Automatic Voltage Regulator Provides
1. Energy savings on installation of centralized AVR.
2. Reduced electrical maintenance due to installation of AVR.
3. Reduced electrical equipment breakdown.
4. Reduced failures of electrical and electronic components.
5. Reduced maximum demand of load.
6. Enhance the life of electrical equipment.
7. Automatic voltage regulator will offer accelerated depreciation benefits through Income Tax rules@40%
8. Faster returns on investment made on automatic advanced voltage regulator is within 3 years.
9. All AVR’s are designed with
a) Latest Technology
b) Very Little Maintenance.
c) 5 years Operational free guarantee.
NOTES ON POWER AND USEFULNESS OF AVR
Exposure to voltage higher than rated voltage of any equipment can cause premature failure of the equipment which operates on high AC voltage. Electrical voltage fluctuations will cause change in rated current of equipment and malfunction of gadgets.
Voltage that is more than rated or lesser than rated will cause overheating of electrical equipment and electronic components. Nowadays most of the electrical gadgets are incorporated with various electronic boards. The damage caused by overheating is cumulative and irreversible. Frequent episodes of mild overheating due to high voltage and low voltage can cause the same amount of component damage as a few episodes of overheating.
Motors can on the other hand often benefit from the voltages that tend to be a little bit higher. The reason is fairly simple, as the voltage level goes up, the current is reduced and the lower current usually equates to less heat generation within the motor windings. There is a point where the low voltage level supplied can be so high as to damage a motor but this level is far higher than that for electronic components. Keeping electrical and electronic components cool tends to ensure their longevity. Slight reduction in voltage levels may permit many electronics to perform perfectly well while minimizing their temperatures. The same is not true of motors. Just as higher voltages can help reduce motor operating temperatures, lower voltage is a major cause of motor overheating and premature failure. A low voltage forces a motor to draw extra current to deliver the required power expected from the motor. Thus, overheating of the motor windings will happen. The rule for the motors is that every 10 degrees of increase in motor winding temperature will cause reduction in life of the motor by 50%.
More than motors, electronic circuits are at risk of damage when voltage levels are higher than rated and lower than rated. In all practical terms, all electronic and electrical equipment will experience premature failure due to voltage fluctuations.
THE NEED FOR AUTOMATIC VOLTAGE REGULATOR
Many factors contribute to the need for automatic voltage regulation. The ultimate reason for using voltage regulator is financial, to avoid the costs associated with the equipment damage and downtime of the equipment caused by low and high voltage levels.
Anyone receiving power from electricity company will see the nominal incoming voltage level of 433 volts in 3 phase and 254 volts in single phase, as the Standard Transformer Specifications installed at the utility is 11000 volts which is at the input HT side and which is reduced to 433 volts 3 phase that means at all times the voltage levels of the particular office, commercial building, industrial sheds will receive at their panel boards at distribution is 433 volts which is rated for the Standard Transformers installed by electricity companies.
These voltage levels are higher than the operating voltage of any electrical and electronic equipment. The voltage fluctuations are observed due to location on distribution line, proximity to large electricity consumers, proximity to utility voltage regulator equipment, seasoned variations in overall system voltage levels, load factor on local transmission and distribution systems.
Voltage levels are quite often highest during the night hours and weekends when the electrical demand is minimal and are the lowest in week days at peak times. In non peak times, the voltage levels will fluctuate beyond the rated voltages of the equipment installed in the premises.
There are many other factors that lead to increase in voltage levels which are unavoidable, in that case a protection equipment like Automatic Voltage Regulator has to be installed. It is expected to experience continuous high voltages where the transformer is installed particularly for the utility where the voltage levels may experience more than 10-15% of rated voltage of the transformer which is unacceptable to electrical and electronic equipment installed in the utility.
SENSITIVITY TO VOLTAGE LEVELS AND VOLTAGE FLUCTUATIONS
Every piece of electrical and electronic equipment will operate within range of certain voltage levels. However, not necessarily with optimal performance. When the voltage levels fall out of the operational range, a device may be unable to start or operate, it may malfunction or damage the device. The width of the voltage level range within which a device will operate is a measure of its sensitivity to that voltage level. The nominal voltage would be considered as rated voltage of the equipment. Generally plus or minus, 5% of nominal voltage range as a relatively a sensitivity level voltage of any equipment. More than the sensitive level of the voltage can damage electrical equipment.
AUTOMATIC VOLTAGE REGULATORS FOR MEDIUM AND LARGE INDUSTRIAL OPERATIONS
Many industries nowadays having automatic machines and latest equipment are consist of motor drives, SMPS power supplies, micro control programmers, automated processes where lot of investments might have took place by establishing one production unit by not installing proper centralized automatic voltage regulator system, is causing tens of, thousands of, crores of each hour due to downtime in i)Production
ii)Lost of production and revenue.
iii)Increased scrap and rework cost.
iv)Increased raw material cost
v)Increased labour cost and overtime cost.
vi)Increased quality problems and paperwork
vii)Late or missed deliveries
viii)Cancellation of orders
ix)Reduced customer satisfaction.
x) Increased safety and environmental issues.
What all of the above really means is that voltage problems ultimately impact the bottom line of a business through increased costs and reduced productivity. Business has to evaluate its own situation proactively or reactively and decide how much they can save by applying voltage regulation.
As per many surveys, it is understood worldwide that the cost of a voltage regulator is clearly, relatively, very minor considering the value of the equipment being protected and the presumed cost of repair and repair parts. However, the cost of downtime may be more important. Customer satisfaction, on time deliveries, optimising the profits of the unit is highly important. Just avoiding a minor cost equipment that is automatic voltage regulator installation to protect the entire unit, it is proven to be a deterrent and dangerous leaving the equipment unprotected the equipment installed in the company, commercial complex, hospitals and houses. The installation of centralized automatic voltage regulator is a protective equipment, much more than having an insurance policy. Hence, it is recommended that every commercial organisation and houses must have a centralised power protection equipment like Automatic Voltage Regulator.
THE GENERAL VOLTAGE LEVELS HAS AN INDICATIVE NUMBERS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TENTATIVELY.
| Time In Hours | Voltage Level |
| 9.00 -12.00 | 340-410 volts |
| 12.00-14.00 | 420-460 volts |
| 14.00-18.00 | 330-420 volts |
| 18.00-22.00 | 425-450 volts |
| 22.00-5.00 | 425-480 volts |
| 5.00-9.00 | 425-470 volts |
If we are getting voltage more than 230 volts in single phase and more than 400 volts in 3 phase are considered as a high voltage. At this point, the automatic voltage regulator can save a substantial amount of electricity bill by installing automatic voltage regulator.
The basic purpose of automatic voltage regulator is to maintain the optimum voltage as required by electrical gadgets and to reduce downtime of electrical equipments and breakdown of electrical equipment and to provide power savings, reduction in maximum demand current and improvement of power factor.