245V high for mains?

[Ian Clowes]

Hi

Following on from some threads about light bulbs blowing I decided to use my multimeter to measure the voltage in the house, to see if it was a little high and perhaps implicated in some bulbs seeming to blow rather often.

It measured 245V, flickering to 246.

Does this seem a little high, and is it worth asking the LEC to try and lower it a bit? Is there some other time I should mesure it which is likely to show the maximum we reach each day (say middle of the night)?

I also realise the multimeter may be measuring a

TIA IanC

[Lee Blaver]

"hobby" type DMMs are not usually very accurate at measuring rms voltages anyway, unless you have a nice Fluke or something :-)

Mine has true rms and peak hold, but it's only going to measure spikes, you want something that can measure longer periods of higher voltage before deciding to update the peak value.

You used to be able to get the supply company to attach a chart recorder (or whatever the modern equivalent is ), don't know whether they still do, or how much they charge...

Lee

[harrogate]

[ARWadsworth]

[Gary F]

The nominal European voltage is now 230V 50 Hz (formerly 240V in UK) but this does not mean there has been a real change in the supply voltage due to the tolerance range.

The tolerance is 230V -6% +10% (i.e. 216.2 V - 253.0 V)

[Lawrence]

My experience was in Aberdeen with my DVm showing 253V. I called the supply company after 2 belkin UPS units expired. They checked caables and attached a monitor for a few days and had about 250V. I was very close to the sub staion so they did not adjust it.

(The UPS went back and got refunded, not fit for purpose).

Lawrence

usenet at lklyne dt co dt uk