Non-motoring > Very low voltage Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Armel Coussine Replies: 12
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New Fri 28 Jun 13 20:55 
 Very low voltage - Armel Coussine
Is this the austerity they have been threatening us with? We still have sporadic internet and TV, but the lights for the most part are dimly orange or won't go on at all. We thought we'd give them an hour before ringing up to complain.

Hope it's not that slowly leaning tall straight oak tree in boggy ground kept a few inches off the overhead power line only by a weaker tree of a more flexible, breakable, fragile species. Hope it's not that.

Really really hope it's not that.
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New Fri 28 Jun 13 21:57 
 Very low voltage - Haywain
AC (not DC!), you have to be very careful with an overly low voltage. ISTR it happened once in the village I lived in about 15 years ago. There wasn't enough voltage to turn the motor in the freezer so, instead, the coils in the motor became a heater and the thing warmed up! Not good for a freezer. I think we had orange lights and all that stuff that goes with dropped voltage.

Best keep an eye on it - and get in touch with the local electricity fellows!
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New Fri 28 Jun 13 22:34 
 Very low voltage - Slidingpillar
Seconded.

Known as a 'brown out' although I think the term is more used across the pond. Lights don't car but get dim, picture size on CRT telly's gets smaller, and anything with a motor has a risk of dying.
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New Fri 28 Jun 13 22:42 
 Very low voltage - Armel Coussine
About an hour ago while we were eating, all the power went off - a good sign I thought as the electricity chaps were aware of a widespread problem and were working on it. Half an hour later it came on properly and that was that. A couple of hours down altogether.

Thanks for the warnings re freezers chaps.
Last edited by: Armel Coussine on Fri 28 Jun 13 at 22:43
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 09:16 
 Very low voltage - diddy1234
I have experienced this a couple of times, It's part of a redundant backup system in the local grid network.

If a fault occurs (not a serious fault) but say a phase goes out, the local electricity drops from 230 volts to 110 volts. hence your lights are dim.

Most electrical items can sense what voltage and after turning off then back on will work fine (as they drop the voltage internally).

I had this at work and the newer pc's would happily work on 110Volts.

Things like fridges / kettles and microwaves were not so happy though.
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 10:42 
 Very low voltage - AnotherJohnH
>> I have experienced this a couple of times, It's part of a redundant backup system in the local grid network.

>> If a fault occurs (not a serious fault) but say a phase goes out,
>> the local electricity drops from 230 volts to 110 volts. hence your lights are dim.

I don't understand this - not to say you are wrong, but can you explain for me?
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 12:02 
 Very low voltage - Zero
As far as i know, there is no "fallback" or "backup" system of 110 volts on the domestic supply It would be extremely unwise for a number of reasons. Uk domestic supply currently is 230 V +10%/−6%. Anything below 216 volts is a failure not a fallback,
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 14:40 
 Very low voltage - bathtub tom
>>say a phase goes out, the local electricity drops from 230 volts to 110 volts.

Long time since I did this, but IIRC domestic supply is between one phase and neutral. Commercial (415V) is across two phases.

If one phase goes out a domestic customer will have all or nothing.
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 13:34 
 Very low voltage - corax
>> Known as a 'brown out' although I think the term is more used across the
>> pond.

Surely that's a more likely term for workers in the sewage industry?
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 15:33 
 Very low voltage - Robin O'Reliant
I thought this was going to be about a problem AC was having with his pacemaker.
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 15:52 
 Very low voltage - Roger.
Nope: that's a term for a former Prime Minister, skulking in Kirkaldy and not turning up to the job for which he is paid.
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 16:04 
 Very low voltage - L'escargot
>> We thought we'd give them an hour before ringing up to complain.

Don't ring up to complain, because that will probably only get the back up of the person you're speaking to. Just ring up to report the matter.
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New Sat 29 Jun 13 16:11 
 Very low voltage - Armel Coussine
Of course Gastropod. I am always very apologetic when reporting a fault, as if I fear that I am myself responsible.
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