Regulators / Peak Voltages

[koji]

Here in my country Philippines people are using Automatic Voltage Regulators.

They regulate the voltages and give a stable 110/220V. Way back when I was a kid until now I see people using them.

 

They say that sometimes when you suddenly plugged in a device beside the socket where your PC is plugged in, voltages drops.

Or if you suddenly unplugged a device/appliance voltages will reach its peak.

 

Anyway its main use is to give stable voltage.

 

Now my question.. Is it really needed? I mean, our power supply are the one who manages the distribution of voltage right? They should also have this protection.

If our PSUs has this protection, why are people still purchasing AVR?

If our PSUs doesnt, why are the companies not offering it? It sounds like a good marketing material.

 

I have UPS so I dont really know, I never used them. But for those people who dont have budget for UPS they purchase this instead.

 

They cost mostly around $5-$10. I think it has only resistors, capacitors, diodes inside them. Not so sure I dont quite remember but I can say I can make one of it myself.

 

Btw.. Voltage Regulators are different from Surge Protectors.

[W-L]

-SNIP-

 

Most electronics can take a voltage range over the standard 120V or 240V but in general they don't add this stuff in since it costs more money while not offering that much gain. Things like PFC(powerfactor correction ) is important cause if there is poor power factor you won't get the rate wattage from the PSU. 

 

Depending on the UPS you have good quality ones have a built in AVR that can usually do a +/-10% difference in voltage, and if things get really bad or if there is a lot of noise it will cut itself off from the grid and switch over to battery backup until it improves.

[koji]

Most electronics can take a voltage range over the standard 120V or 240V but in general they don't add this stuff in since it costs more money while not offering that much gain. Things like PFC(powerfactor correction ) is important cause if there is poor power factor you won't get the rate wattage from the PSU. 

 

Depending on the UPS you have good quality ones have a built in AVR that can usually do a +/-10% difference in voltage, and if things get really bad or if there is a lot of noise it will cut itself off from the grid and switch over to battery backup until it improves.

PFC = AVR? Is that right?

 

So bottomline I need AVR?

[W-L]

PFC = AVR? Is that right?

So bottomline I need AVR?

 

PFC are AVR are not the same thing, power factor has to do with current and sinewave being leading or lagging in AC voltage where if they are 100% in sync you have perfect power factor. As for AVR's if you have huge variations in voltage in your area that would be a good thing to have check your UPS first since almost all have a built in AVR.