POWER GAMES:Servo Stabilizer,CVT or Online UPS?

[arj]

Hi Ajay. Isolation Trfrs <deleted> weed out the RFI/EMIs.
but i am not able to advise you on this about its power conditioning since i myself struggled for close to a year with that question and could not definitely convince myself
http://www.hifivision.com/amplifiers/2082-audire-titan-monoblocks-3.html

But considering the cost, There is really no harm in trying.

if i were to go for it, i would go exactly the way Prem has mentioned above and as I had earlier also suggested ie keep the digital and analogue circuits separate. that itself will give you a great benefit.

 

[borg]

An isolation transformer with properly earthed shield can attenuate low level high frequency small signal noise,offer a seperate neutral,and provide protection against comon mode transients BUT no protection against differential mode (L-N) surges or noise , as the tfr will pass them
usually for electronic devices diff mode surges are more fatal, so an isolation transformer will improve your power quality but probably cant protect your equipment from a fatal surge and obviously it cant provide any voltage regulation

 

[ajay124]

An online UPS is working out pretty expensive.A 3 kva APC which would output 2.1 kva,would cost close to 40K.It would provide surge protection,voltage regulation and battery back up.
Therefore I am more inclined towards a 2 kva Vertex Servo + OBO surge protector which is costing 16K.Even if I opted for a 3 kva Vertex the price would be 17K.Much more affordable and providing more or less the same protection as the APC,minus the battery back up.
I could add a 500 va Isolation Transformer also,which would be dedicated only to the cd player.

 

[arj]

I need to correct my post...Borg is right. for this you will need to have some kind of a spike buster installed.

 

[ajay124]

My wife has been listening to a Squeezebox Boom through a power socket that is connected to the Sukam inverter.I have never enjoyed listening to it,because I found the SQ,shrill,noisy and tiring.Today I moved the Squeezebox to a 5 amp power socket in the kitchen which is not connected to the Inverter.Immediate improvement.Sound became sweet,refined,listenable.
Further tweaks....placed the SB on the refrigerator at a slightly higher than ear level height,placed a granite slab under the SB,firing down the length of the kitchen,found the perfect distance from the back wall,put the sub woofer and line in,line out to "off" and the Stereo XL at " on " for a surround sound effect......Finally the Squeezebox Boom is sounding like an audiophile product!
Listening to Linn Classical radio playing high resolution formats was wonderful.Unfortunately my 2 kpbs Airtel wireless connection is not up to the task of handling high resolution audio and video.It keeps going into buffering mode:sad:
But Bob Marley radio blaring "burnin and looting tonight" is sounding amazing.

 

[anm]

I think 3kva microtec should be in the budget (~20k). I am sure you can find another dealer if you don't like the current one.

 

[ajay124]

Spent a fruitful Sunday as the electrician I trust landed up.Turned out that the power socket I was using was not even 'earthed' as the underground cable layed 20 years ago must have broken at some point or maybe it was never there.Power cables used were cheap quality and ran through a confusing maze which would have been difficult to unravel.
Placed a fresh box with two 5 amp universal sockets and one 15 amp socket behind the audio rack and then ran a dedicated external line to the distribution box.Used Crabtree universal sockets,4 mm Havell cable and 1 mm earthing cable,Havell MCB,connected to the phase with the least load.Intend to connect an OBO Betterman surge protector placed in a MCB box behind the audio rack prior in the chain to the crabtree sockets.Once I have fixed the surge protector,I intend to directly connect the cdp,pre to individual 5 amp sockets and the power amp to the 15 amp socket.Period.End of the power conditioning saga for me!Total Cost 3K for materials and 0.5K for labour.. SQ is amazing!

Voltage fluctuation normally happens in the may-august period.If I feel the need in those months,I may install a Servo but for the moment I don't want to place any 'resistance' in the path of the 4 B SST.
@anm
A 3 kva APC is 45K.Even a Mikrotek would be close to 30K.At least in my set up with the satisfactory power situation in Chandigarh,I feel power conditioning may not only be a waste of money,but by restraining the dynamics may do more harm than good. I had contacted the Distributor,not the dealer.Found his attitude thoroughly unprofessional and indifferent:sad:

 

[hifiashok]

any luck speaking to the gent's no. i had PMd pl.?

 

[ajay124]

any luck speaking to the gent's no. i had PMd pl.?

Thanks for the link Hifiashok.I haven't called him yet,because for the moment I have opted for the path of least resistance.I have connected the system to a direct,dedicated power line and feel that for unimpeded dynamics and SQ this is the best option.Ultimately we are all into HiFi,because we want the purest SQ from our system.Most power conditioners may be a step backwards in this pursuit.For protection,I am buying a single line OBO Surge Protector which will protect the phase which provides power to the dedicated line I have installed.

 

[grubyhalo]

...For protection,I am buying a single line OBO Surge Protector which will protect the phase which provides power to the dedicated line I have installed.

Is this the one you're going for?

OBO BETTERMANN - OBO MCD-Sets

Would appreciate if you could post the model no. and price if possible. Thanks!

 

[ajay124]

Is this the one you're going for?

OBO BETTERMANN - OBO MCD-Sets

Would appreciate if you could post the model no. and price if possible. Thanks!

No,this is not the one.The model no. is V 20- C.You can call Mr.Manjunath from Vertex.His number is mentioned in an earlier post.For a 1 phase unit I have been quoted 3.5 K + shipping.
Even ABB makes these surge protectors/controllers/arresters.I have been told that they are available with the ABB distributor in Bangalore.
Before buying you should ensure whether you want surge protection for 1 phase or 3 phase.Some models are 15 kA others are 40 kA.You should confirm which one will suit your load requirements.There are models which have to be
completely replaced when they blow and there are more expensive pluggable models where only the MOV inside is
replaced,and the rest of the unit remains the same.Initial cost is higher for the plugable models but replacement cost is lower.The life of the surge controller would depend on the number and intensity of surges happening in your power supply.In a 3 phase supply where the load is sensibly divided,they would last longer.In an overloaded single phase they would be destroyed faster.

 

[grubyhalo]

Thanks much for your inputs, appreciate your time!

 

[shershah]

i have searched this forum and found this informative thread which has information which might be of use to the participants of this thread

http://www.hifivision.com/av-enhancers-room-acoustics/6669-how-calculate-load-protection-surge.html

 

[ajay124]

ABB also seems to be manufacturing Surge Protection Devices in India.
I have been told that for my requirement,a 40 kA single line device will be needed.Intend to contact ABB.

ABB Surge Protective Devices SPDs - Modular DIN Rail Products (Low Voltage Products and Systems)

 

[arj]

ABB also seems to be manufacturing Surge Protection Devices in India.
I have been told that for my requirement,a 40 kA single line device will be needed.Intend to contact ABB.

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40KA ?? Isnt that a Lot of Current for 1 house ?

 

[ajay124]

40KA ?? Isnt that a Lot of Current for 1 house ?

The V 20 C OBO tech specs state that the nominal discharge current of the upper part is 15 kA and the maximum discharge current of the upper part is 40kA.
I intend to understand what it means before I decide which protector to install.I would presume that the kA value relates to the amount of surge which the device can handle?As you go higher up the kA ladder prices increase quite a bit.And a one line protector is meant for only one phase.
@borg
Perhaps you can shed some light on this.The MCB used for the direct line to my music system is B32 which I presume means 32 Amps?Would the tech specs of the surge protector be dependent on this?

 

[borg]

.
@borg
Perhaps you can shed some light on this.The MCB used for the direct line to my music system is B32 which I presume means 32 Amps?Would the tech specs of the surge protector be dependent on this?

the surge current ratings mentioned in the specs are not related to your load, higher surge current capability means it can take more powerful hits
it is a performance test spec as mandated by international standards, see the attachment for a ul combination wave testing , a fast rise time combination wave is applied and the resulting surge current is measured,
remember that these are parallel devices and hence load independent

 

[ajay124]

Removed the Belkin surge protector/extension board from the chain.Plugged the cdp and pre into the recently installed individual 5 amp sockets,and the power amp into a 15 amp socket.The sound gained a sparkle and vibrancy I have never heard from my system before
I am convinced that providing clean direct,unihibited power can become a huge upgrade for any system.Furthet measures I plan to undertake:
The ABB or OBO surge protection device.
Furutech or Oyaide connectors with XLO,Supra or similar power cables for cdp/pre/power amp.
Our power supply has been working on two phases only,as the 3rd developed an unidentified fault several years ago.Planning to get after the electricity board and get the third phase working with an external overhead cable from the pole.
Dedicate this phase solely to HiFi!

 

[ajay124]

My system has been playing continuously for the past four hours,classical,jazz,rock,currently Marvin Gaye (What's goin' On).Removing the Belkin surge protector has to be the single biggest upgrade I have done in a long time.There is a LIQUID,effervescent edge to the music,like a Moet et Chandon champagne,which was not there before.
I don't think I would ever be able to listen to the system with any protection,real or imaginary,which took away this smooth and sparkling SQ.
I will be ordering the OBO tomorrow,and that's it.Also intend to change the connector's and power cables.

 

[prem]

Chief how do you manage to take out so much time to listen to music?