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Impact of Centralized Appliance Protector in Addressing Negative

Effects of Sudden Surges of Voltage After Brownouts

Abstract
A centralize appliance protector is a device designed to protect electrical devices and

appliances from voltage spikes, brownout, power failures and severe voltage fluctuations can

damage electronic appliances. This device protects homes and office by delaying electrical

connection and interruption of voltages until the power stabilizes. This aims to protect home

appliances from getting damaged and malfunctioned. This study also aims to determine the

user’s acceptability in terms of effectiveness and reliability of the centralized appliance

protector device This study used experimental design since centralized appliance protector

used methods or procedures in evaluating the production of the device in order to produce

affordable appliance protector. The methods used were random sampling, descriptive and

experimental. The respondents were chosen randomly into 10 using the random sampling

technique. Researcher-made questionnaire was used as the tool in gathering data as to the

acceptability of the centralized appliance protector device to the respondents. . The results

show that using centralized appliance protector can be very useful in protecting home

appliances from electrical disturbances and could help to less pay electricity bills.

Keywords: centralized appliance protector, appliance protector, electrical

disturbances, voltage, home appliances

___________________________________________________________________________

1.0 Introduction

The one factor in the Philippines is geographical location that entails erratic climate

changes. It indirectly affects the power line distribution of the country for it causes

fluctuations of line voltage that often causes serious problems to sophisticated electrical and

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Effects of Sudden Surges of Voltage After Brownouts

electronic home appliances. According to Islam et al (1991), it is observed that the line

voltages of some phases divert to a high level and remain at the level for several hours until

some corrective measures are taken by the concerned authority. For example, when using a

voltage protector for your TV, and it suddenly turns off without any other of your appliances

turning off, it might mean that it experienced a sudden drop in voltage levels. Although it has

more of an effect on appliances with motors, the case still stands that other appliances are

probably experiencing it too, and thus, you might choose to turn them offsite. Under these

conditions of line voltage, a fuse or circuit breaker are normally used to protect different

households and the corresponding appliances from under and over –voltage conditions that

are apparent at that time. Consequently, in spite of the above situation, the number of

appliances continues to grow, so does the corresponding energy consumption. In fact, a

significant number of innovative electrical fluctuation projects have been made and

implemented to secure all electrical components and systems. It is because power line

fluctuations and cut-offs because damages to electrical appliances connected to the line. Note

that unexpected appliance failures can be inconvenient and worse, they can be costly.

Therein, surge protection has become a more complex and important issue to look into

considering that the value of electronic equipment in a typical house has increased

enormously. Protective devices were developed for ensuring a dependable and effective

protection to small households. Some of these devices are developed by Islam et al

(1991).Though a significant number of devices have already been developed, but an

alternative approach which is being done within the context of this study has been made. This

project aimed to develop the quality and securities of power system are disturbed due to

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faults and failures occurring. Protection against sudden over voltages in substations is a vital

part of the overall reliability of power systems. The protection against over voltage is mainly

necessary for human being because the people will lose their life due to overvoltage shock.

The degree of surge protection provided to a station is governed by the reliability requirement

and the economics to obtain such reliability. Since major stations generally include strategic

and highly valuable power equipment. (www.googlescholar.com, retrieved 11/13/1). Surge

protection is essential to `avoid or minimize major system disturbances as well as major

equipment failures. Transient over voltages occurring in the power systems can cause

operational breakdown and also cause failure in industrial and household equipment as well.

When the voltage exceeds capacity, power will instantly be cut off. Keep in mind that going

above (over 265 volts) and below (under 170 volts) the standard voltage rating is quite

harmful to your appliances for a number of reasons. Admittedly, low voltage won’t have too

much of an effect on most appliances. But it would make them function slower than usual.

However, this could be dangerous for appliances that use motor; examples of these are

refrigerators, washing machines, and dryers. The state of low voltage can cause motors to

overheat and ultimately damage the inner workings of the appliance. This can lead to

overheating and the eventual burning of the motor. In most cases, this leads to frequent motor

repairs—a costly option to an otherwise preventable problem. High voltages will mean that it

will draw more current at the start. Once it reaches a steady state, the current lessens,

sometimes normalizes. However, the relatively high starting current can damage the system

in many ways. Appliances, particularly those with motor parts, need to be protected from

ever experiencing an over- or under-voltage. Try to be aware of the operating voltage range

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Impact of Centralized Appliance Protector in Addressing Negative

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of your appliances as well as the fluctuations that can happen in your house.

(www.researchgate.com, retrieved 11/13/19). Some appliances have a relatively large

operating voltage range, which means that they can function even with the normal levels of

fluctuation! Voltage protectors cut off power whenever it detects that voltage levels are

enough to be considered as over- or under-voltage, preventing your appliances from

functioning with such difficulties. These voltage protectors are designed to stop the flow of

electricity when voltage fluctuations go beyond their perceived operating levels. This means

that they are capable of identifying whether or not there’s something wrong with the

electricity flow within your home or on that particular circuit. If you have multiple appliances

using voltage protectors and only a certain number of them turned off, then that means their

circuits are the ones that are experiencing significant fluctuations. It can tell you whether

there’s a problem for a specific circuit, your entire house’s electrical system, or in the general

electrical grid. You may report it immediately to a professional electrician from a notable

electrical company in the Philippines to resolve the issue. With your appliances protected

from unnecessary voltage fluctuations and now that you have a way of monitoring them

through voltage protectors you’re essentially protecting your home from electrical problems

that can lead to serious home damage. Your appliances can get damaged, or worse, be set on

fire when not protected from certain electrical hazards; over- and under-voltage situations are

some of them. By making sure that your appliances receive the right range of voltage, voltage

protectors prevent things such as damage, burning, and maybe even small explosions from

happening. Various products are commonly available in the retail trade which act as a surge

protector and, to a limited extent, also provide protection against damage as a result of

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lightning strikes. An Uninterrupted Power Supply will not only level off the voltage spikes

between the grid and your installation but will also continue to give you voltage for a short

while after a power outage. Electrical devices are designed to handle specific voltages.

Unfortunately, in cases where devices are subject to higher voltages than they are designed

for, damage can occur. Generally speaking the greater these voltages are, and the longer the

period over which they are experienced, the greater the damage will likely be. Sudden, severe

voltage surges like those experienced as a result of lightning can cause almost immediate and

total failure of electronic devices, requiring expensive repair work or replacement. However

even small voltage surges are capable of causing damage over an extended period of time.

One common example of the damage that can be caused by excessive voltage involves the

rapid heating – and subsequent cooling – of electrical wiring. Over time this repeated

overheating can lead to “electronic rust” and eventual failure of devices. It is also important

to note that minor voltage surges can frequently go unnoticed; where these do not cause

immediate failure, the owner may not be aware that their computer or other electronic device

is being degraded on a consistent basis. As a result, power surges can be seen as one of the

“silent killers” of electronic devices. The damage caused by voltage surges can be serious

enough in the home; however when the effects are felt in a wider industrial scale they can

even more disastrous, affecting expensive machinery and even whole sections of the power

grid. Unsurprisingly, for such a disastrous process, it is wise to use some form of surge

protection, so as to mitigate the risks that power surges can cause. There can be few engineers

or electricians have not seen the devastating impact that voltage surges can cause. It should

therefore come as no surprise that protecting systems from voltage surges should be

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considered of primary importance. This is especially so in situations where voltage surges are

highly likely, or where the effects of an uncontrolled voltage surge could cause widespread,

or expensive, damage. To this end a range of voltage surge protectors are now available. In

essence these devices are designed as “gate keepers” for a system, helping to monitor the

electrical charge entering the system. In cases where surges or spikes are experienced the

excess voltage is then removed from the system, such as through earthed lead. Clearly when

choosing a surge suppressor there are a number of factors that should be considered. On the

one hand, surge protectors are manufactured to deal with a range of voltages around the

anticipated mean. The broader this range is, the more protection will be offered to the system.

Consequently selecting protection devices with a wide functional range is highly

recommended. A second consideration is the speed of operation; how quickly can a voltage

surge protector eliminate unwanted excess current, and as a result how long will the system

experience a sub-optimal load? The greater speed at which your protector can respond will

minimize the risk of damage such as burnout occurring. Lastly consider whether the device

you are considering includes moving the market are electronic-only designs, some

manufacturers still produce surge protectors with moving parts which can, as a result, lead to

mechanical failure. Generally speaking electronic-only surge suppressors suffer far fewer

mechanical problems and so offer higher levels of reliability. This eliminates the need (and

cost) of regular maintenance and ensures fewer complications from negative environmental

conditions such a dusty or humid atmospheres.(www.sollatek.com, retrieved 11/25/19).

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2.0 Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

The aim of this study is to develop a system that monitors the voltage variation and

provides breakpoint based on low and high voltage tripping mechanism that avoids any

damage to the load, various industrial and domestic systems consisting of fluctuation.

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Figure 1. Theoretical and Conceptual Framework

The aim of the proposed work is to develop a system that monitors the voltage

variation and provides breakpoint based on low and high voltage tripping mechanism that

avoids any damage to the load, various industrial and domestic systems consisting of

fluctuation in the AC mains. In the tripping mechanism shown in Figure 1, a quad comparator

Integrated Chip (IC) is used with two more comparator ICs as window comparator. When the

system delivers error, the input voltage falls out of the window range. This trigger then

operates a relay that cut off the lamp load to avoid any damage. So the high quality power

can be obtained with the help of this device and it will also improve the power factor and thus

power can be fully utilized. The proposed protection circuit protects refrigerator, IM and

other electrical appliances from abnormal conditions. When the voltage in a circuit or part of

it is raised above its upper design limit, this is known as over voltage. The conditions may be

hazardous. Depending on its duration, the over voltage event can be transient or permanent,

leading to a power surge.

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Figure 2. Circuit Diagram of Centralized Appliance Protector (CAP)

Figure 2 indicates the entire circuit layout of the device. As reflected, it is composed

of several electronics and electrical components. These are Low Voltage Cut Off Amp, High

Voltage Cut Off Amp, Time Delay Circuit, High Ampere Relay, Fuse and (6) 250

VAC .Over voltages are less common than under voltage but they also arise due to system

faults. Overvoltage can occur due to single line to ground fault, which in turn will raise the

voltage of the other phases. It can als0 happen due to disconnection of heavy industrial loads

or switching on the capacitor banks or energization of capacitor bank. This is generally due to

ungrounded or floating ground delta systems, where a change in ground reference would give

voltage rise to the ungrounded system. It can also be generated by sudden load deduction.

Due to the disconnection of load there is a sudden reduction of current, which will gives rise

to over voltage, where L is the inductance of the line. The effects of over voltage are more

severe and destructive. It may cause the electrical equipment to fail, due to overheating

caused by high voltage.

Also electronic and other sensitive equipment are prone to malfunction. A relay is an

electromagnetic switch operated by a relatively small electric current that can turn on or off a

much larger electric current. The heart of a relay is an electromagnet (a coil of wire that

becomes a temporary magnet when electricity flows through it). You can think of a relay as a

kind of electric lever: switch it on with a tiny current and it switches on ("leverages") another

appliance using a much bigger current. Why is that useful? As the name suggests, many

sensors are incredibly sensitive pieces of electronic equipment and produce only small

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electric currents. But often we need them to drive bigger pieces of apparatus that use bigger

currents. Relays bridge the gap, making it possible for small currents to activate larger ones.

That means relays can work either as switches (turning things on and

off) or as amplifiers (converting small currents into larger ones). (www.explainthatstuff.com,

retrieved 11/25/19). Many electrical systems operate by either turning on and off power or by

increasing and decreasing the flow of power. Think of thermostats or dimmer switches as

examples of circuits designed to increase/decrease electrical load. Alternatively, think of the

fan in your computer or the compressor on your fridge repeatedly turning on and off,

consequently affecting the power available in your home. In case of a power shortage,

normally speaking we are able to rely on our neighboring countries, who are able to send part

of their surplus supply to our grid. Especially France which has a longstanding tradition of

using electric heating. At such times, we could well see electricity demand exceed the supply.

In that case, an imbalance is said to exist between generation and consumption.

This imbalance is also a dangerous thing as it could cause the Belgian - and even the

European - electricity grid to crash. In that case, we would have a blackout on hands, which is

very much the worst-case scenario.( www.researchgate.com, retrieved 11/28/19). Voltage

surge is defined as the sudden rise in excessive voltage which damages the electrical

equipment of an installation. The overvoltage in the lines occurs because of a rise in voltage

between both phases and between phase and ground. The voltage surges are mainly classified

under two heading; internal and external voltages. A sudden increase in voltage that lasts for

3 nanoseconds or more is called a voltage surge. They are harmful because they cause the

wires in your electronic equipment to overheat. Either way, surges and spikes may lead to

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equipment failure. (www.circuitglobe.com, retrieved 11/28/19). Current is a flow of

electrical charge carriers, usually electron-deficient atoms. The common symbol for current is

the uppercase letter I. A coulomb of electrical charge (6.24 x 1018 charge carriers) moving

past a specific point in one second. Physicists consider current to flow from relatively

positive points to relatively negative points; this is called conventional current or Franklin

current. Electrons, the most common charge carriers, are negatively charged. They flow from

relatively negative points to relatively positive points. Alternatively known as a line

surge or power surge, a surge is a short, fast rise in voltage that inherently causes an increase

in electrical current or vice versa. Exclusive to electrical circuits, a power surge can cause

damage or impairment to a computer or other devices. (www.techtarget.com, retrieved

11/28/19).

3.0 Methodology

The Quantitative survey method of research performing statistical, mathematical, or

computational techniques was used in conducting study this study used experimental design

since centralized appliance protector uses methods or procedures in evaluating the production

of the device in order to produce affordable appliance protector. Since the purpose of the

study is to protect the appliances at all cost, therefore, we conducted an experiment prior to

the concern of the citizens in the community wherein there were damages occur in their

appliances due to the electrical disturbances and other matter.

Random Sampling

The respondents were the citizens of Rizal, Sogod, Southern Leyte because mostly all

of them have appliances. The respondents were chosen randomly into ten (10) using the

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random sampling technique. Researcher-made questionnaire was used as the tool in gathering

data as to the acceptability of the centralized appliance protector device to the respondents.

The questionnaire was drawn out based on the researcher’s readings and the objectives of the

study. Preference for the use of the structured questionnaire was based on several research

assumptions such as easier to make, easier to analyzed and takes lesser time consumption.

The data collection for this research relied on random sampling technique and through

questionnaires. After validating the questionnaires, the questionnaires were then distributed to

the 10 randomly selected persons from Rizal, Sogod, Southern Leyte that were administered

by the researchers in the event for clarifications. Then the data gathered was then analyzed

and interpreted according to the objectives of the research. As the researchers were able to

distribute and gather the data from the questionnaires given to ten (10) respondents which

was to take their answers and perspective on how the centralized appliance protector work

effectively wherein their appliances were tested from electrical disturbances like sudden on

and off the switch consecutively, short circuit and such.

4.0 Results and Discussion

The centralized appliance protector was tested with three (3) trials as the readings of

voltage were also included to test the effectiveness of having a centralized appliance

protector. As shown , second and third trial, we had the same voltage reading among the three

trials which was 220 voltage. in the Table 1 below, it shows that the voltage reading without

centralized appliance protector has a high voltage which means to have an increasing power

bill. At the first trial, we got the voltage reading of 240 while the second trial got 243

voltages and the last trial with 245 voltages. Afterwards, we tend to read the voltage readings

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with the use of centralized appliance protector. The first, second and third trial, we had the

same voltage reading among the three trials which was 220 voltage.

CLASSIFICATION 1st Trial 2nd Trial 3rd Trial

WITHOUT
CENTRALIZED
APPLIANCE 240 V 243 V 245 V
PRORTECTOR
WITH
CENTRALIZED
APPLIANCE 220 V 220 V 220 V
PROTECTOR
Table 1. Voltage Testing / Difference With and Without Centralized Appliance

Protector

The data that was gathered from the questionnaires that were distributed to 10

respondents were analysed and interpreted by the researchers according to the objectives of

the study. The researchers based the data on how many respondents rated the device as

satisfaction. Based from the satisfaction, 60% of respondents rated the device as very

satisfied which is 6, 30% respondents rated 4 and 10%

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Table 2. Respondent’s Data Feedback

(6) Very Satisfied

3 (5) moderately satisfied
(4) satisfied
2

0
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th
Res. Res. Res. Res. Res. Res. Res. Res. Res. Res.

respondents rated 5. In the questionnaires that were distributed, there was a question being

asked to the respondents asking if “Would you likely use these device in protecting your

home appliances?” rating 1 for very unlikely to 6 which is very likely. As the researchers

analysed the respondents’ answers, the researchers calculated the mean and had come to a

result; the mean was 6 which means that most of the respondents would likely use the device

for their appliance protection.

5.0 Conclusion

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The protection circuit proposed in this paper can be used to protect the costly

electrical appliances from abnormal conditions like sag, swell, under voltage, over voltage,

over current and able to avoid appliances being get damaged from harmful effects. The

advantages of this protective device are: highly sensitive, fit and forget system, low cost and

reliable circuit, complete elimination of manpower, can handle heavy loads, auto switch off

during abnormal conditions and auto switch on at the time of normal conditions. The

applications of this protection device are in industrial machinery, house hold appliances like:

TV, refrigerator, air conditioner, agriculture motors, and water pumps. The over/under

voltage and over current cut-off with time delay provides over/under-voltage and over current

protection and also protection against any transients. This device helps to control the flow of

current against from the electrical disturbances and able to measure on how much voltage

consumed by our appliances using centralized appliance protector. Seventy nine (79) per cent

of the population are likely to have and use centralized appliance protector in order for their

appliances to be protected from sudden electricity interruption.

6.0 References Cited

Circuitglobe. retrieved11/23/19. www. goo

gle.com.

Energuide. retrieved11/21/19. www.energ

uide.com.

Googlescholar. retrieved11/26/19.www.go

oglescholar.com.

Linkspringer. retrieved11/18/19. www.link

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springer.com.

Meijielectric. retrieved11/21/19.www.meji

electric.com.

Researchgate. retrieved11/18/19. www.res

earchgate.com.

Researchgate. retrieved11/22/19. www.res

earchgate.net.

Studyvoltage. retrieved11/22/19. www. stu

dyvoltage.com.

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https://www.researchgate.net/publication/

293593383_HighLow_Voltage_Protection_Device_System_for_Appliances

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