Electrical power fluctuation

[Kiniyeow]

Has anyone else been having electrical power fluctuations at night? For about the past week every night starting at around 2030 and continuing on till 2200 or 2300, my power starts to dip for a few seconds and then comes back. It happens rather frequently, usually once every 10 minutes or so. I can tell when ever this happens as my battery backup that I use for my internet starts to beep.

This in itself isn't a big deal, but what happens is the compressor in my A/C unit stops and I have to wait a couple of minutes for it to reset and cycle back on. Lately, I have had my A/C on starting in the afternoon, but there are no fluctuations during the daytime. Usually the only thing on at night time is the A/C so I don't think it has to do with anything drawing too much power as I have a lot more items on during the day than at night. I can only assume that it is coming from some outside source, maybe the rest of the neighborhood running their A/C units at night is too much of a draw on the lines or something.

[lopburi3]

Time would seem to be when most Thai would be going to bed and turning on the air conditioning systems (most only have in bedroom) - these draw a lot of power for starting up and could explain short low voltage from transformer. In residential areas there is likely more electric usage at night then during the day.

[CMKiwi]

I found its been happening a lot out in Mae Rim too. Pedestal fan seems to have its own speed fluctuations and Im sure its to do with the power supply. Plus fluro lights in the shed flicker a lot when Im out there.

We were lucky enough to have 3 power lines into the property but on occasion you can guarantee one of those lines will drop out completely and usually its the line to the water supply/pump.

Very frustrating at times and I too do wonder what great effect this is having on things electronic.

All in all I just think TiT and not a great lot will ever be done about it. Always pay the bills on time or they will cut us off.....but don't expect any reaction to a complaint. If you ask about customer service you will get blank faces from the whole office. Oh well, life goes on

[eyecatcher]

There was a power cut around Huay Kaew today mid afternoon. for no apparent reason; many roads and sois just gone "fai dap"

When this happens obviously you check your own usage as it doesnt take much to overload your own domestic system; but when the 7/11 power goes off and the auto doors are stuck open it does look odd.

my second check is the weather; rain, lightning thats often the reason.

Thirdly which <deleted> in a jcb on a local building site has just pulled up a mains cable.

Just glad we didnt any customers at this time.....I do get tired of naked Chinese ladies running about asking me what happened.

[willfreeman]

noticed the same thing at my condo, stayed in a few different rooms here and experienced fluctuations in the speed of the fans and i thought maybe it was the power supply

[cmsally]

Seems to be happening in the city quite a bit. With this weather not really surprising, the whole system probably on overload!

[Chicog]

There was a power cut around Huay Kaew today mid afternoon. for no apparent reason; many roads and sois just gone "fai dap"

When this happens obviously you check your own usage as it doesnt take much to overload your own domestic system; but when the 7/11 power goes off and the auto doors are stuck open it does look odd.

my second check is the weather; rain, lightning thats often the reason.

Thirdly which <deleted> in a jcb on a local building site has just pulled up a mains cable.

Just glad we didnt any customers at this time.....I do get tired of naked Chinese ladies running about asking me what happened.

Are you in the market for a customer liaIson officer?

Edited May 14, 2015 by Chicog

[Tywais]

We've had four full outages at the university since the weekend. Once around 3:00AM this morning and again around 2:30PM this afternoon. Seems the common comment there, 'using too much air'.

[T_Dog]

Living out in Mae Taeng in the past years, I estimate well over 100 power outages per year with several events of the voltage running at 160 volts for many hours which is damaging to pumps and refrigerators. We had battery back up powering lights and bedroom fans as the outages were so frequent. Lightning strikes and car accidents taking down the concrete poles appeared to be the main causes. When it was up, it was very solid right at 240-242 volts, but the outages were quite frequent.

[ksamuiguy]

Transformers overloaded, cable sizes to small for load,keep adding more customers to already overloaded line.

As more power is used the voltage drops due to excessive load, mostly for the above reasons.

[kaptainrob]

Wualai road electrical sell 3A auto surge protection boards suitable for fridges. Voltage drop is the single most common cause of compressor failure and ~ 790Bt a wise investment.

[CNXBKKMAN]

Its the hot spell and all the AC units being turned on at 20:00 ish. No rains recently to cool the all the hot city concrete down either. Every night around 8 i notice the water pump have problems. The lights dim for a few seconds the pump makes odd sounds. During the day the pump works fine. Only in the evening does it have issues. How damaging to the pump is this? Should it be unplugged for a couple of hours at 20:00?

I cant wait for the hot season to end and for some regular rain showers to knock the temperature back. I looked at the temps of Chiang Rai, Udon, Vientiane, Rangoon, everywhere was cooler than Chiang Mai recently.

[worgeordie]

They are building a house next door and every time they use the welders or

cut metal,the power flickers in our house,don't know if it could cause damage

to my equipment or not.

regards worgeordie

[Mudcrab]

Try Myanmar if you think you have problems with power supply!

[Dante99]

Wualai road electrical sell 3A auto surge protection boards suitable for fridges. Voltage drop is the single most common cause of compressor failure and ~ 790Bt a wise investment.

Similar units sold many places, shut down the frig for 3 minutes giving time for the voltage to return to normal. Worthwhile to have.

[Vogele123]

Been happening for years where I am, stick a voltmeter into your sockets, it ranges from 170Volts to 235 Volts, usually ours drops off in the morning, 6-9 am, or when some retard decides to connect some power sucking welder or similar to the mains, then you can get down to 100 Volts.

Luckily we had a new line put in down the other side of our place that has a transformer that I am the first in the queue, that makes a difference. If you are a long way from the transformer then you will suffer from loading by others closer to the box.

[MESmith]

Power fluctuations are normal here. It's called "living in a developing nation".

[kaptainrob]

Power fluctuations are normal here. It's called "living in a developing nation".

And the "electric city" bill is so cheap it's all the more tolerable.

Apart from surge protectors we also installed a 2,700 baht E-light with 10 hour battery life.

For air flow at night during a power cut, consider a usb/5v powered PC fan hooked up to a power bank.

[seedy]

One post removed - and reply to it.

express such sentiments again and expect a posting holiday

[misterphil]

My Daikin AC's have an Econo Mode which prevents this problem

http://www.daikinme.com/minisite/nexura/energy-efficient.jsp

[eyecatcher]

Its not even a topic worth mentioning if you are Thai ,its as normal as the sun coming up every day.

Whereas for us we have such excellent infrastructures road; gas electric, water supplies.

The last power cut I can remember in England was 1973? Coming home from school and having to light candles ;other than that a major flood would disrupt supplies for a day maxinum in a small village.

So we have great infrastructure all hunky dory and Thais have antiquated systems........who are the happiest people?

We are certainly the only ones moaning.

[Kiniyeow]

Sorry, but surge protection strips typically only protect from line spikes, not voltage drops. For that, a battery backup unit would be required. Not that they don't make large capacity ones, but I've never seen one that would work for a Falang size fridge. If they did, I'm sure it would cost more than the fridge itself and not be worth it.

I'm surprised that I haven't seen anything about this on Thai news anywhere. I'm sure it has to be affecting some local larger Thai business companies.

[kaptainrob]

Sorry, but surge protection strips typically only protect from line spikes, not voltage drops. For that, a battery backup unit would be required. Not that they don't make large capacity ones, but I've never seen one that would work for a Falang size fridge. If they did, I'm sure it would cost more than the fridge itself and not be worth it.

I'm surprised that I haven't seen anything about this on Thai news anywhere. I'm sure it has to be affecting some local larger Thai business companies.

The unit I referred to is not a power board or surge protection strip. It specifically protects against voltage drop or spike greater than 15% and automatically reconnects when power supply stabilises.

[Kiniyeow]

Ahh, gotcha. Thanks for the clarification.

[Forkinhades]

This will get better answers in the electrical forum.

//MOVED//