What regulates the voltage

[rmaynard]

Of the supply coming into my house?

At present i have between 258v and 261v coming into the house?

Rob

 

[Geoffsd]

From Wikipedia -

Since 1960, the supply voltage in UK domestic premises has been 240 V AC (RMS) at 50 Hz. In 1988, a Europe-wide agreement was reached to unify the various national voltages, which ranged at the time from 220 V to 240 V, to a common European standard of 230V (CENELEC Harmonization Document HD 472 S1:1988).
The standard nominal supply voltage in domestic single-phase 50 Hz installations in the UK is still 240V AC (RMS), but since 1 January 1995 (Electricity Supply Regulations, SI 1994, No. 3021) this has an asymmetric voltage tolerance of 230 V+10%−6% (253–216.2 V), which covers the same voltage range as continental 220 V supplies to the new unified 230 V standard. This was supposed to be widened to 230 V ±10% (253–207 V), but the time of this change has been put back repeatedly and as of 2007 is set for 2008 (BS 7697). The old standard was 240 V ±6% (254.4–225.6 V), which is mostly contained within the new range, and so in practice suppliers have had no reason to actually change voltages.
The continued deviation in the UK from the harmonised European voltage has been criticised in particular by light bulb manufacturers, who require tighter voltage tolerances to optimise the operating temperature and lifetime of their products, and who currently have to continue producing separate 230 V and 240 V versions.

 

[Guitarist]

Just to put things in perspective....

"A 230 V rated lamp used at 240 V will achieve only 55% of its rated life"

Extracted from The Electricians Guide Fifth Edition
by John Whitfield

 

[UNG]

230 V ±10% (207 V to 253 V) is the limits they are duty bound to supply you at.

I think you will find this was never enacted see Geoffsd post. Although from a recent chat with someone from a DNO it is up for discussion again and may be introduced in a couple of years time

 

[Engineer54]

I think you will find this was never enacted see Geoffsd post. Although from a recent chat with someone from a DNO it is up for discussion again and may be introduced in a couple of years time

Well if it hasn't been acted on, then the older +10 / -6% must still be in effect!!
So still good reason to contact the DNO then, ...Right?? As it will be still outside of the +10% ...lol!!

 

[Philpot]

I had a problem with high voltage and contacted Scottish Power who sorted the problem very easily. They put a monitor in the supply for a week and admitted it was too high. They sorted it in about 2 months. I think they said that they are obliged by law to do it in 6 months( I think 6 months). They had a dedicated engineer who dealt with over and under voltage. Give them a call or you may wait a long time for the landlord!!! The monitor showed that it got very high during the night, a bit like water pressure goes up as the demand falls.
Phil

 

[UKMeterman]

I called them out SSE at 5PM to a high voltage fault, 6pm the first fitter was there and by 7pm they had pulled the fuses at the local transformer and arranged a LV backfeed. They will listen, at the voltages you have found small wall mounted transformers will be starting to go into saturation and seriously over heat...

 

[rmaynard]

Dno visited and took a reading of 242v, said they would keep an eye on it

 

[alarm man]

Dno visited and took a reading of 242v, said they would keep an eye on it

what time was that reading,id take a few more as the night wears on,if your hitting 260v theres something wrong,and dont like ringing the dno isnt an excuse really..if it is going that high they will fix it,only if they know about it..

 

[rmaynard]

That was this afternoon, I'm going to take one later on this evening and in the morning, if it goes up at any point I will have them back out

 

[alarm man]

That was this afternoon, I'm going to take one later on this evening and in the morning, if it goes up at any point I will have them back out

might be a late night,you need to check it early hours when demand is at its lowest,

 

[needasparks]

I know they do tweek up in some places who sufferer volt drop from machinery and adverse affect happens at the end of the working day, do you live near ind area ? as you say your not for from transformer.

 

[rmaynard]

yes, we are right on the corner of an industrial area

 

[UNG]

It would be interesting to see what the voltage was at the weekends

 

[Geordie Spark]

i wouldn't be lying, couple of times gu10's have popped out and broke

Try quoting Health & Safety at them

 

[telectrix]

and i always thought the voltage was regulated by a little man in the sub station with a variac.