Help with SW problem... [RE-wrenches]

[Travis Creswell, Ozark Solar]

Roy,

She probably didn't have lots of these problems before or she would have
mentioned it.

Any correlation to thunderstorms about the time of failures?  Probably not.

Of course she got her money out her 15 year old microwave and probably
shouldn't have had that 15 year old fridge anyway.  It is hard to blame them
totally on the SW.

Is she on on rural co-op?  I have seen problems with the power companies
voltage being way to high especially at night or during cool summer days. 
To the tune of 134 constant with spikes up to nearly 140.  The power
companies have to play some real fun games with voltage correction
capacitors in the summer in order to keep the voltage steady.  On cool days
they can't predict the lack of load thus the voltage ends up a little on the
high side.  Have the failure happened at night or day? 

You are sure about your grounding?  Two ground rods not bonded together can
wreak havoc (during lightening storms).

Is there a new factory on her substation?  Old factory with new equipment? 
Most utility problems aren't the utilities fault.  Usually it's your
neighbors fault.  My local utility offers a "Meter Treater" type of surge
protector.  They come out and pull the meter, install the meter treater in
the empty socket then plug the meter right back in on top of the meter
treater.  They charge $29 for installation and $5 per month.  I make all of
customers get them.  I don't know if it's any more effective than a LA302
type but it does have a 15,000 warranty that the LA302 doesn't.  I always
use those as well.

Has she put a added a new photocopier or laser printer after you did your
job?  They have about as nasty a THD you can find.  If so, get it on a
circuit by itself with a decent surge strip on it.

Of course I always tell my customers that I don't know how their appliances
will run in inverter power.  I do warn them that they might loose a few
although I never had any real problems but I'm sure it's just luck.

Good Luck

Travis Creswell
Ozark Solar

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