Should I install a voltage regulator on the LCD TV?
It so happens that the voltage in the electrical network jumps. This can lead to serious damage to equipment. If in your house there are similar problems, do not forget to stock up on voltage regulators for household devices, for example, an LCD TV.
Content
Why do I need a stabilizer
If you decide to buy, first check if it is suitable for the device. This clarification is necessary due to the fact that the main part of modern electronics, not only TVs, is equipped with a standard device for protection against power surges. But factory stabilizers not designed for serious loads and can withstand only small drops. In the end, if you break down appliances, for example, TV does not show the image, and there are significant power surges, it will not be superfluous to take care of installing a more powerful stabilizer instead of a regular one.
Species
There are several subspecies of electrical stabilizers for TV:
- relay type system;
- servo motor or mechanical;
- triac system;
- voltage regulator with the possibility of double conversion - they can differ in properties and internal design.
Relay systems
The most common due to its low cost are relay systems. They belong to the class of autotransformer stabilizers. In simple terms, the conversion at the output occurs in parallel with the conversion at the input. The system does not require maintenance. She is able to withstand a fifteen percent difference.
The downside can be resource limitations: stabilizer wear is directly proportional to the frequency of jumps in the network. Among other things, the sound produced during operation, is quite loud. Users who have already used a similar scheme, do not compliment the model, but as a temporary option, it is quite suitable.
Mechanical system
A higher position is occupied by the stabilizer, which possesses superior resources and characteristics to the relay circuit. This is a servomotor mechanism, or as it is also called, an electromechanical stabilization circuit. The cost of the device can significantly exceed the previous generation systems; however, it also exceeds them by resistance level.
Of course, it was not without drawbacks. Servomotor mechanism is quite slow. In addition, giving preference to this subclass of stabilizers, you will encounter the need for periodic visits to the workshop. Consumables - brushes - require frequent replacement, which can bring some inconvenience.
Triac
In addition to those already described, the next type of voltage regulator has managed to deserve great popularity. Triac system is quite common among home appliance owners. This is a good stabilizer, the operation period of which is from three to five years. The scheme is devoid of moving parts, which allowed designers to achieve silent operation Such a device does not require special maintenance and does an excellent job with voltage equalization.
The heat may become a weak point of the stabilizer - thyristors, as a rule, fail due to excess heat. This kind of breakdown causes network interference.
Increased characteristics of the triac stabilizer cause its considerable price, but it is justified by a long service life and high efficiency - 98%. In addition, the triac stabilizers are the fastest, response speed for voltage spikes, they are 10 ms. High accuracy rates, instant response to an emergency situation, a wide range of incoming voltage, all this, without another word, makes you choose such an effective device.
Double conversion
Stabilizers of this type are more effective than relay and mechanical systems. They work on the principle inverter devices. The key advantage is the ability to convert alternating current into direct current and vice versa. High accuracy of current conversion is achieved by installing a special microprocessor in the circuit.
Such stabilizers are ideal for installation in equipment with a capacity of 1-30 kW, sensitive to voltage surges - this is exactly what LCD televisions are.They are durable (they work up to 15 years), they are practically silent, they quickly react to emergency situations.
However, the cost of such devices is rather big: prices for individual copies can reach 60 thousand rubles.
Do not forget that the purchase of each of the listed voltage equalization devices in household appliances is just a reinsurance. It is likely that he will never come in handy, and the money will be wasted. As mentioned earlier, most TVs are already equipped with regular voltage regulators. The purchase will be relevant only for the devices of the previous generation - tube or transistor models with the missing auto-voltage mechanism. Which of them to choose - cheap or expensive, is up to you.
What you need to know when choosing a stabilizer
After all this, a logical question arises: how to choose a voltage stabilization device? Everything is very simple. The first thing you need to pay attention to stabilizing power.
It is necessary to take into account that in the main part of our power network, the rated voltage is from 190 V to 240 V.Without further ado, it is clear that jumps under such conditions significantly shorten the life of televisions or computers. Moreover, the drops of such power can irreparably damage the device, and repair the TV yourself pretty hard. That is why when buying a stabilizer it is necessary to pay attention to its throughput.
In addition, the following indicators will help determine which scheme will be better protected:
- availability of short circuit fuses;
- ergonomic case of the device;
- bespereboynik with minimal noise during operation.
In addition, such network devices are able to control several small devices, for example, one stabilizer protects the TV, computer system unit and Internet modem.
How to choose the power and the appropriate number of watts, which allows you to save, but at the same time acquire an effective stabilizer? This will help you special markings on the body. They are equated to some level of kVA. Everyone can calculate it: 1 kVA = 0.8 kW. After receiving information about the consumption of a certain group of electrical appliances (approximate power consumption of various types of TV sets can be found from here), it will not be difficult to simply divide this amount of power into kilovolts. These calculations will help you to get the desired level of stabilization. The main thing is not to forget about small erroras a rule, it is one kVA more than the indicated one.
All of the above should help in deciding whether a stabilizer is needed for a television. This is a very important protection device for devices of the past generation, which has not lost its relevance today. Of course, someone can say that this is an unnecessary reassurance and an unnecessary waste of money. However, it should not be forgotten that a stabilizer in favorable conditions can work for many years and save your equipment at the most unexpected moment. And then you don't have to think why your the TV stopped turning on or on and off itself.