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Forum Index : Other Stuff : Power conditioners in bush
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| domwild Guru  Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Hi, Have two types of power conditioners, two low-wattage (150W) types and one larger unit. The low watt types use two connected transformers while the huge unit uses one transformer (as heavy as an Italian mother-in-law!) and two huge caps. Q1.: Out of technical interest which type of transformer is being used here; forgot the name? Q2.: How does one and the other type work? Q3.: Have blown one satellite decoder during night time TV recording and am at the end of a line with my own power transformer on a mast, must I expect spikes? Q4.: Am using one low watt unit for the decoder now that I do not want to spend another $225 for a sat decoder; also connected to USB disk transformer and radio. Has an annoying 50 Hz hum. I suppose there is nothing I can do about the hum if I want protection. Thanks. Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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Gizmo Admin Group  Joined: 05/06/2004 Location: AustraliaPosts: 5078 |
Hi Dom Q1, dont know, what does it look like? Q2, guessing here, but the transformer/caps would be tuned to 50Hz, so anything else would be attenuated. Q3, or gremlins. Q4, hum is typical. At the end of the day, line conditioners are like lightning surge protectors, they help, but dont rely on them to protect your equipment. No amount of surge protection or filtering is going to stop that bolt of lightning hitting the power pole out the front of your house from frying every electrical device you have. Its more down to luck. Glenn The best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the second best time is right now. JAQ |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Sorry, I know there is little defence against lightning, I meant voltage spikes (perhaps big load going off line) or drops due to the neighbour switching on the welder, etc. When my sat decoder (UEC DSD 4121) croaked during night time recording there would have been no lightning, so I suspect another source. Cannot help with photo of transformer, but there are two identical coils side by side. Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Glenn, The transformer has coils next to one another and the low-wattage models have two of that type of transformer. The Satking satellite decoder has a 12V supply so caravaners can use it in the bush. Has anyone ever broken into a DC plugback or similar to check if a 12VDC Zener clamps the voltage to 12VDC max.? If so, then I do not have to bother to connect my "Surge Buster" to the sat decoder. Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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| VK4AYQ Guru Joined: 02/12/2009 Location: AustraliaPosts: 2539 |
Hi Domwild The best way to protect your sensitive gear is to make an isolated power supply I had similar troubles and found I couldn't rely on the mains as this area was renown for spikes and lightning strikes so hooked up a battery and a small sine wave inverter to isolate from the main supply, a 3 amp battery charger and a $50 battery from supercheap or a good old one will do. A small ebay down to USB converter takes care of the mobile phone charging and the tablet and a boost converter runs the lap top computer, about $5 each on fleabay, the sat internet has a 12 volt power supply so that was a piece of cake as was the wifi network doover. Can even run 12 volt emergency lighting LEDS as well. It is amazing how much low voltage new stuff you can run off the battery, later I will connect it onto a 12 volt panel and eliminate the charger. It costs a bit to do it depending how much good junk you have in the shed but I am sure it is better than buying a new sat converter. All the best Bob Foolin Around |
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| domwild Guru Joined: 16/12/2005 Location: AustraliaPosts: 873 |
Thanks Bob. dom Taxation as a means of achieving prosperity is like a man standing inside a bucket trying to lift himself up. Winston Churchill |
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