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How To Do You Measure the Quality of Your AC Power?

What is the best way to measure the quality of the AC power feeding your listening room? Is there a device you can plug into an outlet that will give you the voltage, frequency, the total amount of distortion relative to a perfect sine wave, etc.? Furthermore, how would you measure the ability of your AC main to deliver transient currents?
It seems like there may be a scenario where you could measure your power quality to be excellent but somewhere in the line you could have a loose or poorly made wiring connection which under heavy load (such as powerful bass notes) you could run into trouble with power delivery. In this scenario, an AC regenerator would not help you, or would help very little.

Just curious what methods people have come up with to systematically analyze their power and how they use those measurements to drive buying decisions or repair work, if needed.

Edit: My apologies for the title typo.
128x128mkgus
tvad
11,620 posts
 
@hilde45:
@jea48 Thanks for the very practical answer and to @tvad for the tip on contacting the electrical company. We’ll see how they react, and if they can come out...

Tip: My electrician said to tell the Power Company that we had a problem with dimming lights, which would provide a reason for the Power Company to do a power quality check.

The Power Company found a neighborhood transformer that needed replacing, and they also found something on our power distribution pole that needed replacing (as well as a few neighbors, so they benefitted too).

They also tested every breaker in my panel for continuity (I think the term was continuity...it’s been a while), and said quite a few were out of specification and should be replaced, which I had my electrician do.

Thank you to @vk_onfilter for directly answering the OP’s question.
musicfan2349's avatar
musicfan2349
238 posts
 
Dimming lights? Treadmill affecting things? Let's start with something simple!
Most modern outlets use some sort of wire capturing spring. They're quick and easy to install. Strip and insert wire, done. While they may hold the wire fine, IMHO they're crap for a SOLID connection. If you're competent enough I'd suggest the following: Kill the power at your breaker box. Pull the outlets in your audio room and redo the connections using the *screws* on the sides of the outlets. (Or have an electrician do it, even better.) This will give you more conductive surface area and a more SOLID connection. I've done this in a couple homes I've owned and it made all the difference. No more dimming lights during loud, bass heavy music. Good luck!

Happy listening!
brunomarcs's avatar
brunomarcs
302 posts
 
Hell,  20 years ago I found the best electrician I could find, he replaced my old service, weather head and tidied things up In the attic. 
He had the power company come out and they either on his advice or theirs,  put a pole in my yard with a transformer on it, it was at the street before. I'm in a rural area and the poles on the side of the property,  Ran new larger wiring from the street to my new service panel. I'm looking out at the now closer transformer and larger service than before. 
The power company will help you out. 
sgreg1
612 posts
 
The utility company works within a high range and low range of acceptable. As long as their test comes back within that range they will do nothing. You could be at the very bottom of said range but still considered acceptable. You need to do the rest on you own with a quality power conditioner and good cables. 
bob540
407 posts
 
The responses above vary so much between “the power utility will do nothing so long as you have electric service” to “the power company will really help you with testing and equipment changes to arrive at a high quality of electric service.”   So, it really varies that much from one locale to another, and it is the luck of the draw what assistance you will get?

My experience (not particular to electric service or its affect on sound quality) is that the utility always wants me to have a professional check and repair problems within the home first before the utility will send anyone out.  The technician, having checked a few things, says “I checked the box and your outlets, so if you are still having problems you will need to call the utility . . . Just what are you trying to do? . . . Oh, I don’t know about that. I just verify that you have electric service and you do.”
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