Is Electric Voltage Fluctuation Same All Over Samui?

[buzzer]

Hi,

I live in Bang Rak, and have a constant problem with electricity. I have a digital multi-meter, and monitor the voltage fluctuations quite a bit. When it becomes most serious is during the frequent blackouts, however, every day seems to hold problems with power fluctuations, and the nature of these has changed in the 5 months since I moved here from Chonburi.

This is serious enough for me to want to do something about it, including moving to another part of the island. Is it the same everywhere? A friend said it was noticeably worse in my particular area - across from Ting Tong Bar on the Ghost Road.

My lights dim, fans and A/C slow, and my computer's UPS starts beeping. A month ago, this only occurred during the evenings, but now it starts around 8 AM. Up until last month I would see a maximum of 210v and a minimum - very low - 139v. When the power dropped below 175v it would start beeping.

Now I see high numbers - up to 305v, but usually around 255v. Presently when the # drops to around 235v and less, the beeping starts. I can't figure out why the readings on my multi-meter would change. I also think I need a larger UPS, or line conditioner, to deal with some other electronic components I want to hook up. To summarize.

Is the problem island-wide?

Are there any areas outside mine that are better?

Is there a way I can fix the problem?

Are line conditioners available in Samui?

Thanks,

Buzzer

[sbk]

Good questions and answers I'd be interested in as well as we suffer the same fluctuations at our house on Koh P.

[mattias33]

Hi,

I live in Bang Rak, and have a constant problem with electricity. I have a digital multi-meter, and monitor the voltage fluctuations quite a bit. When it becomes most serious is during the frequent blackouts, however, every day seems to hold problems with power fluctuations, and the nature of these has changed in the 5 months since I moved here from Chonburi.

This is serious enough for me to want to do something about it, including moving to another part of the island. Is it the same everywhere? A friend said it was noticeably worse in my particular area - across from Ting Tong Bar on the Ghost Road.

My lights dim, fans and A/C slow, and my computer's UPS starts beeping. A month ago, this only occurred during the evenings, but now it starts around 8 AM. Up until last month I would see a maximum of 210v and a minimum - very low - 139v. When the power dropped below 175v it would start beeping.

Now I see high numbers - up to 305v, but usually around 255v. Presently when the # drops to around 235v and less, the beeping starts. I can't figure out why the readings on my multi-meter would change. I also think I need a larger UPS, or line conditioner, to deal with some other electronic components I want to hook up. To summarize.

Is the problem island-wide?

Are there any areas outside mine that are better?

Is there a way I can fix the problem?

Are line conditioners available in Samui?

Thanks,

Buzzer

I live a bit further down on the same road, allthough our neigbourhood is only a few years old. No problems of the kind you describe what so ever in my house.

I dont think it matter what area you live in on Samui, the problem seems to be in your house/neigbourhood electric equipment. Have also a couple of friends in blessing resort close to you and they never said anything about these problems.

I use to live across chaweng lake in a worn bungalow-village. There we had tre powerbreaks/week and often problems like you describe, but one look at the electric wires in the neighbourhood and one could easily understand why. Completely overgrown with tree and buches in beetween the wires.

Anyway, your area itself dont have problems that i know of so take a look how wires etc in and around your place look. Have a talk with the landlord / electric-company. Should work fine where you are living. Must be something they can fix.

[Pilchard]

To many houses / businesses on one transformer. Bigger problem usually with private landlords adding more bungalows but not beefing up the power supply. Next door puts the kettle on and your lights dim .

This is only one brand of automatic voltage regulator, others are available, usually cheaper in Surat.

http://www.siliconthai.com/

Very important to get the bigger ones fitted by a qualified electrician .

Pay the extra and get an Automatic machine. ( it adjusts its output as the incoming voltage goes up and down )

If you choose the cheaper manual version when the power comes back to normal your transformer will give much to high a voltage and blow up your TV ect...

Hope this helps

Edited October 9, 2007 by Pilchard

[buzzer]

Thanks for the responses. These answer my questions. This has my landlord's workmanship written all over it. New houses - everything done not even 50/50. Same problems described earlier - tree limbs & branches covering everything.

Talking to my landlord about any problem is useless. He just smiles, and tries to be friendly, walks away and does nothing. Maybe I'll do the same when it comes time to open my wallet next month.

Knowing that the problem might be solved by moving is a help.

Also the name brand of the transformer and advice to buy the automatic, not the cheap one, was great!

Thanks all, these responses came pretty quickly. I'll be checking back on the topic over the next few days to see what else turns up.

- Buzzer

[mattias33]

Thanks for the responses. These answer my questions. This has my landlord's workmanship written all over it. New houses - everything done not even 50/50. Same problems described earlier - tree limbs & branches covering everything.

Talking to my landlord about any problem is useless. He just smiles, and tries to be friendly, walks away and does nothing. Maybe I'll do the same when it comes time to open my wallet next month.

Knowing that the problem might be solved by moving is a help.

Also the name brand of the transformer and advice to buy the automatic, not the cheap one, was great!

Thanks all, these responses came pretty quickly. I'll be checking back on the topic over the next few days to see what else turns up.

- Buzzer

Yeah, realy buzzer. When its time to pay the rent is when you tell him what you want. Thing being that when i go from my house to Ban rak mainroad i pass estimated 25 nice houses for rent (at least) and many of them realy cheap and newly built. Any landlord in this area not listening to simple demands from long-term renters is about to loose money for sure.

The market is yours, absolutely no reason what so ever to stay there any further if he dont fix these problems for you. And if you are renting your house i dont see why you should have to buy transformers and so on either. The houseowner should make sure everything work and he shall pay everything for you, let him understand that. This area is filled with availible houses for rent/sale. As is the rest of samui. Put pressure on the landlord, its his problem realy.

Good luck.

[CBRSamui]

A good UPS is a must here on Samui. APC is the only brand of UPS I would recommend.

I have a 500VA UPS protecting my LCD TV, DVD-player, Hi-Fi System & Satellite Decoder.

I also have one on my PC.

If you have any expensive electronic equipment definitely get a UPS to protect it.

Brown-outs seem to be the most damaging to equipment:

http://www.elect-spec.com/faqbrwn.htm

[sbk]

We have our own meter (I am guessing this is what you mean by transformer?) but are on a small line branching off from the main one. Neighbor (before us on the line) has put in large a/c house and several ac/ bungalows. Could he be drawing the power away from ours even though we do have a good size meter--we paid extra to get a meter that draws more power.

[mattias33]

We have our own meter (I am guessing this is what you mean by transformer?) but are on a small line branching off from the main one. Neighbor (before us on the line) has put in large a/c house and several ac/ bungalows. Could he be drawing the power away from ours even though we do have a good size meter--we paid extra to get a meter that draws more power.

I would think so. If your meter is after your neigbour on the same line, the size of your meter wouldnt matter.

I would guess your problem is the "small line" you describe, might not be suited for his big use of electricity. Needs to be either beefed up, or perhaps you / or the neighbour can get your own line from the mainwire?

[Pilchard]

Transformers are the big , usually square gray boxes at the top of some power poles.

If a new hotel or row of shop houses is built the government will require landlord to make sure he has enough power to supply them by buying one of these (start at around 500,000 baht) .

Because of the cost private landlords just hook one house up to the next.

http://img.en.china.cn/image/10/00/42/35/0...78689_1_big.jpg

Edited October 9, 2007 by Pilchard

[sbk]

They put in a big new transformer in our neighborhood last year or so. But it has more than just our little offshoot line on it.

Also, we didn't start having problems like this until our neighbor put in all the aircon rooms.

**edit*** to be fair, we've always had problems but they seem to get worse during the high season esp when our neighbor has all his aircon rooms full.

[ClaudeFeller]

I recommend to everybody who has this problems to tell it to the landlord. They all have to understand this kind of problems. If no reaction of the little egghead - just move away. Time of "money for nothing" should be past time in Samui!

[mattias33]

They put in a big new transformer in our neighborhood last year or so. But it has more than just our little offshoot line on it.

Also, we didn't start having problems like this until our neighbor put in all the aircon rooms.

**edit*** to be fair, we've always had problems but they seem to get worse during the high season esp when our neighbor has all his aircon rooms full.

Well, its pretty obvious that your neigbour is the reason for your electric problems. Get in touch with the electric-company and see what they say. Dont know who has the responsibility to make sure there is power enough in the line for all this use, but i cant imagine its you.

Would be either the electric-company or your neighbour that needs to buy upgrade equipment for this new, higher use of electric that came up when he builded the new bungalows.

Dont know it for a fact, but using common sence this would be the case........... but then again, we are in Thailand.....hmmmmmm.

[sbk]

So you don't think the automatic voltage regulator would do us any good then? Our neighbor is closer to the transformer than we are but I really don't see him doing anything about this since it doesn't affect him.

[mattias33]

So you don't think the automatic voltage regulator would do us any good then? Our neighbor is closer to the transformer than we are but I really don't see him doing anything about this since it doesn't affect him.

Yeah, maybe the automatic voltage regulator will help. Maybe not. The bottom problem is the to low power in the small line, when everybody is using electric, like you say when he is fully booked. This is because he did not spend money on an transformer, witch he (i think by law?) should do when he builded the new bungalows.

Im just saying, without knowing anything in your particular case (who own the land, house etc), that for me it sounds like your neighbour should pay. On the other hand, if you get away with buying something cheap and get it to work properly it might not be worth the hassle.

But, have a talk with him, maybe if nobody complained he is not even aware of the problem. He might think that "i try, if i dont hear anything its ok, otherwise i have to buy a transformer".

Worth a try anyway.

[ksamuiguy]

I have been fighting this problem for many, many years here on Samui, and before that in just about anywhere you live here in the LOS.

The problem is To Many People on a transformer, be it a house, bar, hotel, resort. Most transformers are NOT dedicated to any one property, the Low Voltage is distributed to meters at different locations. Most Transformers are overloaded on the island. I won't go into the reasons.

If you want a transformer of your own, you can get it, and yes it is expensive, real expensive, and the paper work is a bitch, you will also pay 400 baht / per kw of the transformer as a guaranty, (100 KVA transformer the deposit is 40,000 baht) the last transformer a 100 kva we had installed costs just over 400,000 baht and that was very close to the existing High Voltage line, Plus deposit, plus hook up charge. And Only one meter is allowed on a house paper, now you have to install a low voltage distribution system with breakers and all the associated stuff, and don't forget the copper wire from the transformer to your distribution panel. (Average cost of the wire 580 baht a meter just for the wire. (Cost of Copper up 37% in the last 12

months.) At the end of the installation it cost just over 680,000 baht.

Voltage regulators only work down to about 190 volts than they don work, you can not make electricity where there is none, the current (amps) also go up as the voltage drops. A good UPS for light loads, Computer, VCR DVD Medium size TV. the UPS's are available all the way up to 1500 watts. APC is the only way to go.

The most damaged equipment due to low voltage are devices with motors, refrigerators, Fans, your A/C. If you see the fan turning slow or light bulbs dim, unplug everything you can. I keep a small 7 watt bulb plugged into a socket just for this purpose.

I suggest that you install a refrigerator protector on your fringes.

Believe me the power is getting better here, but it still has a long way to go.

Have a nice weekend.

[ClaudeFeller]

Actually there are 2 undersea cables to Samui, planning is to add a third one.

But will this affect the fact that too many house are hanging on the same transformer? I dont know.

[sbk]

I suggest that you install a refrigerator protector on your fringes.

Refrigerator Protector?

Actually there are 2 undersea cables to Samui, planning is to add a third one.

But will this affect the fact that too many house are hanging on the same transformer? I dont know.

And only one to Koh P -I somehow doubt they will add more but certainly allow what appears to be unrestricted growth. SOP (standard operating procedure), I believe

[baanthale]

I have been fighting this problem for many, many years here on Samui, and before that in just about anywhere you live here in the LOS.

The problem is To Many People on a transformer, be it a house, bar, hotel, resort. Most transformers are NOT dedicated to any one property, the Low Voltage is distributed to meters at different locations. Most Transformers are overloaded on the island. I won't go into the reasons.

If you want a transformer of your own, you can get it, and yes it is expensive, real expensive, and the paper work is a bitch, you will also pay 400 baht / per kw of the transformer as a guaranty, (100 KVA transformer the deposit is 40,000 baht) the last transformer a 100 kva we had installed costs just over 400,000 baht and that was very close to the existing High Voltage line, Plus deposit, plus hook up charge. And Only one meter is allowed on a house paper, now you have to install a low voltage distribution system with breakers and all the associated stuff, and don't forget the copper wire from the transformer to your distribution panel. (Average cost of the wire 580 baht a meter just for the wire. (Cost of Copper up 37% in the last 12

months.) At the end of the installation it cost just over 680,000 baht.

Voltage regulators only work down to about 190 volts than they don work, you can not make electricity where there is none, the current (amps) also go up as the voltage drops. A good UPS for light loads, Computer, VCR DVD Medium size TV. the UPS's are available all the way up to 1500 watts. APC is the only way to go.

The most damaged equipment due to low voltage are devices with motors, refrigerators, Fans, your A/C. If you see the fan turning slow or light bulbs dim, unplug everything you can. I keep a small 7 watt bulb plugged into a socket just for this purpose.

I suggest that you install a refrigerator protector on your fringes.

Believe me the power is getting better here, but it still has a long way to go.

Have a nice weekend.

That sounded VERY expensive! I installed a 100kw transformer with a main board of 5 fuses (5 outlets), together with a new 3 phase fuse box, 50 meter of ground cable (can't remember name on cable, but it was around 30,000THB only for that cable). All together 500,000THB, that included work and some other extra electical work at our house. I know that you will get different prices depending on who you use and ask on the island. I know one guy who reasently paid 600,000THB only for a 50kw transformer.

regards,

[ClaudeFeller]

Sounds like the PEA is not willing to show an official price list to any "rich farangs"! Guess the reasons...

[tjo o tjim]

If your neighbor doesn't have any problems, you should check and make sure your power consumption is under the rating of the cables to the house! If you are overloading the cables, this is a big fire hazard.

Do you have a clamp-on meter amp meter that can go around one of the conductors of your incoming supply? If not, check your voltage in two different places, at the meter, and at an outlet as far away from the meter as possible.

Automatic Voltage Regulators are great at protecting yourself against PEA problems, but if the problems are internal, they do pose a higher risk to yourself. They will continue to draw equal power, no matter what the voltage is. This leads to higher current consumption at low voltages.

175-305V is not a normal range for the utility. 200-240V is beyond western specifications, but not too unreasonable for Thailand. The excessive voltage variations you see, especially at the high end, suggest a real problem. Be careful.

[mattias33]

If your neighbor doesn't have any problems, you should check and make sure your power consumption is under the rating of the cables to the house! If you are overloading the cables, this is a big fire hazard.

Do you have a clamp-on meter amp meter that can go around one of the conductors of your incoming supply? If not, check your voltage in two different places, at the meter, and at an outlet as far away from the meter as possible.

Automatic Voltage Regulators are great at protecting yourself against PEA problems, but if the problems are internal, they do pose a higher risk to yourself. They will continue to draw equal power, no matter what the voltage is. This leads to higher current consumption at low voltages.

175-305V is not a normal range for the utility. 200-240V is beyond western specifications, but not too unreasonable for Thailand. The excessive voltage variations you see, especially at the high end, suggest a real problem. Be careful.

Very good post, tjo o tjim. Actually the fire hazard is something that got forgotten in this thread. Anybody with electric problems need to check why the problem is there. Can many times be something that leeds to fire. Good you brought it up.

[naka]

We have our own meter (I am guessing this is what you mean by transformer?) but are on a small line branching off from the main one. Neighbor (before us on the line) has put in large a/c house and several ac/ bungalows. Could he be drawing the power away from ours even though we do have a good size meter--we paid extra to get a meter that draws more power.

Your problem is unlikely to have anything to do with the transformer and certainly nothing to

do with the meter. All a meter does is measure.

Most likely it is because the overhead line running to your house is too small.

Unlike in the west where copper is used for medium voltage lines, aluminium is used in Thailand

due to it's lower cost, and long runs can result in voltage reductions if the conductor size is inadequate.

Naka.

[buzzer]

If your neighbor doesn't have any problems, you should check and make sure your power consumption is under the rating of the cables to the house! If you are overloading the cables, this is a big fire hazard.

Do you have a clamp-on meter amp meter that can go around one of the conductors of your incoming supply? If not, check your voltage in two different places, at the meter, and at an outlet as far away from the meter as possible.

Automatic Voltage Regulators are great at protecting yourself against PEA problems, but if the problems are internal, they do pose a higher risk to yourself. They will continue to draw equal power, no matter what the voltage is. This leads to higher current consumption at low voltages.

175-305V is not a normal range for the utility. 200-240V is beyond western specifications, but not too unreasonable for Thailand. The excessive voltage variations you see, especially at the high end, suggest a real problem. Be careful.

Thanks all for replying. There has been a lot of great insight into the problem shown here. Regarding the message quoted above. Thanks! Above all, we forget safety many times as the main issue, and here I am worried about my computer. I have a cheapo digital multi-meter, not the clamp-on type. I've checked it at various locations, like you suggested.

The big mystery is the fluctuation. Here's where it gets a lot worse than my previous post. Previously I witnessed a high of around 305v. The other day I was watching the lights go crazy, the fans and a/c running too slow, and my UPS clicking in and out. Watching my multimeter go way past 300. I started calling out to my housekeeper, like an auctioneer. "That's 389 do I hear 390?" I kept this up for a couple minutes. "Sold at 410!"

410 volts! Yikes! I grabbed my multimeter and hit the hold button at 409v. Then I went to get my camera, but its battery was dead. Remembering I had a camera in my phone. I pulled it out and, as I was about to snap the shutter, the battery on the multi-meter died! Electrical problems abounded last Friday. Anyway my housekeeper saw 410 too, so I have a witness.

But isn't this extreme? I am definitely avoiding the use of my computer during the afternoons lately. Which leads to the other question? Why during the afternoons? It seems like it would be worse during evening, when everyone is home using a/c, and TVs. BTW the lowest I've seen was around 134v or so. So it goes from almost half to nearly twice as much. I talked to the Macintosh Shop about buying the 3 year AppleCare warranty. That's the first time I ever thought about doing that. Is there a phobia name for "fear of computer death"? Due, in this case, to severe electrical trauma.

Thanks all!

Buzzer

[keepsamuiclean]

As I stopped understanding Physics when it came to electricity most of the above is like Chinese to me...

But one thing I know: since 2001 we did not loose any electronic appliance in Lamai - even without UPS's due to voltage fluctuations. Before in New Delhi the fluctuations killed almost all of them - even with UPS. We did one thing in Lamai as we had 3 phases but only one was used - we put AC's, computers, washing machine, dryer etc. on all of the three phases and it's working.

Might be not the most helpful reply - but I do not have a reason for a "phobia".

[animatic]

We have our own meter (I am guessing this is what you mean by transformer?) but are on a small line branching off from the main one. Neighbor (before us on the line) has put in large a/c house and several ac/ bungalows. Could he be drawing the power away from ours even though we do have a good size meter--we paid extra to get a meter that draws more power.

I would think so. If your meter is after your neighbor on the same line, the size of your meter wouldn't matter.

I would guess your problem is the "small line" you describe, might not be suited for his big use of electricity.

Needs to be either beefed up, or perhaps you / or the neighbor can get your own line from the mainwire?

Power over a line that has several users is effected by the cumulative drain,

every one is in parallel.

Not who comes earlier down the line from the source. But that said,

distance is a factor for high current transmission.

Buzz's line is normal for the amount of buildings.

The Transformer/Capacitor units are intended to moderate the flow,

store and release under varying loads.

If the load varies radically it goes past the ability of

several different transformer banks to do their jobs.

Add to the fact 300-500,000baht must be paid by the HOME OWNER

to get a transformer installed. In ALL other countries the electric company

almost always just deals with it's subscribers lad requierments

as part of doing business.

Except in cases of those living WAY out of the loop.

But apparently not here. And for most thai's even having financed

several houses, the transformer is the cost of BUILDING another house.

So it is a scarey thing that doesn't seem needed till it's too late.

And explaining electrical theory to the average landlord is an object lesson

Sisfusian philosophy... keep rolling that stone up the hill, come do it again...

Banrak and Bophut are the far side of the island from

the power companies transmission station, so the most

cumulative loads possible and greatest potential for fluctuations.

The amperage (force) goes way down and the voltage (potential)

goes way up and the see saw against each other.

Force and potential = power available.

Usually this isn't a POWER spike but a voltage spike and amperage drop off.

I have a large 5k w APC American Power Conversion UPS unit, in Banrak.

Works like a charm on all computer systems. I see the lights dim,

but never seem to lose any bytes. But for just a single computer

and monitor a much smaller one would suffice.

Your meter reads the amount of power you consume.

This is what your house draws from available power.

If the available power is badly regulated, you still only pay for what your draw,

I got a 130,000baht UPS because I couldn't imagine how long it would be

before power was GOOD here... Most won't need my precision of load.

But it's STILL much cheaper than the transformer.

[animatic]

So you don't think the automatic voltage regulator would do us any good then? Our neighbor is closer to the transformer than we are but I really don't see him doing anything about this since it doesn't affect him.

I tried a digital voltage regulator,

When power dipped below 150v it shut down.

I went away for one night it fried my Mac,

which was turned off....

Some things just WON'T run with those units.

I have a special guitar amp, NEVER works in Fishermans Village.. NEVER.

A good APC ups is the trick for computers etc.

The funky voltage usually doesn't seem to effect DVD and CD players,

though power amps can get quieter.

Closeness isn't the issue, but total load on the line

after the regulating transformer/capacitor bank.

There just ain't enough juice and wht there is isn't often enough regulated,

to moderate the global load on the far side of the island.

This, in an other country, would be the electric companies responsability.

Making sure enough transformers for the load are out on the lines.

Not trying to palm off the cost piecemeal on clueless landlords.

I blame Surrat Thani's provincial office milking the Samui

golden Tax Goat as long as possible, before their lose it to grow,

and keeping all the cash at home,

and not helping repair the over taxed infrastructure here.

You want better roads and electric power?

Start registering out of district Thai's as Samui residents.

We get another few hundred, Samui becomes a district itself,

and MUCH more tax money stays on island.

[animatic]

Actually there are 2 undersea cables to Samui, planning is to add a third one.

But will this affect the fact that too many house are hanging on the same transformer? I dont know.

The issue is not enough transformers for the load in ALL sectors.

Yes they need more juice, but expecting local landlords with fluctuation complaints

to foot a HUGE bill for a transformer he hardly understands is not working...

It just ain't working folks.

When that 3rd cable goes in they STILL won't have even power loading.

[animatic]

A good UPS is a must here on Samui. APC is the only brand of UPS I would recommend.

I have a 500VA UPS protecting my LCD TV, DVD-player, Hi-Fi System & Satellite Decoder.

I also have one on my PC.

If you have any expensive electronic equipment definitely get a UPS to protect it.

Brown-outs seem to be the most damaging to equipment:

http://www.elect-spec.com/faqbrwn.htm

~~DITTO

It is the only choice.

I have a 5000w APC ups, no problems.

I have a SIDITAL 'digital' voltage stabalizer also.

It blew up my Mac, and won't work at ALL for a job in Fishermans Village.

Useless except where the voltage is sorta bad.

Very bad, and this made it worse for me....

After the Mac power supply went to lunch I got the big APC.

No problems since.

[animatic]

If your neighbor doesn't have any problems, you should check and make sure your power consumption is under the rating of the cables to the house! If you are overloading the cables, this is a big fire hazard.

Do you have a clamp-on meter amp meter that can go around one of the conductors of your incoming supply? If not, check your voltage in two different places, at the meter, and at an outlet as far away from the meter as possible.

Automatic Voltage Regulators are great at protecting yourself against PEA problems, but if the problems are internal, they do pose a higher risk to yourself. They will continue to draw equal power, no matter what the voltage is. This leads to higher current consumption at low voltages.

175-305V is not a normal range for the utility. 200-240V is beyond western specifications, but not too unreasonable for Thailand. The excessive voltage variations you see, especially at the high end, suggest a real problem. Be careful.

Thanks all for replying. There has been a lot of great insight into the problem shown here. Regarding the message quoted above. Thanks! Above all, we forget safety many times as the main issue, and here I am worried about my computer. I have a cheapo digital multi-meter, not the clamp-on type. I've checked it at various locations, like you suggested.

The big mystery is the fluctuation. Here's where it gets a lot worse than my previous post. Previously I witnessed a high of around 305v. The other day I was watching the lights go crazy, the fans and a/c running too slow, and my UPS clicking in and out. Watching my multimeter go way past 300. I started calling out to my housekeeper, like an auctioneer. "That's 389 do I hear 390?" I kept this up for a couple minutes. "Sold at 410!"

410 volts! Yikes! I grabbed my multimeter and hit the hold button at 409v. Then I went to get my camera, but its battery was dead. Remembering I had a camera in my phone. I pulled it out and, as I was about to snap the shutter, the battery on the multi-meter died! Electrical problems abounded last Friday. Anyway my housekeeper saw 410 too, so I have a witness.

But isn't this extreme? I am definitely avoiding the use of my computer during the afternoons lately. Which leads to the other question? Why during the afternoons? It seems like it would be worse during evening, when everyone is home using a/c, and TVs. BTW the lowest I've seen was around 134v or so. So it goes from almost half to nearly twice as much. I talked to the Macintosh Shop about buying the 3 year AppleCare warranty. That's the first time I ever thought about doing that. Is there a phobia name for "fear of computer death"? Due, in this case, to severe electrical trauma.

Thanks all!

Buzzer

It is hotter during the day.

Many offices will run AC all day,

but use fans when they go home for the evening.

I don't think this voltage spike is just in this bungalows line only.

I think it is a regionalized thing for this part of the island.

Not enough transformers for too may varying loads x 100.

All too far from the transmission station near Raja ferry..