Voltage Regulation

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Sydney

Re: Voltage Regulation

#16 Post by Sydney »

Fine for the line level stuff and signal processing equipment.
I don't put amps on regulators. Some don't handle inrush current very well.
As stated elsewhere when it comes to amps "the best solution is a well designed power supply in the audio gear itself".
Good professional amps should have the prerequisite design flexibility to handle the operating conditions on the road.

Syd

la malta
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#17 Post by la malta »

Right, but what I linked to isn't a regulator. As far as I can tell it's just a power strip with an ammeter, which would be useful. I guess I'm just looking for a 20 amp rack mount strip with a meter that won't bottleneck current. So far I've found this: http://www.a-neutronics.com/shop/produc ... ucts_id=55 and the aforementioned tripplite. This A-Neutronics looks like it has a nicer meter though and has a 12/3 SJT cord. Neither provide any filtration or surge protection so I assume it would just be the equivalent of some wall outlet breakout box with a meter.

Sydney

Re: Voltage Regulation

#18 Post by Sydney »

As long as it's specifications ( VA capacity ) exceeds the amps requirements and the outlet manufacturer expresses no reservation with an amp's expected power demand.

Syd

la malta
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#19 Post by la malta »

Thanks Syd. I have a few questions though (I've just started to read about power related things such as distros and regulators etc.):

VA capacity doesn't appear to be a listed spec for any of these power strips/conditioners etc. short of the UPSs and regulators outputs, nor is there a spec for my QSC 4050HD's max draw in VA. It does however say 20.1 amps at "Severe, 1/3 power pink noise at 4Ω*" both channels driven. Is there a way that I calculate VA from known values or need I go straight to the manufacturers of both the amp and power strip to get VA capacity and draw? Do I presume that if a strip is honestly rated at 20 amps that it will safely allow up to 20 amps through to its outlets unimpeded until the breaker trips?

I was thinking just now, that if so long a power strip/regulator/conditioner etc. is rated honestly at its max amp rating and has a breaker that trips AT that rating, wouldn't the breaker trip before the unit could introduce any current limiting to gear plugged into it? Would something like baronvonsteve's regulators only introduce current limiting to the amplifiers if they were drawing greater than the regulators 20 amp rating and there was no breaker or such to prevent it?

Sydney

Re: Voltage Regulation

#20 Post by Sydney »

Looking at the manual ( page 9 ) the current consumption table has a different rating for load.
An 8 ohm load is probably safe ( assuming little other load on the strip ).
A 4 ohm load is at max capacity at full output, and risky if other devices share the strip.
Forget about 2 ohm.
Power capacity often has to allow for very brief values in excess of it's long term rating.
A Breaker or a fuse for instance allow that so reactive devices ( caps and inductors ) can draw high current at startup without triggering a nuisance trip.
A good amp design will incorporate a slow start circuit to slow the inrush current and prevent false trip at startup.

Syd

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Steve Regier
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#21 Post by Steve Regier »

Nothing like TrippLite quality if you can afford it! That unit is a great PDU with a nice amp consumption meter to boot. I have also used a Furman PDU and I do have a Juice Goose PDU in one rack. I think that the TrippLite would be fantastic provided you have the budget.
So let it be written ... So let it be done.
"BaronVonSteve"

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Drey Chennells
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#22 Post by Drey Chennells »

baronvonsteve wrote:Nothing like TrippLite quality if you can afford it! That unit is a great PDU with a nice amp consumption meter to boot. I have also used a Furman PDU and I do have a Juice Goose PDU in one rack. I think that the TrippLite would be fantastic provided you have the budget.

I also like the Tripplite products I've used, nice for the money, well built inside/outside..
"Things happen, but music stays in your blood forever~." bf

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el_ingeniero
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#23 Post by el_ingeniero »

I'm a big fan too. I especially like their top of the line surge suppressors in metal boxes. I know someone who plugged one of those into an outlet that was mistakenly configured for 440V by a hotel at a conference; the box made all kinds of smoke and noise as it died, but the computers hooked up to it were fine.

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Drey Chennells
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#24 Post by Drey Chennells »

el_ingeniero wrote:I'm a big fan too. I especially like their top of the line surge suppressors in metal boxes. I know someone who plugged one of those into an outlet that was mistakenly configured for 440V by a hotel at a conference; the box made all kinds of smoke and noise as it died, but the computers hooked up to it were fine.
damn really? I have 1 of the isobars in the office now.. and a demo unit from innovolt(great guys), and a shunyata hydra on my amps
"Things happen, but music stays in your blood forever~." bf

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el_ingeniero
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#25 Post by el_ingeniero »

Yah, it's the Isobar. They've been selling it for 20 years at least. But you really get what you pay ($40 or more) for with these.

Here's something interesting: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... Surge.html

Rackmount! Stick it in front of your power conditioner maybe.

Fish
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Re: Voltage Regulation

#26 Post by Fish »

el_ingeniero wrote:Here's something interesting: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... Surge.html

Rackmount! Stick it in front of your power conditioner maybe.
The two biggest downsides of these (and most surge suppressors) is that they dump all excess noise and current to ground and the MOVs will blow up when they have reached their limit. Quite literally, with a pop and smoke; they are designed to be sacrificial.

When possible and reasonable I prefer to have "series mode" surge suppression, though it's typically more expensive. Surge-X has offered products with this technology for a long time, and Furman also has it now. As already mentioned, you shouldn't need such protection for amplifiers, though it can be handy for line-level gear since most products are also some form of multiple outlet device such as a rack mount strip.

If you're looking for rack mount power distribution or other power parts, like short IEC320 C13 cables (your typical computer-type power cord) or various connectors, have a look at http://www.stayonline.com. Decent pricing, quick shipping, and a no-nonsense web site.
Slowly working on a pair of T30s...

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