For the normal functioning of various electrical appliances with significant drops in mains voltage, stabilizers are used. Naturally, such devices are most in demand among owners of private houses or cottages located in rural areas. This problem concerns owners of apartments in megacities much less often (although they often use such products to be sure of the stability of the voltage value and the extension of the life of expensive household appliances). In our article we will talk about the varieties of such devices, and also give ratings of voltage stabilizers, compiled separately for the most popular power groups.
Purpose and principle of operation
With significant surges in mains voltage, some household appliances may “refuse” to work at such times, and for others, this can cause premature failure forever. To avoid this, it is necessary to install a stabilizer. The voltage arriving at the input of such a device can vary over a rather wide range. The built-in electronics will automatically support the standard 220 V at the output. Depending on the power, a certain group of the most “sensitive” devices or the whole house (office, apartment, store or small enterprise) can be completely fed through the device.
Varieties
Voltage stabilizers today are represented by five main varieties:
- Relay (or step). To maintain the output voltage in the specified range, a special transformer is used, the windings of which are switched (depending on changes in the power supply parameters) using a relay in automatic mode. Voltage regulation can only be supported in discrete mode (that is, "steps").
- Electronic (thyristor or triac). The principle of operation is similar to relay stabilizers. The difference is that powerful semiconductor elements are used to switch the transformer windings.
- Electromechanical (or servo-driven). When the input voltage changes, the signal from the control module enters a special motor, which moves the collector brush along the stripped transformer winding. This ensures smooth adjustment and high stabilization accuracy.
- Hybrid, using both principles simultaneously for voltage stabilization: electromechanical and relay.
- Invertor. In such devices there is a double conversion of voltage: first alternating to constant, and then vice versa. To date, these are the most effective devices for stabilizing the mains voltage, but also the most expensive.
Specifications
Mains voltage stabilizers are characterized by:
- input voltage range: from 140-260 (for simple relay models) to 90-310 V (for inverter stabilizers);
- load power (that is, the total rated power of simultaneously connected devices): from 250 to 30,000 watts.
For information! The most popular among consumers are products with a capacity of 5000 watts, so they will focus on the voltage stabilizer ratings below. They differ:
- accuracy of stabilization of the output voltage: from ± 8 to ± 2%;
- Efficiency: from 95 to 98%;
- class of enclosure protection against external influences: IP20 or IP21;
- cooling system: natural or forced (using the built-in fan);
- range of operating ambient temperatures: from 0 to +40 ° (for top models from -25 ° to +45 ° );
- relative humidity permissible for normal operation: as a rule, not more than 80% (for products in the upper price range - up to 90%);
- overall dimensions;
- mass.
Manufacturers
The most famous manufacturers whose products regularly occupy the top lines of ratings of voltage stabilizers for the home:
- Russian: Iek, Elitech, Rucelf, Resanta, Energotekh, Energia, Drummer, Caliber, Teplocom, TDM, Wester and Calm;
- Italian: Quattro Elementi and Ortea;
- Chinese: Uniel, Vinon and Suntek;
- South Korean Daewoo.
Popular 5000 W Relay Stabilizers
All three relay models included in the rating of voltage stabilizers of 5 kW have the same accuracy of the level of maintaining the output voltage - ± 8%. Allowable according to GOST deviations from the standard value of 220 V are ± 10%. Therefore, even these quite budgetary devices will be able to provide a decent equalization of the mains voltage, which sometimes varies significantly.
On the first line, users put Quattro Elementi Stabilia 5000 worth 6500-6800 rubles. The input voltage range is quite standard for devices of this type and is 140-270 V. Moreover, 100% return of the declared power is provided only at 190-270 V. When the input voltage is reduced from 190 to 140 V, the power gradually decreases to 40%.
The second place in the rating of voltage stabilizers is occupied by Elitech ASN 5000RN (6100-6500 rubles). A distinctive feature of the model is a very wide range of input voltages - 100-260 V. Naturally, the Russian manufacturer does not talk about what “know-how” was used to achieve such a good indicator.
Closes the three leaders of the "Resant ASN-5000 N / 1-C" (6200-6700 rubles). The device with wall mount is designed for round-the-clock work. An automatic built-in fan prevents overheating of the transformer. Input and output voltages are displayed on a digital screen.
10,000 W relay models
Among the relay models with a capacity of 10 kW, the rating of voltage stabilizers for the house is headed by Rucelf SRW II-12000-L worth 15700-16100 rubles. The Russian manufacturer managed to achieve stabilization accuracy of ± 3.5%, which is simply phenomenal for this variety of devices.
The Chinese stabilizer Vinon FDR-10000 worth 12600-13500 rubles confidently settled in second place. “Middling” has the highest efficiency compared to competitors - 98%.
Users of South Korea's Daewoo DW-TM10 model (as their reviews clearly say) put them in third place only because of their commitment to the brand and, of course, the expected reliability and durability. The price is quite high and today is 18,000-18500 rubles. The multifunction display shows not only the values of the input and output voltages, but also the load level and the indication of the operation of the protection.
Top 3 thyristor stabilizers with a power of 5000 watts
Among thyristor devices with a power of 5000 W, the rating of voltage stabilizers for the home is headed by "Energy 5000 Classic" with 12 steps of adjustment and a degree of accuracy of ± 5%. The cost today is 22500-23500 rubles. Input voltage range - from 125 to 254 V.
Energotech Norma 5000 worth 18700-19100 rubles confidently takes the second line. Having a more modest 9-step auto-regulation and an accuracy of ± 7%, this model has a wider range of input voltages - 121-259 V. In addition, the device provides double protection against short circuit. A three-year warranty speaks of build quality and device reliability.
On the third "step of the pedestal" users put the Teplocom Skat STM-5000 with the original round case in the form of a "tower" worth 19800-20500 rubles. The degree of stabilization accuracy is the same as that of the leader - ± 5%, but the adjustment steps are only 7 (with a fairly wide range of input voltages - 125-290 V).
The rating of voltage stabilizers 10 kW (with thyristor switching windings) includes products from the same Russian manufacturers: Energia, Energoteh, Teplocom. Naturally, more powerful models are more expensive. For example, Teplocom Skat STM-10000 will cost 31,000-32,000 rubles, Energotech Norma Exclusive - 34,000-34500 rubles.
5000 W Electromechanical Stabilizers
The rating of 220 V voltage stabilizers among electromechanical models is headed by Sunter SNET-5000-EM worth 12900-13500 rubles. For devices with this principle of operation, the input operating voltage range is one of the best: 120-285 V. A technological feature of the design is that the movable servo brush overlaps two turns of the transformer winding at the same time, which eliminates the possibility of an electrical circuit breaking at the stabilizer output and prevents unwanted sparking. The case is made in a universal floor / wall version. The manufacturer provides a three-year warranty on this product.
A confident second place (especially in terms of price / quality ratio) is occupied by Resanta ASN-5000/1-EM worth 10,000-10,500 rubles. Yielding to the leader in the range of input voltages (140-260 V), the "average" surpasses it in stabilization accuracy - ± 2% (for Sunter - ± 3%).
Closes the top three rating of voltage stabilizers Rucelf SDW II-6000-L worth 12300-13000 rubles. The model is equipped with a multifunctional liquid crystal display that displays the network parameters and operating modes of the device itself. The stabilization accuracy is slightly lower than that of the two models described above, and is ± 3%. The case of the product is designed for desktop or wall-mounted operation.
Electromechanical stabilizers from Ortea
When creating electromechanical voltage stabilizers, the famous Italian manufacturer Ortea used the most advanced technologies. The microprocessors of the latest generation are used in the automatic control system. The speed of tracking changes in the input voltage is simply phenomenal - 2000 times / sec. This allows for fast, accurate and smooth control of the output voltage with an accuracy of 0.5 to 3%. When creating transformers, they use a unique method of vacuum impregnation, which, in combination with the frost-resistant components used, ensures uninterrupted operation of the device even at a temperature of -25 ° .
Input voltage range, which provides stabilization of 141-266 V. Built-in protection reliably protects all connected household appliances even from peak voltage surges in the mains.
Why did Ortea products not get into the rating of the best voltage regulators? Yes, because the price of such devices exceeds analogues by 4-5 times. So the 5000-watt Ortea Atlas 5-10 / 20 today costs 45800-51000 rubles. The more powerful (7000 W) Atlas 7-10 / 20 model will cost 56,000-57,000 rubles already. This technique with confidence can be recommended only to lovers of premium devices.
Hybrid devices from the Russian manufacturer Energia
Among products with a hybrid principle of operation, the leading places in the ratings of voltage stabilizers for a summer residence, home, apartment or office are regularly occupied by devices of the well-known Russian manufacturer Energia. This is due to their high technical characteristics:
- wide range of input voltages: from 105 to 280 V;
- high speed of reaction to changes in the parameters of the power supply network: no more than 10 ms;
- the choice of stabilization accuracy: from ± 3% to ± 5%;
- high efficiency: 98%;
- reinforced design of servo brush assembly.
The line of Hybrid Stabilizers manufactured by Energy is very wide. For information, we indicate prices for the most popular models: Hybrid 5000 (14200-14500 rubles), Hybrid 8000 (18400-18800 rubles), Hybrid 10000 (21900-22300 rubles). The digital index in the name of the device corresponds to the maximum power.
Invertor stabilizers from "Calm"
Among the inverter devices, the undisputed leaders in the ratings of the best voltage stabilizers for the home were and remain the products of the Russian manufacturer "Calm". Unique technical solutions for double voltage conversion without the use of transformers and the use of the most modern element base (for example, IGBT transistors) allowed developers to achieve truly impressive technical indicators:
- the widest input voltage range to date: from 90 to 310 V;
- instant response to changes in input parameters (0 ms);
- high accuracy of stabilization of the output voltage - not less than ± 2%;
- preservation of load power during short-term (up to 200 ms) network disconnection.
All products are equipped with electronic protection systems (both the stabilizer itself and the devices connected to it) against short circuit and overload. In addition, double conversion provides effective filtering from high-frequency interference from the primary power supply network (which is quite important for owners of Hi-Fi and Hi-End audio equipment).
The company offers a line of stabilizers with power from 350 to 20,000 watts. Price for the most popular models: IS1000 (1000 W) - 11000 rubles; IS3500 (3500 W) - 22600-23000 rubles; IS1110RT (6000 W) - 38300-39000 rubles; IS1110RT (10000 W) - 57200-58000 rubles.
The company provides a two-year warranty on all products.
What to look for when choosing
Having familiarized yourself with the ratings of 220 V voltage regulators for the home above, you already have a general idea of some models and their characteristics. Now let's talk about what to look for when choosing:
- First of all, we determine whether there are problems with electricity or not. To do this, get a simple multimeter and regularly measure the network voltage (in a house or apartment) for at least one week (every day in the morning and evening, when the power consumption is maximum). Indications must be recorded. Having calculated the minimum and maximum values, we determine the range of input voltages in which the stabilizer will work.
- Then we determine the load power. For a private house or apartment (if we want to power all consumers of electricity through a stabilizer), everything is extremely simple. We look at what maximum current the input “automatic machine” is designed for. We multiply this value by 220 V, add 20-30% to the obtained value (recommendations from "electric" gurus) and get the necessary power. If we want to save, then we make an accurate calculation by summing up the power of all the devices available in the house.
- Next, select the type of stabilizer. If you have regular voltage surges (and in both directions: both increase and decrease), then it is better to choose a relay, electronic or hybrid stabilizer. If the network "sags" (usually in the evening), and there are no sharp jumps, then it is more reasonable to purchase an electromechanical device. For adherents of obtaining the highest stabilization rates, we recommend inverter devices.
Finally
The final choice of a specific model, of course, will largely depend on your personal preferences and financial capabilities. In any case, if there are problems with voltage drops, then no matter what type of stabilizer you purchased, all electrical appliances will only thank you. Yes, and you yourself will feel that the bulbs shine brightly, the drill drills at the right speed, and the refrigerator freezes at the right temperature.