Voltage Stabiliser for UK folks

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

http://www.claudelyons.co.uk/index.php?prod=stabilisers

This product, Model TS-2, is supposed to be sufficient to stabilise voltage at 230v.

The distributor of Ansuz and Audience and Nordost (including Odin) in the Uk uses it, and then connects his Ansuz/Audience distributors to it. He runs Soolution into raidho and says it does not affect dynamics. Just 635 quid

Since my voltage fluctuates to above 250 this seems a good idea. Needs to be hardwired

microstrip · Jul 9, 2015

bonzo75 said:
http://www.claudelyons.co.uk/index.php?prod=stabilisers

This product, Model TS-2, is supposed to be sufficient to stabilise voltage at 230v.

The distributor of Ansuz and Audience and Nordost (including Odin) in the Uk uses it, and then connects his Ansuz/Audience distributors to it. He runs Soolution into raidho and says it does not affect dynamics. Just 635 quid

Since my voltage fluctuates to above 250 this seems a good idea. Needs to be hardwired

The Claudelyons TS series are mainly a variable transformer/stabilizer - it will not correct most harmonic mains noise. As they say - it does not add distortion, but will not correct it. If the transdormer is a high quality one perhaps it is a good choice if your mains is "clean". A friend of mine having too many mains fluctuations got a similar unit, but less expensive, from a different manufacturer and it degraded considerably the sound quality of his system. He is now very happy with an old ExactPower EP15A - it is not manufactured any more.

From their documentation:

Series TS voltage stabilisers employ a motor-driven variable transformer feeding the primary winding of a buck/boost transformer, the secondary of which is connected in series between the supply and the load, so as to inject an aiding or opposing correction voltage into the supply line.

When the stabilised output voltage deviates from the set value, due to a supply voltage or load current change, the sensor energises the motor to rotate the variable transformer brushgear until the correct voltage is restored.

This method of stabilisation inherently produces no harmonics, and therefore does not add distortion to the incoming supply

amirm · Jul 9, 2015

bonzo75 said:
Since my voltage fluctuates to above 250 this seems a good idea. Needs to be hardwired

What's the worry with that?

BTW, I get a kick out of this part of their specifications:

"Environment Indoor tropical use"

Tropical use?

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

Hi Micro, not expecting it to clean out mains noise, just stabilise voltage, and then one can add a distributor/conditioner to it

Amir, if I have a 230v product bought used from EU, or a 245v from the UK, then the voltage supply feeding into them ranges from 237 - 253, though not in bursts

amirm · Jul 9, 2015

bonzo75 said:
Amir, if I have a 230v product bought used from EU, or a 245v from the UK, then the voltage supply feeding into them ranges from 237 - 253, though not in bursts

So is your concern from reliability point of view? What does the product say it is rated up to?

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

amirm said:
So is your concern from reliability point of view? What does the product say it is rated up to?

Both reliability and Sonics. I can't add a distributor or conditioner without stabilising voltage. I have to use a regenerator. Apparently distributors sound better, but then I have to stabilise voltage. Balanced power is too expensive.

DonH50 · Jul 9, 2015

Are there noise spikes generated when the motor engages? Is it a stepper selecting different taps, implying a discontinuity when it changes, or rather moving a stator/connection along the windings linearly (e.g. a motor-driven Variac)?

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

DonH50 said:
Are there noise spikes generated when the motor engages? Is it a stepper selecting different taps, implying a discontinuity when it changes, or rather moving a stator/connection along the windings linearly (e.g. a motor-driven Variac)?

No, the voltage fluctuations are just there. Nothing to do with equipment - rereading I think your question was a bit technical for me

DonH50 · Jul 9, 2015

Sorry, I was asking how the TS-2 works, not questioning your voltage fluctuations.

A stepper can cause noise spikes of its own. A linear sweep across a coil is OK until the contacts get dirty, oxidized, or burnt and then again can generate noise. A design that moves say a core in and out would be seamless.

Orb · Jul 9, 2015

Bonzo,
another issue is that if you have moderate thd on the mains (say 5% for the first 20 harmonics) then this product really is not helping much as you will not have a full or even true sinewave for the amplifier power supply; in terms of both current (not sinewave measurement but current charging) and voltage (ends up not being a "true" sinewave due to the thd causing it to flatten).
2-5% and even worst happens often here in the UK, but this is compounded by time of day/region/etc.

This would be my primary focus rather than voltage stability product.
Cheers
Orb

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

So, what is the alternative? I was thinking of stabilising the voltage then adding a mains cleaner/conditioner

Orb · Jul 9, 2015

Depends which country your based in, as this can influence which products are easily available.
In UK (see that is where you are) we have a bit more limited choice.
Just curious what is your amp/s?

Unfortunately most options could be a bit pricey in comparison to the Claude Lyons stabiliser, but then they work.
Cheers
Orb

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

My amps are going to most probably end up around 30w in the long term if I go horns. Unfortunately, the second dream alternative is planars so 200 - 400w amps.

microstrip · Jul 9, 2015

bonzo75 said:
Hi Micro, not expecting it to clean out mains noise, just stabilise voltage, and then one can add a distributor/conditioner to it

Amir, if I have a 230v product bought used from EU, or a 245v from the UK, then the voltage supply feeding into them ranges from 237 - 253, though not in bursts

If your problem is just over voltage why don´t you simply decrease it by a fixed percent? I had to do it for some equipment when mains changed from 220V to 230V some years ago.

I built a supply box using a 230/12 V 300W transformer, connecting the secondary in anti series with the primary and taking the mains from the extremes. Vout = (230 - 12) = 218V+/-5%

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

Yes but the voltage is not steady. Will that supply box keep it steady?

spiritofmusic · Jul 9, 2015

One word. Balanced. Power. Sorry, that's two words. Airlink 3kVA transformer £400, rock steady voltage. Or my Westwick 8kVA unit at £5k

bonzo75 · Jul 9, 2015

spiritofmusic said:
One word. Balanced. Power. Sorry, that's two words. Airlink 3kVA transformer £400, rock steady voltage. Or my Westwick 8kVA unit at £5k

5k is too expensive compared to 600. Also the Airlink is 3kvA, this guy is running Soolution amps which need more, so this stabiliser working for those.

Speedskater · Jul 9, 2015

Orb said:
Bonzo,
another issue is that if you have moderate thd on the mains (say 5% for the first 20 harmonics) then this product really is not helping much as you will not have a full or even true sinewave for the amplifier power supply;
................................................
Cheers
Orb

If I had an audio component, that was so poorly designed that it couldn't deal with 5% THD on the AC power line, I would quietly sell it on e-bay!
When you look at the current waveform of the AC input to a power amp with a linear DC supply, you will see 175 to 200 % THD.

Orb · Jul 9, 2015

Speedskater said:
If I had an audio component, that was so poorly designed that it couldn't deal with 5% THD on the AC power line, I would quietly sell it on e-bay!
When you look at the current waveform of the AC input to a power amp with a linear DC supply, you will see 175 to 200 % THD.

Then you are disagreeing with everyone who has seen improvements using PS Audio (and similar products) regen/thd reduction and that of Keith Howard with his measurements pertaining to influence

Anecdotally it seems when hitting 2% is the point people notice a subtle sound quality difference.

Cheers
Orb

Orb · Jul 9, 2015

Just to add,
here is his review of the PS Audio P10 (glad I found it just now) with some of his measuring (his investigation goes beyond the review) using a real world load simulated by that of a real world recognised good product the Bryston 4B amplifier (albeit focused on current charging).
http://www.psaudio.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/HFN_PS-Audio-P10-review.pdf

Voltage Stabiliser for UK folks

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