HZ Frequency Variations?

[JonW]

We get fluctuations and transients in the production lines in China all the time, some years back we had real issues where RF detector heads and Noise Sources were being destroyed on a monthly basis.  We ended up fitting mains stabiliser units to each production line and since then happy days no damages.  If you have sensitive equipment then these are a good investment

[Craig]

Thanks very much JonW for the good advice, Interesting enough I used to sell a lot of C&K Security Sensors back in the early 90's and they were the world pioneers in Microwave Security Sensors under the Brand of Intellisense. You mentioned in a different post that you were doing development back then on doppler sensors so I wondered if you worked on something similar?
Regards
Craig   

[DaveS]

Re post 7 phases that come back at 85v or 125v
The Sparky should provide over and under voltage protection to auto disconnect the mains supply, if that is the case, both dangerous.

UK Voltage is 400/230volts at 50Hz, 216.2 volts minimum to 253 volts maximum single phase and 49.5Hz minimum to 50.5Hz maximum.

SA Voltage is 400/230volts at 50Hz, 207 volts minimum to 253 volts maximum single phase, frequency min max not a clue.

[david]

I think it's generally accepted that the SA standard won't be as tight as the UK one, especially if the site is at the remote end of a transmission line with various properties feeding solar arrays back to the grid. 
Given that the power supply unit is rated 85V AC to 305V AC and 47Hz to 440Hz it's hard to see why this has impacted the micro operation so badly. I'm sure the sky doesn't fall down if the frequency drops to 46Hz. 
The unit outputs 12V DC so obviously there must be another (linear) regulator in there somewhere for the micro which should make it almost immune to what the line is doing.  Even the input voltage to an old 7805 regulator would have to collapse to around 7V DC before its output voltage flickers.   I'm not convinced we're understanding the full story on this one.....

David

[DaveS]

I did quote (re Post 7), it was a general observation.
All types of equipment can be damaged with mains under voltage.

I took it the solar system was at fault, in this case.

[ken_k]

Global warming is at fault!

[See_Mos]

You know the simplest solution for testing would be to use a sealed lead acid battery or 8 small cells as a substitute for the power supply and eliminate the incoming supply completely.

[top204]

Global warming is at fault!

These days, if it's warmer in summer for a few weeks or colder in winter for a few weeks, or a little bit warmer in winter for a short while, as it sometimes is, global warming is 'apparently' always the problem. :-)

I know it is a real phenomenon, but it has happened to the planet many hundreds of thousands of times in its life span. However the media and money making spivs and governments are going crazy with it, and at the end of the day, it is now not possible to put it back. So "let's just get on with it and adapt", as the human species has done for the past 2 million years or so ! But back then, the human species was not a parasitic plague on the planet as it is now. :-(

OK... Rant over. LOL

[Craig]

Thanks See_mos I did test with a 18650 Battery and it runs perfectly, So I will add one in, this will eliminate all the Nonsense with our Power Grid dilemma.