frequency...how important

[murdock]

when running any other source of electricity...generator...ups...invertor...etc

how important is the frequency?

i have been running tests on a standby generator...and found that certain items like my invertor...cellphone charger and fast chargers for my hilti battery machines do not function correctly when connected to a generator...

i found that the generator is running at 54.3 hz and 106 volts neutral to earth...i can only asume that this is the issue for the chargers and invertors...in fact if you connect the invertor the lights start flickering and the earth leakage trips....you have to switch off the invertor when the generator is running is unplug it.

the wave form is really bad but most items work fine...or so it seems.

i found some ups units will also not function if connected to a generator...we found that the ups had to be replaced with newer models which could operate between 45 anf 55 hz...the older units only operate between 49.5 and 50.5 hz...if the frequency was higher or lower the unit would just buzz constantly.

[Dave A]

i found that the generator is running at 54.3 hz and 106 volts neutral to earth...

This comment has nothing to do with the frequency question, but what you've got is a floating neutral. Bridge the earth and neutral at the generator. This might also resolve your tripping earth leakage issue with the inverter plugged in.

[murdock]

well it been a week now and i am become very efficient without a connection to the electricity department...cost for the week R250 for 7 days...and improving as i am putting measures into place...by doing what i have done i am forced to make positive progress.

i am busy taking step to become completely isolated from the durban electricity department...i have discoonected and removed their supply from my meter...

i have already setup gas for all cooking...

i will be looking into gas units to heat the water...

a pure sine wave invertor to charge my equipment batteries and cellphones and to run my computer equipment.

a gas fridge which i hav already connected a camping one but will be looking into a bigger gas fridge which can run on electrcity and gas.

i hoofed my old deep freeze out the house...moved all the into the bottom of the fridge freezer and will replace what is needed on a weekly basis.

putting solar lighting thru out the house which will run completely independant from any electricty supply...the solar panels will charge a 7 amp hour batteries which can run 4 LEM lights for 10 hours...

When i am ready to reconnect to the council...my meter will be changed to a pre paid meter and i cant see my bill will be more than R200 a month...by the time i am finished...i havent worked out what the cost of the gas is yet but have noticed...having the quick heat from the gas stoves etc there is no waiting for plate to warm up etc

i did consider a solar geyser but it doesnt help me for morning baths and showers and washing dishers ...by the time the solar panels heat the water it will already be afternoon so the element still has to switch on....so the huge outlay for a solar geyser just sounds like a money making racket to me...whereas with the gas it is instant as and when required.

as for geyser blankets...no comment...before you buy a geyser blanket think a little and look into the construction of a geyser and you will know why the no comment...and i wont even go into expensive geyser management systems...rather keep quiet...come on people stop being so gulible and just think a little before you go out and waste huge amounts of money.

i want to see a real reduction in my electricity account not an estimate...

i have already started with the water...collecting big drums...and will start rerouting gutters etc...i might even loo into a small water purification works...i built them for 10 years i sure i can come up with a small system to service my house and who knows maybe all my neighbours climb on the band wagon...the reason for this is because of the levy for sewage which they now nailing us with...then i need to stop the refuse removal...also becoming a money making racket.

and last my rates i need to find out what makes up my rates so i can look into how i can reduse it back to R300 like it was 3 years ago before the ridiculous increase to R980 which they still cant justify.

[AndyD]

...........so i can look into how i can reduse it back to R300 like it was 3 years ago before the ridiculous increase to R980 which they still cant justify.

The only way you're going to do that is to get your property revalued at a much lower price.

[murdock]

The only way you're going to do that is to get your property revalued at a much lower price.

busy doing that as we speak but its not as simple as i thought...i have to get hold of an estate agent get sales of properties close to mine...then give a break down of why my property value is less...so i have taken piuctures of all the work required to fix up the house stripped all my carpets out...and just lef tthe concrete floors for now...used a high pressure cleaner to take most of the paint off the walls so it look really bad...once the rates...electricity etc is sorted out i will start revamping the whole house.

[murdock]

by the way my metro bill...including
lights
water
rates
sewage
refuse removal

was only R500 less than my bond

it use to be a small percentage...now its almost the same...for the rich amd famous its no big deal but what about us lower income people...we are stuck in the middle...we dont qualify for the poor peoples benefits and we dont earn big bucks the the rich people.

and all i hear are people complaing...but no action.

just to let you know my electricity reading from beginning of december till today....just over 400 kw for 2 months yes please i know when i send my meter reading thru today they will complain that there is a problem with my meter...last month when i sent it thru i got a R2500 credit but they bitched like anything...it was great to hear them complaining for a change...the bonus is i dont have a fuse on the pole so they cant say i have been bypassing the meter...and my electricity is completely bypassed from the meter box.

there is one good thing coming of this my positive action instead of whining all the time ... am taking a positive steps in the right direction.

another thing i have let my grass on my verge grow to the same height as the council property next to mine...so now you cant tell the diffrence between my verge and the adjacent council property...it all looks the same.

[AndyD]

........was only R500 less than my bond

it use to be a small percentage...now its almost the same...

Yeah but your bond doesn't go up each year with inflation whereas your rates do so it's always going to be the case that the rates end up proportionally more with each yearly increase. This is especially so at the moment where interest rates are very low so your bond repayment will have dropped.

[Justloadit]

I think the problem is not the frequency, but rather the high spike inrush current when the inverters are working due to the switch mode designs, which the generator can not handle. The latest requirements are to have equipment with a power factor of as close to One as possible. So special electronics has been designed to attempt to maintain the voltage and current in phase to reduce the impact of the high short impulse currents.

[murdock]

and you ask why i am wasting my time...because i have had enough...i tired of holding my ankles...

[Martinco]

My UPS also runs poorly on my 50KVA Genset and seems to be the cycles because with no load on the genset, the UPS is fine but as soon as I put maybe 20 KVA load then the UPS switches over to batteries. So cycles does play a part in all of this.