When you plug something into your home, it either works or doesn’t. There isn’t some sort of happy medium. Either it works, or it doesn’t. The same goes for the voltage coming from your breaker. If your home is like most, you have 120 volts coming into your home appliances. However, many home appliances like a hair dryer, an iron, or a toaster require a lower voltage to operate safely and efficiently.
A voltage regulator is an electronic component that converts one voltage into another by regulating the input voltage and keeping the output within acceptable limits so that the device operates as intended while keeping the risk of damage to a minimum. Read on to learn more about a voltage regulator and why you need one for all of your home appliances!
How Does a Voltage Regulator Work?
A voltage regulator converts the high voltage coming into your home to a lower voltage than your appliances can use. This is important because if your appliances receive a high voltage, they can fail or even catch fire.
Voltage regulators are a transformer with a built-in circuit that ensures the output voltage doesn’t exceed a certain level. The input voltage, however, can be hundreds of volts higher than the voltage required by the appliance, like 120 volts for an appliance that is 20 volts.
Why Do You Need a Voltage Regulator?
Depending on what you’re plugging in and where you live, your home appliances require a certain voltage to operate safely and efficiently. For example, a toaster requires around 16 volts to operate. However, it’ll receive between 110 and 120 volts when you plug it into the wall! Depending on where you live, this could be dangerous.
When the voltage coming into your home is too high, it can cause damage to appliances, fires, and even hurt people. You can easily solve this problem by plugging your appliance into a voltage regulator. A voltage regulator will convert the high voltage into a lower voltage so that it’s safe for your appliances but won’t damage them.
The Different Kinds of Regulators
There are two types of voltage regulators: – A transformer-based voltage regulator – A transformer-based voltage regulator is a device that reduces voltage by transforming the high voltage from the wall outlet into a lower voltage.
These types of voltage regulators are generally larger but cheaper than optocoupler-based regulators. – Optocoupler-based voltage regulator – Optocoupler-based voltage regulators use light to reduce voltage. These are smaller than transformer-based voltage regulators but more expensive.
What Can Cause Damage From a High Voltage?
High voltages can cause damage to appliances, potentially even causing them to catch on fire. High voltages can also be dangerous as they can cause electrical burns. A few things can cause a high voltage: – Worn-Out Wiring – This is the most common cause of high voltages. With regular use, the wiring will eventually wear out. When that happens, it can cause the voltage inside your home to increase.
As the insulation on the wires deteriorates, it becomes less effective at letting electricity flow through it. – Damaged Breaker – If your breaker switch trips, you can assume that there is either a short circuit or a miswired appliance in the circuit. If it’s the latter, the breaker will trip to protect the wiring and the wired appliances. – Damaged Outlet – Sometimes, the wiring inside an outlet can be damaged.
This can also cause a high voltage, so if your outlets seem to be tripping the breaker more often than they should, it’s a good idea to have them checked out by a professional.
What Can Cause Damage From a Low Voltage?
The appliances will either not work at all or work very slowly. – Worn-Out Wiring – This happens with low and high voltages, but it’s worth mentioning again. Worn-out wiring can cause low voltages as well as high voltages.
The difference is that with high voltages, the wiring is still live; it just isn’t as effective at transferring electricity. With low voltages, the wiring is no longer live.
Damaged Breaker – While breakers can also cause high voltages, low voltages are generally caused by a short circuit. While this isn’t always a bad thing (more on that below), it can cause a breaker to trip.
Worn Out Outlet – If the wiring inside an outlet is damaged, it can cause low voltages.
This can happen over time as the wiring gets used, or if you try to plug something in to an outlet that isn’t properly wired.
Conclusion
Voltage regulators are important devices to have in your home. They keep your home appliances safe and operating efficiently while keeping you and your family safe. The good news is that voltage regulators are pretty cheap and easy to install. So, if you’re experiencing issues with high or low voltages, it’s a good idea to invest in one.
