Power Fluctuations

[Getsmokin]

I have noticed on my 5.5k electric boiler that there are power fluctuations, sometimes .5a or more. This seems to be on the mains side of things. I run a scr base controller and read volts on the mains side and amps on the load side (this seems pretty accurate). I have problems when trying to fraction, with holding a steady head temp and smearing as well. The smearing is not so noticeable on flavor drink (tho the fluctuations are still happening), as it's smeared anyway. Anyone run into this? Have a solution?

[subbrew]

I have noticed on my 5.5k electric boiler that there are power fluctuations, sometimes .5a or more. This seems to be on the mains side of things. I run a scr base controller and read volts on the mains side and amps on the load side (this seems pretty accurate). I have problems when trying to fraction, with holding a steady head temp and smearing as well. The smearing is not so noticeable on flavor drink (tho the fluctuations are still happening), as it's smeared anyway. Anyone run into this? Have a solution?

Not sure what you mean by "mains" side. If the fluctuation is on the line side (i.e. before the SCR) it is a problem with house wiring or power company supply. If you have a multimeter monitor voltage on a different circuit while applying load. Might have to open the panel and monitor at the breaker box as most 220 v circuits only feed one outlet. That would let you test the wiring on the circuit you run your still from.

An easy test for the house would be to plug in your still, turn it on, and then monitor voltage at the dryer outlet. That would tell you if the entire house is fluctuating. If that is the case it is most likely a power company problem, probably an overloaded or about to fail transformer.

[StillerBoy]

I have noticed on my 5.5k electric boiler that there are power fluctuations, sometimes .5a or more

Could be the SCR itself or the potentiometer is not right for the voltage used, as you don't state what voltage used..

Half amp fluctuation will give issues when it occur in a reflux column usage..

Mars

[Getsmokin]

Yes on the meter side. I'm pretty sure I have seen a 10v swing at some point.. my scr (a bit fancier 11k version) must be compensating somewhat for the swings.

[Getsmokin]

Thanks for the input. I figured such a swing was causing my problems. But was hoping that there was a better answer..

[jonnys_spirit]

Do you have any appliances that might be cycling a compressor on/off for instance? Like a fridge/freezer or HVAC?

Cheers,
j

[zed255]

It might just depend on where you are and the infrastructure that supplies you. Where I live the supply voltage lurches around like a drunken sailor and is often very dependent on time of day and seasonal demands. It falls within the accepted -10% to +6% (108V-127V for nominal 120V service) virtually all the time, however there's no telling where it will be in that range at any given moment. Mine is often in the neighbourhood of 115V to 118V but can be higher or lower too.

This does mean I often have to monitor and adjust my input power throughout the run, depending on what I'm doing.

[shadylane]

An easy test for the house would be to plug in your still, turn it on, and then monitor voltage at the dryer outlet. That would tell you if the entire house is fluctuating. If that is the case it is most likely a power company problem, probably an overloaded or about to fail transformer.

That's a good suggestion.
If the voltage fluctuates that much.
The lights in the house would also dim.

[Yummyrum]

Like zed , voltage at our house goes up and down all day too .It’s much better now that the sawmill up the road closed down
But now the neighbour got a massive solar array it stays pretty right and high on a sunny day but suddenly drops when the sun goes down .

We used to notice the lights changing brightness in the good old days when we were allowed incandescent lamps . Nower days with everyone having ti use LED or CFL , nobody notices the fluctuations.

I have had a cunning plan in the back of my mind to make a controller that monitors the input voltage and adjusts pulse width to maintain a constant power that is dialled in .
But I don’t use electricity much these days so it’ll probably stay on the back burner.

[RC Al]

Yummy's on the money there, we get similar fluctuations, was a bear when i was only running a 900w element on a 5l pot

I think its actually a good use for a pid - hooked up to an amp meter circuit not a temp probe

[Yummyrum]

I think its actually a good use for a pid - hooked up to an amp meter circuit

That

[Birrofilo]

I have noticed on my 5.5k electric boiler that there are power fluctuations, sometimes .5a or more. This seems to be on the mains side of things. [...] Anyone run into this? Have a solution?

I run into this continuously. For me, it's a supply side problem.

I investigated solutions, and I also broke a voltage stabilizer in trying to remedy it (instead of the fuse blowing, the entire fuse housing melted. It was a 30 years old old-school stabilizer which never failed on me, but probably having a voltage regulator after it changed somehow the way the fuse protects, or doesn't, the apparatus).

What I found is that effective solutions are extremely expensive.

My "solution" so far is to try to make substantial-mass batches, so that the mass of the liquid in the still "buffers" fluctuations in heat, and keep a constant eye on the watt meter.

[stillanoob]

The best solution would probably be a constant voltage transformer. Ones with enough capacity for a still would not be cheap new. However, they show up and ham and radio swap meets and are generally reasonably priced.

[jonnys_spirit]

Large capacitor on the supply side or installed at the panel for a particular circuit or even whole-house will help with transient fluctuations. Larger inline UPS / Line-Conditioner for more sustained fluctuations...

Cheers,
j