[Boatanchors] Long-term AC voltage monitor

[manualman at juno.com]

I use two of these to monitor both sides of my 220V AC line. Paid $5 each
at two different hamfests. The times the AC voltage got up to around 124
or 125 V AC (obviously the mechanical meter has an error factor too),
measuring the filament voltage on several pieces of equipment only showed
a voltage increase to about 6.7 volts. The filament voltage rating
tolerance on the majority of tubes is +/- 10%, so even at 124 or 125
volts, the filament voltage was still within accepted tolerance. I've got
tubes in 50 and 60 year old rigs that are just as old and in use, and
still show good emission at these line voltages. Sophisticated computer
monitoring of line voltage might be useful for fun and giggles, but
really not necessary. If you feel you have a line voltage issue, contact
your local utility. They also have monitoring tools and probably would
believe them before they believe yours.

Pete, wa2cwa

On Mon, 05 Jan 2015 10:14:10 -0700 Richard Solomon <w1ksz at earthlink.net>
writes:
> I use an RCA WV-120B Power Line Monitor. Reacts very quickly to Line 
> 
> Voltage
> changes.
> 
> They often come up on auction sites.
> 
> 73, Dick, W1KSZ
> 
> 
> On 1/5/2015 10:10 AM, Rob Atkinson wrote:
> > To test to see if you need to buck down the line v., put your 
> vintage
> > gear directly on the line, fire it up and measure the filament v.
> > Sometimes you can get the 6.3 v. to test, on a line to a dial 
> lamp, if
> > you are dealing with a receiver for example.  If you see much over 
> 6.3
> > you need to buck it down.  In a lot of places the v. is 
> seasonally
> > higher.  It can be lower in summer because all the A/C loads are 
> on.
> > If you see 120 v. on the line and you have over 6.3 v. (or 
> whatever
> > the filament is supposed to be) you need to get the line v. down
> > because it will probably go higher than 120 at some point.
> >
> > This all assumes you don't want to have to buy new tubes every 
> few
> > years.  Excessive filament v. is what kills tubes.
> >
> > 73
> >
> > Rob
> > K5UJ