[RE-wrenches] Low grid voltage fix

[Darryl Thayer]

The utilities have buck boost transformers with tap changers in rural areas.  If the volatage is low or high the tap will automatically change to a new position increasing or decreasing the voltage.  They look like a transformer and they have a meter on the pole to determine setting and the voltage or boost or buck.   Most distrubution is three phase so you will find three of these frequently over 1/2 miles of less.  sometimes you will find all three on a pair of power of poles
Darryl

--- On Mon, 12/20/10, Mark Frye <markf at berkeleysolar.com> wrote:

> From: Mark Frye <markf at berkeleysolar.com>
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Low grid voltage fix
> To: "'RE-wrenches'" <re-wrenches at lists.re-wrenches.org>
> Date: Monday, December 20, 2010, 11:05 AM
> How do utilites go about adjusting
> the voltage at any given site? Adjustable
> taps on the transformers on the poles? Do they have to go
> back to the
> nearest sub-station? Re-arrange the distrubution of
> customers across
> differenat areas of the grid.
> 
> I am in the dark here.
>  
> Mark Frye
> Berkeley Solar Electric Systems
> 303 Redbud Way
> Nevada City,  CA 95959
> (530) 401-8024
> www.berkeleysolar.com 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org
> [mailto:re-wrenches-bounces at lists.re-wrenches.org]
> On Behalf Of August Goers
> Sent: Monday, December 20, 2010 8:54 AM
> To: RE-wrenches
> Subject: Re: [RE-wrenches] Low grid voltage fix
> 
> Hi Joel -
> 
> Have you tried getting PG&E out to check the line
> voltages? I believe they
> need to be +/- 5% steady state (ANSI Range A) or possibly
> +/- 10% (Range
> B) or they need to fix it. 105 V is way too low.
> 
> Here in the Bay Area I have found that PG&E is very
> receptive to resolving
> line voltage issues. They normally have a tech out to the
> site within a few
> hours after making a service call...
> 
> Best,
> 
> August
> 
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