Hello,
These are somethings I have found out about our Grid.
The Pocket
Since the use of transformers to lower votage as needed high load on/off's sometimes tirgger surges all over the grid.. Even though the CEB has added protection devices I'm afraid that sencitive devices will be destoried if not there service life would be reduced hitting the pocket of the poor people in the country for repaires.
Transformers Near houses
I used to live in a house right next to 33,000V transformer and guess what! Our fridge died, Our TV's Power Supply fried, My PC's motherboard said Bye, bye, and my UPS expldoed, also CFL blubs kept failing. Later did I understand that houses closest to the transformer experience a lot of over voltages as sudden load drops cause the voltage to rise and fry things.
No neutral grounding
One day my surge protection devices went to fail state saying there is a problem in the netural and when I check there was power in the neutral wire. I called the LECO and they responded and found a short at a hotel near by... It was not to be the last time I had neutral leaks.
So this means a short circuit in an Hotel almost a 1KM away caused the entire area to have a netural leak which is very bad because the netural line is not disconnected when you switch off the wall outlet. In the many countries the Neutral is grounded at access point just for this reason how ever the CEB feels it is wrong to ground their neutral
People can be killed this way!
Unprotected wires
Today lightning is the worst nightmare. Since there is no correct way to stop direct lightning without isolating yourself I feel the CEB has left out there part of the job. Normaly there should be an open metal wire on the load wires which is grounded at every pole. So if lightning strikes a pole or a broken wire the lightning will take the path with the least resistance (the open wire) so it will prevent direct lightning strike damage.
Power Meters and Surges
I'm not quite sure about this but I think it is possible for a power meter to lose accuracy after conducting very high voltage caused by lightning. Also surge protections must be installed BEFORE the meter because they are only surpose to disapate the extra voltage input. We shouldn't pay the CEB for over voltages.
Surge protection is not forever!
Protection devices need to be replaced on at least an yearly basis. But however there are no laws that allow us to force the CEB to maintain the grid so yea we are screwed.
Also remember that the protection MOV inside your UPS will also need replacing!
They don't pay for it
Like everything in this country, people do bad and get away with it and so does the CEB.
UPS don't give what they say!
I have seen many UPS's that say they will protect you from lightning and surges but even the Panora UPS is lying. Welcome to the world of business. Panora does somewhat a better job than most other UPS's but it still doesn't give required protection and does not comply with the UL standards. THe Panora has an MOV accross the Live and Neutral but they forgot that most computers have a Grounding connection and that is not taken to account so the surge will just flow through the Live to Ground. Most have the 14D471K MOV which will supress only upto 6,500 amps at around 200 joules which is only enough to stop a small indoor surge.
Cost of a good surge protector
Personally I make my own surge protectors because its far cheap. But you can buy a Belkin SurgeMaster Gold from ABB for around Rs. 7000/- and never buy protection devices without Thermal Fuse protection, In a direct strike its the only thing you have stop your house from burning down
I don't know why but no parts!
I went all over looking for the following MOV's but I can't find them. May be surge protection device sellers are blocking the imports
14D221K
14D241K
20D221K
20D241K
20D471K
40D221K
40D241K
40D471K
If you know where to find them let me know! I have to upgrade my surge protection
These are somethings I have found out about our Grid.
The Pocket
Since the use of transformers to lower votage as needed high load on/off's sometimes tirgger surges all over the grid.. Even though the CEB has added protection devices I'm afraid that sencitive devices will be destoried if not there service life would be reduced hitting the pocket of the poor people in the country for repaires.
Transformers Near houses
I used to live in a house right next to 33,000V transformer and guess what! Our fridge died, Our TV's Power Supply fried, My PC's motherboard said Bye, bye, and my UPS expldoed, also CFL blubs kept failing. Later did I understand that houses closest to the transformer experience a lot of over voltages as sudden load drops cause the voltage to rise and fry things.
No neutral grounding
One day my surge protection devices went to fail state saying there is a problem in the netural and when I check there was power in the neutral wire. I called the LECO and they responded and found a short at a hotel near by... It was not to be the last time I had neutral leaks.
So this means a short circuit in an Hotel almost a 1KM away caused the entire area to have a netural leak which is very bad because the netural line is not disconnected when you switch off the wall outlet. In the many countries the Neutral is grounded at access point just for this reason how ever the CEB feels it is wrong to ground their neutral
People can be killed this way!Unprotected wires
Today lightning is the worst nightmare. Since there is no correct way to stop direct lightning without isolating yourself I feel the CEB has left out there part of the job. Normaly there should be an open metal wire on the load wires which is grounded at every pole. So if lightning strikes a pole or a broken wire the lightning will take the path with the least resistance (the open wire) so it will prevent direct lightning strike damage.
Power Meters and Surges
I'm not quite sure about this but I think it is possible for a power meter to lose accuracy after conducting very high voltage caused by lightning. Also surge protections must be installed BEFORE the meter because they are only surpose to disapate the extra voltage input. We shouldn't pay the CEB for over voltages.
Surge protection is not forever!
Protection devices need to be replaced on at least an yearly basis. But however there are no laws that allow us to force the CEB to maintain the grid so yea we are screwed.
Also remember that the protection MOV inside your UPS will also need replacing!
They don't pay for it
Like everything in this country, people do bad and get away with it and so does the CEB.
UPS don't give what they say!
I have seen many UPS's that say they will protect you from lightning and surges but even the Panora UPS is lying. Welcome to the world of business. Panora does somewhat a better job than most other UPS's but it still doesn't give required protection and does not comply with the UL standards. THe Panora has an MOV accross the Live and Neutral but they forgot that most computers have a Grounding connection and that is not taken to account so the surge will just flow through the Live to Ground. Most have the 14D471K MOV which will supress only upto 6,500 amps at around 200 joules which is only enough to stop a small indoor surge.
Cost of a good surge protector
Personally I make my own surge protectors because its far cheap. But you can buy a Belkin SurgeMaster Gold from ABB for around Rs. 7000/- and never buy protection devices without Thermal Fuse protection, In a direct strike its the only thing you have stop your house from burning down
I don't know why but no parts!
I went all over looking for the following MOV's but I can't find them. May be surge protection device sellers are blocking the imports
14D221K
14D241K
20D221K
20D241K
20D471K
40D221K
40D241K
40D471K
If you know where to find them let me know! I have to upgrade my surge protection
