Types of Power Supply Problems and How to Solve Them

They are short duration reductions in the mains power supply voltage which generally last for several cycles.

The definition of the voltage sag can be found in IEEE Std. 1159, 3.1.73 as “A variation of the RMS value of the voltage from nominal voltage for a time greater than 0.5 cycles of the power frequency but less than or equal to 1 minute.

Dip in lighting levels, some sensitive equipment can dropout/hang, possible resulting in system reset.

Voltage sag often caused by a short circuit or sudden change in the characteristics of a power source or a load, for example a motor starting.

Popular solutions to Voltage Sags include;

• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electro Mechanical
• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electronic (Solid State)
• UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Power Line Conditioner

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your Voltage Sag issues.

Voltage swells are the opposite of dips and describe surges in voltage of 10% or more above normal or recommended usage.

Voltage Swell is defined by IEEE 1159 as the increase in the RMS voltage level to 110% – 180% of nominal, at the power frequency for durations of ½ cycle to one (1) minute.

They can cause long term problems with machinery and overall power quality in a plant and ultimately lead to system failure.

Voltage Swells are typically due to large loads switching off, resulting in a sudden change in load impedance which can cause the voltage to swell. These loads can include such things as large motors, furnaces and large welders.

Popular solutions to Voltage Swell include;

• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electro Mechanical
• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electronic (Solid State)
• Power Line Conditioner

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your Voltage Swell issues.

Undervoltage occurs when the average voltage of a power system drops below intended levels for more than 1 minute.

Common symptoms of undervoltage can include motors run hotter than normal and fail prematurely, dim incandescent lighting and batteries fail to recharge properly.

Undervoltage often occurs from low grid distribution voltage because of heavily loaded circuits that result in considerable voltage drop, switching on a large load or multiple loads, or a large capacitor bank switching off.

Surges, or transients, are brief overvoltage spikes or disturbances on a power waveform that can damage, degrade, or destroy electrical/electronic equipment within any home, commercial building, industrial, or manufacturing facility.

A sudden increase in voltage that lasts for three nanoseconds or more is called a voltage surge.

Systems that incur power surges or over voltages can lead to premature system failure. High voltages causes additional stress to components and leads to degradation over time, ultimately leading to failure.

Power surges or over voltages are often caused either by lightning impulses or switching impulses within the system, for example a large load switched off.

Popular solutions to Surges and Over Voltage include;

• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electro Mechanical
• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electronic (Solid State)
• UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Power Line Conditioner

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your Surges and Over Voltage issues.

A brownout happens when the voltage drops below the usual mains supply level. It is similar to a sag; a short-term drop in voltage, but can last for anywhere between a few minutes or even several hours and days.

A power brownout is an intentional or unintentional drop in electrical power supply. A brownout can last a few seconds through to hours or even days in some severe cases.

Complete loss of power of systems, both mommeturly and also for sustained period of time. Short brownouts can cause equipment to restart/reset.

Large industrial equipment being switched on, switching of the mains supply or powering of large motors. They can be caused by the incoming source failing or intentional brownout for load reductions in emergency.

Popular solutions to Voltage Brownouts include;

• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electro Mechanical
• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electronic (Solid State)
• UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Power Line Conditioner

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your Voltage Brownout issues.

In electrical engineering, spikes are fast, short duration electrical transients in voltage (voltage spikes) in an electrical circuit.

A voltage spike is a sudden increase in voltage that lasts for less than three nanoseconds. A sudden increase in voltage that lasts for three nanoseconds or more is called a voltage surge.

When an high voltage spike occurs within an electrical circuit it can often lead to equipment locking, crashing or suffer damage which can lead to complete system failure.

High voltage spikes are often caused from the switching of equipment such as heavy inductive loads, magnetic fields or electrical disturbances such as lightning strikes.

Popular solutions to High Voltage Spikes include;

• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electro Mechanical
• AC Voltage Stabilisers – Electronic (Solid State)
• UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Isolation Transformer
• Power Line Conditioner

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your High Voltage Spikes issues.

Electrical noise is the result of more or less random electrical signals getting coupled into circuits where they are unwanted.

In electrical system, noise is an unwanted disturbance in an electrical signal, Noise generated by electronic devices varies greatly as it is produced by several different effects.

There are lots of different types of electrical noise, typical symptoms of electrical noise include systems lock up, system resets, damaged PCB’s, disruption to visual or audio equipment.

Electrical noise can come from within the system itself (internal noise), where it can be caused by faults in switchgear or from the electrical design itself.

External electrical noise includes lightning and electrical storms, electromagnetic interference from currents in cables, and frequency interference from equipment like RF transmitters or microwave radiation.

Popular solutions to Electrical Noise include;

• UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Isolation Transformer
• Power Line Conditioner

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your Electrical Noise issues.

The definition of an electrical blackout is when complete failure of the electricity supply, lasting from a few seconds to multiple hours, days.

When total failure of the incoming electrical supply occurs within electrical systems, also known as mains failure.

Complete loss/operation of systems, blackouts may only last factions of a second, but are sufficient to cause equipment to reset or crash.

There are multiple causes of power outages causing blackouts, these can include; faults at power station, damage to electric transmission lines, substations or equipment failure such as fuse/circuit breaker.

Popular solutions to Blackouts include;

• UPS Uninterruptible Power Supply
• Renewable Energy with Battery Storage
• Generators

Contact our engineers to discuss how Claude Lyons can solve your Blackouts issues.