Introduction
Voltage stabilizers and voltage relays (such as Zubr, voltage cut-off devices) are crucial for stabilizing GRID electricity. They prevent issues like a broken neutral and protect your electrical equipment from overvoltage or undervoltage. However, it’s essential to install them in the correct location in your system.
Key Points
Stabilizers and Relays Protect Grid Electricity
Their primary function is to stabilize the voltage from the grid, protecting your electrical equipment from potential damage.
Inverters Need Protection Too
Your inverter is a valuable piece of equipment and also needs protection. Therefore, voltage stabilizers and relays should be placed before the inverter or UPS.
How It Works
When the Inverter is Powered by the Grid
The inverter transits the grid voltage to the consumers without stabilizing it, except in rare cases. When the voltage disappears or becomes excessively high or low, the inverter switches to battery mode.
By providing stabilized voltage to the inverter’s input, you protect both the inverter and the devices downstream in the network.
When the Inverter Operates on Battery
The inverter provides a perfectly stable voltage of 220/230V, as configured in the settings. In this mode, the inverter does not require a stabilizer or voltage relay. In years of operation, there have been no instances where an inverter delivered incorrect voltage.
Efficiency and Energy Losses
Voltage Stabilizers
Stabilizers have energy losses in the copper and steel of the transformer, meaning their efficiency is less than 100%. When running a house off an inverter or battery, every watt counts, and the losses in the stabilizer are unnecessary.
Voltage Relays
Voltage relays have minimal losses (3-4 watts) but come with their own set of issues. An inverter operating on battery power does not have a real neutral conductor. Both the phase and neutral outputs will light up a phase indicator, resulting in pseudo-phases from the transformer’s two ends.
Specific Issues with Voltage Relays
This problem is solved by a through neutral, correctly displaying phase with a phase indicator. However, sometimes the phase indication can be disrupted by certain devices (e.g., a power strip with a lighted switch). This disruption can cause the voltage relay to interpret the situation as a neutral break and disconnect the load. This issue can create ongoing, intermittent problems.
Conclusion
Dear readers, please install voltage stabilizers and voltage relays before the inverter. Placing them after the inverter or UPS is not only unnecessary but can also be harmful. Proper installation ensures your system runs efficiently and reliably.
