Household appliances and other electrical devices in the house, powered by the 220 network, are sensitive to voltage fluctuations. In such cases, its combustion is not excluded. To prevent trouble, you can install a voltage relay (PH). In emergency situations, it simply works to turn off the equipment and turn off the power to the network section.
The purpose of the pH
Surge protection relays are used in private, commercial and industrial facilities. The main functions of the device:
- protection of equipment from fluctuations in the network;
- equally effective work with single- and three-phase networks;
- phase protection from breakage, sticking, skew;
- blocking incorrect phase operation.
Apply pH in the following areas and industries:
- Any electrical equipment that has increased requirements for network quality.
- Industrial production in order to ensure the smooth operation of equipment, machinery.
- Public organizations and institutions: supermarkets, hospitals, gaming areas, cinemas, computer rooms, etc.
The voltage control relay is not a stabilizer. It does not facilitate alignment, but simply analyzes and interrupts the network at critical indicators of its voltage.
Device and principle of operation
The main components of the launch vehicle are a microcircuit and an electromagnetic relay enclosed in a plastic case. The mechanism works according to this principle:
- connects to the power network;
- constantly reads her testimonies and monitors them;
- with significant decreases or excesses of the norms, the microcircuit sends a relay signal;
- he disconnects household appliances or equipment from electricity. The reaction speed of the overvoltage relay is from 10 milliseconds.
After the launch vehicle is switched on and off, it takes some time before the appliance energizes the household appliances again and puts them into operation. During this time, the relay checks the stability of the voltage indicators.
Most device models allow the wizard to independently set the thresholds for low and high voltage.
The operating intervals of the controlling mechanism are 100-400 V. During severe inclement weather and thunderstorms, these indicators can go off scale, the relay simply can not cope with the task. Therefore, for the period of inclement weather, it is better not to risk it and disconnect household appliances from outlets.
Most relay models are not able to replace the input circuit breaker, because they do not have current protection.
Types and designs of launch vehicles
All over voltage relays are divided into types:
- single phase;
- three phase.
Additionally, the mechanisms are classified by the installation method. The buyer is offered the following device options:
- Plug and socket. The device has on one side a plug that is inserted into a power outlet. On the other hand there are sockets for connecting household appliances. The equipment is powered through the adapter. This type of device is designed to serve one unit of equipment or a small group. All voltage parameters are displayed on the board. The wizard can independently set their upper and lower values using the buttons.
- Extension. This is a block familiar to most users with 3-6 outlets. All household appliances connected to the extension cord are controlled by relays, protected from power surges.
- Digital mechanism for mounting on a DIN rail. These are more powerful devices that are placed on the switchboard. In this way, the electrical contactor protects all appliances in the home.The main feature of such a relay is a very wide range of settings and a large number of independent modes. For example, the time and delay on, relays for minimum and maximum voltages.
With the correct connection of the digital LV, the entire apartment or house is protected from sudden voltage surges.
Benefits of Using pH
The convenience of connecting a voltage relay for the master is as follows:
- The device can be operated at various temperatures from -20 to +40 degrees.
- The wizard has the ability to choose a device according to his budget from a huge number of its modifications.
- Reliable protection of electricians and all equipment in the house from combustion or failure.
- The luminous flux does not change even when the LV is operating.
- Installation of the device is accessible and understandable even to a novice master.
- The appearance of any of the devices does not spoil the design of the room.
The LV freely excludes from the network circuit those areas that were damaged during a thunderstorm or emergency.
How to configure relay parameters
When installing and connecting a digital device to the distribution panel, the master can independently set its operating parameters. Experts recommend setting these values:
- reclaim time - 180 sec .;
- umin (minimum voltage) - 190 volts;
- umax (maximum) - 245 volts.
All parameters are set by rotating the potentiometer.
More often manufacturers lay in the mechanism such ranges for settings:
- automatic restart time (AR) - 5-900 seconds (15 minutes);
- lower value for cutoff (Umin) 160-210 volts;
- upper limit on shutdown (Umax) 230-280 volts.
When the potentiometer rotates, all changes in the readings are displayed on a digital display.
How to choose a voltage monitoring relay
To make the right choice when buying a machine, you need to be guided by such criteria:
- Type and type of device. The most expensive, but powerful - rack and pinion. The simplest and most affordable is the plug.
- Availability of auxiliary options, manual settings, auto adjustments. It is desirable that the device has a display.
- Existence of function of protection against an overheat. This parameter makes the relay more reliable.
- It is important that the pH is made of polycarbonate. This material ensures the incombustibility of the device in case of emergency.
- When buying a single-phase mechanism, you need to determine the power of the relay. Households are equipped with power contacts of 100 A. Here it is desirable to increase the power indicator by 25% and, with this in mind, purchase an automatic machine.
- All three-phase LVs are rated for 16 A.
- It is worth paying attention to the manufacturer of the device, the appearance of the device.
Before buying a relay controller, be sure to read the instructions for it. Always take a warranty card from the seller and check the integrity of the case, as well as the functionality of the protective relay.
Before connecting the LV, it is necessary to mount a circuit breaker for emergency power failure.
