is low at the meter then it is their problem to adjust/fix, and if it is only low in your house (house side of the meter) then it is likely a problem in your panel or wiring.
    Also, the guy that comes out will likely be a lineman rather than an Engineer. Engineers are not hands on with Utility power.

    #10 9 years ago
    Quoted from cosmokramer:

    I would be ok by not playing the other machines during summer peak season but I would like something to plug the nf,ts,met,stle and imve into...what would you recommend to run just those five machines?

    You are taking a risk by playing even 1 game when the voltage drops that low. You are putting excess strain on voltage regulators.

    #11 9 years ago

    Several folks with low line voltage have reported success preventing resets by installing my daughterboards...

    -Rob
    -visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets

    #12 9 years ago
    Quoted from rkahr:

    Several folks with low line voltage have reported success preventing resets by installing my daughterboards...
    -Rob
    -visit http://www.kahr.us to get my daughterboard that helps fix WPC pinball resets

    I saw those, I just want to make sure im not risking damage to machines by having voltage so low

    #13 9 years ago

    I guess I will call the power company tomorrow and insist they send someone out to check it out...

    #14 9 years ago

    another possibility, you might have a main breaker warming up on ya, acting somewhat as a resistor. a slightly loose clip on the meter itself? a main incoming wire barely too small to carry the load warming up. power company guy oughtta be able to find the issue pretty quick.

    #15 9 years ago

    Yup, leave this one to the power company. You shouldn't have to pay a cent or waste your own time wondering if the problem is external. Good luck! Hopefully they figure it out.

    #16 9 years ago
    Quoted from zizzlemeplease:

    another possibility, you might have a main breaker warming up on ya, acting somewhat as a resistor. a slightly loose clip on the meter itself? a main incoming wire barely too small to carry the load warming up. power company guy oughtta be able to find the issue pretty quick.

    I was going to say you better check the power at the box first before calling the electric co. You may have issues they cite you on right away. Above that though, I had issues with mine at one point be just a couple votes below. Once I noted I was having issues with a type of device sensitive, they came out and cranked out the power at the nearest whatever (you can tell I don’t know what they did ) and I was a couple volts above after that and good ever since.

    #17 9 years ago
    Quoted from Atomicboy:

    I was going to say you better check the power at the box first before calling the electric co. You may have issues they cite you on right away

    Thanks what I was thinking also.

    Best to check as close to the panel FIRST before you bring in witnesses.

    You may just have a in wall connection about ready to let go due to high impedance from a loose screw.

    #18 9 years ago

    Great advice here. Check with the power company. General rule at least in the Phila and surrounding areas 5% residential voltage range although that's based on a hour; shorter durations they allow as much as 50%... It gets tricky but you're pretty low. Definitely start with the power company and make sure they're supplying what you're paying for.

    If you like to read, there's lots of good stuff on the subject. IEEE Standard 519

    Table didn't copy through correctly but you should be less than 5% drop.
    Table 1.
    IEEE Std 519-1992 Harmonic Voltage Limits
    Voltage Distortion Limits
    Bus Voltage at PCC
    Individual Voltage
    Distortion (%)
    Total Voltage
    Distortion THD (%)
    69 kV and below 3.0 5.0
    69.001 kV through 161 kV 1.5 2.5
    161.001 kV and above 1.0 1.5
    NOTE: High-voltage systems can have up to 2.0% THD where the cause is an HVDC terminal that will
    attenuate by the time it is tapped for a user.

    #19 9 years ago

    Your problem could be after the meter and therefore your financial responsibility. The only way to test before the meter is having the power company come out and do it. That would be a good place to start.
    I just finally got the power company out to my house last week after determining the issue was before the meter.

    I have 125V on one leg and 101V on the other incoming wires (before the meter) with a heavy load applied. They could not find the exact cause but counted 27 homes on the one transformer with mine being at the end of the line

    #20 9 years ago

    Their is something called a variac that you can get. I have a triplite 4 winding one. Some more expensive ones have variable windings so the output voltage is always 120v +/- .1 volt. These are not cheap though and probably would run > $1000. They are sometimes used for high end audio/video where the SMPS's will not tolerate such a voltage swing like with your pins.

    #21 9 years ago
    Quoted from cosmokramer:

    ...btw when I talk to my power company about the issue they could care less...

    You mean they couldn't care less......!!!..........Joey

    #22 9 years ago
    Quoted from sixpakmopar:

    Your problem could be after the meter and therefore your financial responsibility. The only way to test before the meter is having the power company come out and do it. That would be a good place to start.

    Ditto↑
    Not sure on Ca power regulations but in NJ my brother had a leg out on his panel,instead of calling me he called the power company to come out and diagnose his problem,well they charged him $110 as they considered it a Nuisance call as it had nothing to do with their equipment.
    Turns out the aluminum wire feed to the Main breaker box on one leg corroded and due to the high resistance burnt a hole in the main breaker as no anti-corrode paste was applied Lucky his house didnt catch fire.
    Call your power supplier and see what and if they charge a fee.

    Being it was winter time i went to NJ and swapped out his main[was cheaper $$] in about 5 hours. I even called the Power co. to tell them i was pulling the meter because i was not waiting for them nor get charged for it.
    The tag on the meter has still not been replaced yet [8 years ago]i even told them to put a new one on because i was cutting it to remove the meter. So much for communication.

    #23 9 years ago

    checked with neighbor...same issue in his house...calling the power company now

    #24 9 years ago

    power company sending someone out within the next 24 hours...

    #25 9 years ago

    I'm actually really surprised they play at all with 103, especially WPC's!

    #26 9 years ago
    Quoted from DCFAN:

    Also, the guy that comes out will likely be a lineman rather than an Engineer. Engineers are not hands on with Utility power.

    The power company most certainly will send out an engineer for this not a lineman. Lineman construct the jobs designed by the engineers.

    Source - former power distribution engineer

    #27 9 years ago
    Quoted from Deez:

    The power company most certainly will send out an engineer for this not a lineman. Lineman construct the jobs designed by the engineers.
    Source - former power distribution engineer

    I am a former medium voltage EE and there is no way we were doing any hands on work. The Linemen/technicians are the only people that are typically certified to install and test the equipment.
    If a BSEE is doing testing on power lines then that electrical engineer is underemployed.

    #28 9 years ago

    We have PE engineers processing voltage complaints. I don't disagree they're under employed.

    2 weeks later
    #29 9 years ago

    Lineman came out, tested voltage at my meter and it was well below requirements. Came back the next day and said he had checked all transformers on this circuit and said he found where a previous lineman had made a temporary fix by increasing the load on another line to compensate for a bad line. This quick fix was supposed to be taken care of right away but got lost in the shuffle. He said he forwarded all info to an engineer to get a permanent solution drawn up and implemented...he was able to get our voltage to not drop below 108 now during the day so the pins are working much better.

    #30 9 years ago

    Excellent news. Glad you got it all worked out.

    Reply

    Wanna join the discussion? Please sign in to reply to this topic.

    Hey there! Welcome to Pinside!

    Donate to Pinside

    Great to see you're enjoying Pinside! Did you know Pinside is able to run without any 3rd-party banners or ads, thanks to the support from our visitors? Please consider a donation to Pinside and get anext to your username to show for it! Or better yet, subscribe to Pinside+!


    This page was printed from https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/low-line-voltage-in-housewill-a-power-conditioner-help and we tried optimising it for printing. Some page elements may have been deliberately hidden.

    Scan the QR code on the left to jump to the URL this document was printed from.