Bad bar electrical systems: Use a variable transformer on the supply?

I doubt that a variable transformer would provide any of those benefits with the exception of the last one.

Are you sure that the voltage coming out of the wall is low? How low...have you measured it?

 

I used to be the bass player/electrician who did what that drummer does. I had a 4 conductor 6 gauge SO cable with one bare end and one "welding receptacle" end. Our power distribution rack plugged into that receptacle. I had breakers for most kinds if panels and I would run the cable to our breaker in their panel.

We also had a Monster rack mounted power conditioner..... thing..... that would correct for slightly low or high voltage. That was used mainly for our mixing board and power amps (this was before active speakers were affordable).

Both solutions were expensive.

Can you provide us a link to that transformer gizmo? I can't really tell what it does from the pic.

 

Also, just to correct a mis-impression, an auto-transformer is not one that adjusts itself, it's one that has only one winding with multiple taps. I believe that the device pictured is, in fact, a variable auto-transformer. Or, as the old-timers say, a Variac.

 

And just to cut to the bottom line...there is very little you can do on your end to resolve issues of 'bad power'. And I must say, the campground scenario you described sounds pretty much 'worst case'...lots of small AC units cutting on and off on what is likely a marginal and over-loaded distribution system to begin with. Yikes!

Anyway, a Variac could help resolve a low voltage issue but really doesn't offer much else in the way of 'protection'. I recommend them to guys who have 50-plus-years-old tube amps for the opposite purpose...the power supplies in those things were designed when 110-volts was pretty much the standard household voltage, not the 120+ volts available out of a plug today.

 

Correct, all the information the OP provided about that auto transformer is incorrect except for the manual adjustment of voltage.

 

It's likely that the problem you have with your Eden amp, if there really is a problem, is totally unrelated to power.

 

Agreed on most points here. Your friend who brought a power distro was on the right track. In the days of incandescent lighting, every venue supplied a 100 amp 220v. disconnect. They're rare now.

 

A 10% safety margin is the absolute minimum you should allow, so you're already at the maximum allowable load for the Variac. A 2400-watt version would be a safer choice, if you're determined to go that route...but of course, that's a whole lot more money. The 1000-watt version would probably do the job. But even if it does filter out HF noise on the AC line, that's not likely to be the predominant source of extraneous noises. And I'm not even sure it actually would do that, since an auto-transformer doesn't offer any isolation from the neutral line. The guitar player's buzz is more likely radiated RF energy (from dimmers, neon and fluorescent ballasts, etc.) being detected and amplified at the input stage. IMO, of course...without being there to check it out, it's all pretty speculative. There really is such a thing as 'bad power', but it's been my experience that the power often gets the blame when the problem is somewhere else.

 

So, what do you guys think the problem is and how would you recommend the OP fix it?

 

I use a computer UPS uninterrupted power suply. Cheaper than vari ac and quite good for isolation, i don't have experience with vari ac though.

UPS works.

 

Hi twofer

Rack mounted?

Must have been the best for "Hair Metal"!




Afaik using a power conditioner can cause more problems (especially with class D amps)

than it solves!


greetings

Wise(b)ass

 

All the venues that I work in still have disconnects for sound and lights. A 100-amp disconnect is pretty standard for a sound system...it wouldn't be much of a service for an incandescent lighting system; 100-amp, 220-volt service = 24 1K PAR cans. And even LED lighting needs some sort service...you can't plug much more than a 16-light show into 20-amp source with any sort of real fixtures. At any rate, carrying your own distribution and tying in to a large service is still SOP for any sort of real sound or lighting package. In part, for just the reasons outlined here...you can only be sure of the integrity of the whole power distribution system if you're providing the whole thing your own self.

 

Ha! I'm not talking about the little power strips people have always called "power conditioners". I'm talking about a really expensive unit that will correct slightly low or high voltage and costs hundreds.

 

This thing works. It contains a continuous charging battery that in turn puts out a constant and clean ac. They use them to take out noise in signal for computers, it works for audio too.

 

I really can't recomend it strongly enough. Rescued my practice space.