[R-390] Voltage regulation and vintage equipment

[Tim Shoppa]

Cecil wrote:

> I work for an electric utility and that's not something your utility would 
> do...reducing voltage does not reduce load....it does however put the 
> utility at risk of damage claims.  Things with compressors and electric 
> motors will not function properly and will overheat.

Well, I don't know why they do it, but if you look at the press releases,
PJM US Mid-Atlantic in my area and ConEd in Brooklyn and Manhattan
were announcing the brownouts (by 5 to 10 percent) as part of their
policy the past day or two. What I saw in my house was closer to
20 percent from the usual (although maybe 10 percent from the low band).

Simple loads (e.g. light bulbs) will reduce power use if you cut the
supply voltage. (Even though light bulbs are not linear resistors,
cutting voltage will always cut current). Part of my post was
wondering if for example AC compressors and computer power
supplies work as simply (I suspect many switching supplies will
just suck more current as you cut their input voltage).

Tim.