There are conventional generators, and there are these new and efficient inverter generators. Generators are great to have in a power outage, and they will keep essential in your home running. But, when it comes to powering your sensitive electronics with those generators, then you will need to be attentive.
Sensitive electronics like TVs, laptops, or computers need clean power to run properly. The THD limit for them is 5%. If it goes beyond that, then their lifetime may decrease due to increased wearing, or they may even get permanently damaged.
But, an inverter generator supplies power whose THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) level is below 5%, so when powering with an inverter generator, be worry-free.
The problem is there for conventional generators. The THD rating in their output ranges from 5% to 9%. You will say that you should get an inverter generator, but inverter generators are 2 to 3 times more costly than conventional ones, so the budget may be an issue for some individuals.
And for someone who already has a conventional generator buying another inverter generator isn’t a good move.
So, the solution, the device which will protect your electronics from power surges and many other power quality problems, is power line conditions. You can get a quality power line conditioner for 100$ to 250$.
Table of Contents
What is a power line conditioner?
Sensitive electronics and appliances can easily get damaged if the power they are utilizing is not clean. Clean power is the one in which voltage variations stay under the tolerable limit. When it doesn’t, the problem arises.
The generator does not always give clean power, and it may contain surges or sags.
The additional device used to protect these sensitive electronics from these voltage surges or brownouts, the brownout is similar to surge, but their duration can range from hours to days. A power line conditioner doesn’t completely remove these surges but smoothens them out to a certain extent, which ensures the proper functioning of appliances.
They don’t only neutralize the effects of surges and brownouts but also eliminate the effects of voltage fluctuations and line voltage noises on the functioning of appliances and electronics. Moreover, most modern power line conditioners come with an automatic voltage regulator, and this will keep the voltage at a safe level.
Here, the important thing to note is that these devices clean the power up to a certain extent, which means a modified sine wave generated by an open-frame portable generator is not thoroughly cleaned. This means your electronics are still prone to damage. If you want clean power, then you should invest in a better-quality inverter generator.
What does a power line conditioner do?
The main responsibility of a power conditioner is to keep sensitive electronics safe from heavy voltage fluctuations. The power to the electronics and appliances go through the power conditioner, which improves the power quality and it smoothes out the spikes and surges in voltage.
Other than that, it also acts as a surge protector and can do this even better than a surge suppressor, and it can handle intense spikes and that too on multiple devices. Now, an American grid supplies 120 V at 60 Hz frequency, so all the appliances are designed to operate with this specification.
And that’s why a generator also tries to maintain these voltages and frequencies, which depend on the engine speed. So, when for some or other reason, the engine speed fluctuates, the voltage will have surges and sag. A power line conditioner makes the signal clean by removing them.
Benefits of a power line conditioner
Power line conditioners have many benefits, which are discussed here.
It smoothens the fluctuations
Power coming to your house will not always be clean. There are many reasons which may introduce power surges and spikes. A power line conditioner will take care of these fluctuations, it will be eliminated, and your electronics will work perfectly fine. They are equipped with built-in surge protection as well.
It is not that power outbursts will only come from the power grid. A conventional generator can also introduce these problems, so a power line conditioner takes care of it as well. It also filters out the power line noise so you won’t see any distortion in audio or video from a television.
Protection to Devices
All the power abnormalities which can adversely affect the functioning and lifetime of electronics or appliances are eradicated by a power line conditioner, which means your devices are safe and will work as they are supposed to.
Controls Temperature
The major reason for overheating in electronics or appliances and cables is high voltage, and the high temperature can result in a fire. The generation of this excessive heat is prevented with the help of a power conditioner. It controls the voltage; as the voltage will stay in the intended range, the wires and appliances won’t overheat.
Things to look for in a power line conditioner
To get the best out of the power line conditioner, you need to keep these things in mind.
Power Rating
A power conditioner should always have a power rating more or the same as the power source to which it will get connected. If you are looking for a power conditioner to use with the generator, get one in which the power rating is greater than the generator. A lesser rating of a power conditioner can pose a risk of fire.
Power Quality Issues
You are wrong if you think that a single power conditioner can eliminate all power quality problems. There is a specific power conditioner for different power problems, which is specifically designed to take care of that condition only. It may not provide desired results if used for other purposes.
A common power quality problem you will face is voltage fluctuations, power pollution, frequency fluctuations, transients, and also common noise and high-frequency interference. These are the most common problems, and to handle these different problems, you will need different power conditioners. Only one power conditioner will not be able to filter all of them.
Power Outlets and Cord Length
You should get a power conditioner with the maximum cord length, and a longer cord will provide more freedom. The placement of a generator and the cord length of a power conditioner are directly related. The longer cord length means a generator can be placed at a longer distance from the house. The benefit of these is reduced noise and less chance of exhaust creeping inside the house from windows and doors.
Now, the number of power outlets on the device should be enough that you can connect all the appliances and electronics you want to connect. The standard number of outlets is 10 to 12. The power conditioner with that many outlets will be sufficient for most medium-sized homes. You can always increase the outlets with the extension cable, but it isn’t clean and increases the risk of fires, so the knowledge of the number of plugs needed will eliminate fire and many other unknown hazards.
Durability and safety
You want the power conditioner to long last. To ensure a long lifetime, the construction should be done from durable material. The plastic used should be of high quality.
Also, look for the one which comes with a wooden or metal casing, as if it gets subjected to knocks, then it should stay safe. Also, the insulation of the wires should be of the highest quality, it should not burn or melt down, it eliminates the risk of fire. You should be able to place it on a rack to keep it safe, which means lookout for a mountable rack design.
Other than that, it will give you peace of mind when you know for sure that the power line conditioner is protecting your appliances. And for that, look for one which comes with an indicating light. It will tell if your appliances are protected or not.
Besides the power bursts and brownouts, another harmful thing for appliances and electronics is RFI and EMI interference. Most modern power line conditioners eliminate them and keep your appliances safe, and it will be a good idea if you check for their existence in the device you are purchasing.
Budget and Warranty
If you are getting a quality power line conditioner in less amount, then you might not want to spend more on some other brand. It will be helpful if you have a budget in mind. The price difference is due to their different feature offering. So, choose the one which comes with the needed features.
Warranty is also important. Most of the power line conditioners come with a 2-year warranty. If you are getting a longer warranty while all other requirements are fulfilled, then you can buy that one.
Why are Power line conditioners one step ahead of surge protectors?
Why do you install a surge protector? Obviously, to keep your appliances safe from intense voltage surges and spikes. A surge protector can only handle the surges. But, Voltage spikes are not the only power problems; RFI and EMI interference and voltage fluctuations can also damage your appliances.
To eliminate all these problems, the complete solution is a power line conditioner. Modern power line conditioners come with surge protectors already integrated into them. The drawback of a surge protector is that it can’t protect appliances quite well when it is installed to protect many appliances at once. For a power line conditioner, this limitation doesn’t exist. That’s why power line conditioners are better than surge protectors.
How much does a line conditioner cost?
Power line conditioners are available in a variety of types, and this means their price range will vary significantly. You can get a power line conditioner for as low as 80 $ to as high as a few thousand dollars. The price will depend on, as said, on the type and the quality of the unit.
Before you make a purchase make sure you research the model and the brand from which you are buying, you should read reviews to know better about the product. This will ensure that you invest in a quality product rather than falling for a low price point. It may so happen that a cheap product from a company that you never heard of before might fail in a week.
That’s why a device that protects your sensitive electronics and appliances shouldn’t be bought only considering the price. You should invest in a better quality product, and this doesn’t mean you need to buy the most expensive one out there. But, get the one with good quality on which you can rely, and you can get one in the range of 100$ to 250$.
Moreover, most of them will have a 2-year warranty, and damages during this period will be covered by the company.
Conclusion
If you have a conventional portable generator, then you should definitely invest in good-quality power line conditioners to keep your electronics safe. Power line conditioners efficiently eliminate power surges, spikes, and brownouts, which means your electronics are safe from any adverse effects.
They also prevent damage due to RFI and EMI interference, voltage fluctuation, frequency fluctuation, etc. This means electronics won’t overheat, and this will result in a longer lifetime. But, keep in mind that they don’t clean the power; they just deal with some damaging quality problems. So, it is beneficial to invest in a power line conditioner.
Hello Evans, my name is Paul and I may have an issue that you have not dealt with before, but I hope you have some knowledge of.
I recently had an issue with my metal lathe (I am a machinist) in which I tried to run it off a generator. It would not run at all. The lathe is only one year old and I wrote to the company explaining what the problem was and they responded that my lathe has a magnetic contactor(!?) which will not operate properly (or at all) off a generator. I am wondering what I can do about this. Is there a specific product out there that I should look for. Any advice you can render to get me closer to my goal of a working piece of equipment would be invaluable.