Suspected power fluctuations on new 20A Circuit

msafrick

I'd also like to better understand what is occurring that causes a click, from an electrical point of view.

The regulator works to maintain a steady output voltage even as the input voltage may rise or fall. There are various ways to do that, but yours probably uses a mechanical relay to switch between transformer windings. That's the click you hear.

@ msafrick

Is this the unit you have?
https://www.amazon.com/SEVENSTAR-AR-1000-Regulator-Transformer/dp/B007YK1V8Y

$60 don’t buy much.

The unit is rated for 1000 watts. 1000/120 = 8.3 amps. 80% of 8.3 = 6.64 amps.6.4 amps @120V mains input voltage. But is it?


Product description

Maximum capacity is 1000-Watt including the power surge.

Note: Transformer purchase guide: Remember to leave at least a 100-percent slack for the voltage converter transformer. Televisions, heating appliances, laser printers and power tools spike when you turn them on. For these products you need to buy a voltage converter transformer that is at least 3-4 times the items capacity.

So don’t load the unit more than 500 watts max.

Is this the NAD T785 you have?
https://nadelectronics.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/Data_Sheet_-_T_785_AV_Surround_Sound_Receiver....


Just a guess the AR-1000 voltage regulator worked ok at first but it has the clicking sound now. Is that correct? Just a guess the NAD T785 has been overloading the AR/1000 and the unit is going bad. Just a guess though.....


A word of caution:
Looking at the photo of the AR-1000 voltage regulator and the AC power adapter plug for US, for 120v power receptacle outlets, the adapter only has two blades no third round pin for a safety equipment ground connection.
If true the metal enclosure of the AR-1000 voltage regulator is not grounded nor is the metal chassis of the NAD T785.


msafrick said

I can hear a clicking sound in the voltage regulator. This is a sound that I’ve previously heard when lights flickered (before moving to new circuit). I therefore suspect that something irregular is occurring or there is some sort of power fluctuation

when lights flickered

Lights flickered? What lights? House lights? Please explain in detail.
.

@jea48 

For the AR-1000 and the NAD T785, you have identified the correct pieces of equipment.  Concerning the capacity, perhaps I should have purchased more, however the clicking that I hear occurs when the NAD is in standby mode too and appears to be at random.  This is what lead me to believe there was something going on with the power line to the house (or maybe that's normal).

Before I added the dedicated 20A circuit, I was using a different socket (different circuit) in a house built in 1925.  I was already aware that this circuit provides power to many other sockets and lighting in the house and believe it to be at maximum capacity.  So there were occasions (old circuit) when the lights would flicker simultaneously with the clicking of the AR-1000.  I suspect someone else in the house turned something on, or did something to cause the lights to flicker.

At the risk of adding any confusion, I previously used a 2000 watt unit when I was also powering my Plasma TV that I also purchased over seas.  That unit broke and I no longer use the TV so I replaced with the AR-1000.  I mention this because the times I would hear that unit click was when music was loud and/or the TV was on.  So there I could draw a correlation between power used and the click.

Lastly, there is a 3rd pin for each of the inputs in the front and the plug for the wall socket, so I'm fairly certain it's grounded.  No humming or anything else has caused me to think I have a grounding problem.

Is anyone aware of a better product?  One that doesn't click.

Thanks for taking an interest and for the help. Please let me know if I can provide more details that would be helpful.

Hi OP,


Sounds like your current unit has 2 separate features, and you may only need one:

- Voltage Regulator (causes the clicking)
- Step-up transformer ( outputs 2x the incoming V )

You can get a step-up transformer without the voltage regulation.  Easy-peasy, but I would look at the voltage coming in first to ensure it's within the range you are comfortable with.  Voltage regulators can be fusssy.  For instance, if your voltage ranges from 115 to 125, you may have 3-4 clicks in between though the voltage is within spec. 

OTOH, you may have brownouts or high voltage.  Measure first, pick after. :)

E