Many masters of electrical art often encounter such a malfunction: there are 2 "phases" in the outlet, and the voltage between them is 380 V. Given that standard 220 V and a working "zero" enter the apartment panel. Few know what this problem is and how to solve it.
The concept of "zero"
It is not worth going too far into the theory of electrical engineering, therefore the concept of "zero" can be explained using the example of three simple concepts:
- The power supply in the power plant has 3 windings.
- On the one hand, the windings are connected to "neutral" and grounded
- The other ends of the windings supply voltage to consumers - they are called "phases".
If there is no working "zero", then the voltage will not return to the source, and this situation is very dangerous.
What is "zero burnout"
"Zero" enters the apartment from the electrical panel, in which the common zero bus is located, and into the panel - from the common panel for the entire entrance, which is usually located in the basement of the house. All joints of this conductor must be serviced periodically. Routine maintenance includes removing the wire from the bus, stripping it, stripping the seat on the bus, and tightening it. Replace the nut and washer that secures the conductor if necessary.
If the above operations are not carried out, then the working "zero" may burn out due to the banal reason of poor fixation. Poor contact - Excessive heat or carbon deposits that are dielectric. It is then that 2 "phases" appear in the outlet, because the usual current path is changed towards the adjacent phase wire.
Accordingly, household voltage in a moment of a second turns from 220 to 380 V. And since household electrical appliances are not designed for such parameters, they may fail. For repair, in 9 cases out of 10, expensive replacement of components will be required.
How to protect yourself from the problem of "zero burnout"
Zero burnout protection exists, and it is quite acceptable both in terms of price and in terms of installation complexity.
To prevent this problem, you must:
- Install the voltage relay in the apartment panel.
- Or install an inverter stabilizer.
The first option (installation of a voltage relay) differs from the second in lower costs, since the cost of this device is an order of magnitude lower than the stabilizer, but it also has less functionality. The voltage relay, with fluctuations in the potential difference, simply turns off the home network, which is also not very good for the electrical equipment located in the apartment.
The inverter stabilizer has somewhat advanced functionality: if the voltage at the entrance to the apartment is exceeded, it smooths it out, but only up to a certain limit. If the potential difference exceeds the parameter set by the manufacturer, for example, 310-320 V, the stabilizer will simply turn off the network. The main disadvantage of such a useful home appliance is its high cost.
The first or second option is the personal choice of each user, but protection against "zero burnout" should be in any apartment. Replacing or repairing all electrical appliances will be much more expensive.