[R-390] Voltage regulation and vintage equipment

[Cecil Acuff]

I agree...I think the intentional brownouts are probably a way of explaining 
away the brownouts that are inevitable during high load periods of the day 
once the utility has reached it's limit of line voltage regulation.  The 
worry is that something will eventually burn down...and if it's big enough 
when it goes it will usually cause enough instability to trip a generator 
off line and if that is not managed properly as has been seen in the past, 
instability in the entire power grid can result with generators tripping off 
all up and down the east coast.  Not a good thing for the industry.

I am proud to say that there has been a tremendous amount of money put into 
the transmission and distribution systems in the companies I work for.  I 
know of several transmission line projects where the line is built to 230KV 
specs but is run at 110KV.  Over built to allow future growth potential.

No Kielbasa here...

Cecil..
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bill Hawkins" <bill at iaxs.net>
To: "'R-390 List'" <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Thursday, August 09, 2007 9:45 PM
Subject: RE: [R-390] Voltage regulation and vintage equipment


> Lessee, not long ago, last winter perhaps, the complaint was high
> line voltage, which can shorten tube life.
>
> Most of the electrical power in a house goes to the refrigeration
> compressor, unless you have electric heat or keep your stove on all
> day long. Motor loads tend to constant power at constant speed, so
> line current goes down as line voltage goes up.
>
> Power distribution is limited by the current-carrying capacity of
> the wires. The line voltage is raised in order to sell more power
> without changing out existing equipment. The power company loses
> money as the current goes up because of I**2 R losses. It makes no
> sense for a power company to lower the distributed voltage, specially
> during the air conditioning season.
>
> It is far more likely that the growing population has overloaded the
> existing equipment. This is all a part of the general neglect of
> society's infrastructure, while raising profits by not repairing
> things.
>
> The 35W bridge in Minneapolis is the latest example of how our public
> servants serve themselves, while emptying the treasury by pandering
> to the "No taxes for me, thanks!" crowd.
>
> I mean, there's "If it ain't broke, don't fix it" and then there's
> an inspection that says 50 of 150 things are not broke. Most things
> have a tipping point, after which the collapse feeds on itself. The
> 'Me Generation' that hates taxes then points fingers at everyone but
> themselves. That's how they got to be that way, by not taking any
> responsibility for anything. And you and I vote for people that
> pander to them to get through the next election.
>
> Whoops, I fell off the soapbox ...
>
> Bill Hawkins
> Minneapolis
>
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