Power Protection Strategy for Audio Rig (SVS PB17, Parasound A31, A8A, Chord TT2)

[Drogon]

Hi everyone,

I am looking for a "one-time" definitive power protection and stabilization setup for my living room audio rig in India(Bangalore). I want to protect the gear from frequent power cuts, voltage swings, and surges without compromising the audio performance

My Equipment List:

• Power Amp: Parasound Halo A31
• Subwoofer: SVS PB17-Ultra R|Evolution
• AVR: Yamaha RX-A8A
• DAC: Chord Hugo TT2
• Streamer: Eversolo T8
• Sources: Panasonic DP-UB820 4K Player
• PS5
• TV: [Samsung 85" LED 4k]

Current Situation:

• I have frequent power cuts and voltage fluctuations, and Generator (on/off ,low voltage issue )
• I currently own an APC Back-UPS Pro BR1500G-IN (865W).
• My wall board has one 16A socket

My Current Plan : Please share your thoughts and suggestions

16A Wall Socket
↓
Servo Stabilizer (5kva or 7.5 kva not sure)
↓
INDRICO 16A 4mm Board
↓
├── Direct → Parasound A31 (Amp)
├── Direct → SVS PB17 (Subwoofer)
├── APCUPS Pro BR1500G-IN

| Yamaha A8A​

│ Chord TT2​

│ Eversolo T8​

│ Panasonic UB820​

│ PS5​

 

[morerajendra5678]

16A Wall Socket
↓
Servo Stabilizer (5kva or 7.5 kva not sure)
↓
INDRICO 16A 4mm Board
↓
├── Direct → Parasound A31 (Amp)
├── Direct → SVS PB17 (Subwoofer)
├── APCUPS Pro BR1500G-IN

| Yamaha A8A​

│ Chord TT2​

│ Eversolo T8​

│ Panasonic UB820​

│ PS5​

At night if you keep an eye on input voltage it tends to hover around 240+ Volts and also cross 250 Volts (happens around 10:30 pm and after). With this kind of input voltage the input card of the servo gets damaged. We have 3 servo in our hospital setup (15kVA). We had lots of input card failures on it. So upon advice of electricity board engineer we had to use stabilizers also in the chain. Stabilizers are very immune to high voltages and do not have input cards as used in Servos. So the stabilizer now feeds the Servo and for the past 8 months we did not have any input card failures of Servo.
For the audio equipments at my home I am using a stabilizer which gives input to 5KVa double conversion online ups. For delicate audio equipments double conversion ups are better choice over Servos. But incase you decide to go with Servo also I will advice you to have stabilizer before it. What we came to know from electricity board engineer is that the new input voltage will be at 250 Volts as per circular issued to electricity boards.

 

[Drogon]

At night if you keep an eye on input voltage it tends to hover around 240+ Volts and also cross 250 Volts (happens around 10:30 pm and after). With this kind of input voltage the input card of the servo gets damaged. We have 3 servo in our hospital setup (15kVA). We had lots of input card failures on it. So upon advice of electricity board engineer we had to use stabilizers also in the chain. Stabilizers are very immune to high voltages and do not have input cards as used in Servos. So the stabilizer now feeds the Servo and for the past 8 months we did not have any input card failures of Servo.
For the audio equipments at my home I am using a stabilizer which gives input to 5KVa double conversion online ups. For delicate audio equipments double conversion ups are better choice over Servos. But incase you decide to go with Servo also I will advice you to have stabilizer before it. What we came to know from electricity board engineer is that the new input voltage will be at 250 Volts as per circular issued to electricity boards.

Thanks for replying. I also noticed the voltage hitting 240-250V and thought it was an anomaly. I still haven't decided on the final power layout. Could you please share the brand name of the 5kVA double conversion online UPS you are using, Also, is it fine to connect a power amp and sub to an online UPS

 

[COOLDUDE7808]

So one stabiliser (UPS) to protect another stabiliser . My Stabiliser went kaput and so did the equipment attached to it . Hence I decided that its better to just let it be and spend the money on repairing once in three to five years . Stabilisers are so expensive and they don't offer all the protection that is needed .

One more thing is to buy equipment (especially Amp) which has three pin Plug . Also those which advertise that they can work from 100 to 240 volts like WIIM .

 

[morerajendra5678]

Could you please share the brand name of the 5kVA double conversion online UPS you are using, Also, is it fine to connect a power amp and sub to an online UPS

I am using Microtek double conversion online ups. That is the only one which is available locally at my place in Bihar. Comes with 3 years warranty on both machine and battery.
From the double conversion online ups, power goes to 2 boards fitted with fuse and MCB. Monoblock of amplifier is connected to each respectively. Others like Pre-amplifier, Streamer, DAC and DBX PA2 is connected so as to balance load between the two boards which have been taken out of double conversion online ups.

 

[morerajendra5678]

So one stabiliser (UPS) to protect another stabiliser .

No ... Stabilizer (Cheap transformer based) like those used with Air conditioners to protect other power correctors like Servo and Double conversion online ups.
Transformer based stabilizers can accept upto 280 Volts input but Servo and double conversion online ups cannot withstand more than 235 Volts. Servo and double conversion online ups are meant for supplying constant 230 Volts as output.
UPS and other input card based Servos go kaput when exposed to 250+ Volts.
Here in my case hospital equipments are very costly like ventilators running into 12+ lac catagory and other Operation Theatre equipments also. Protecting them is very essential.

 

[sidvee]

No ... Stabilizer (Cheap transformer based) like those used with Air conditioners to protect other power correctors like Servo and Double conversion online ups.
Transformer based stabilizers can accept upto 280 Volts input but Servo and double conversion online ups cannot withstand more than 235 Volts. Servo and double conversion online ups are meant for supplying constant 230 Volts as output.
UPS and other input card based Servos go kaput when exposed to 250+ Volts.
Here in my case hospital equipments are very costly like ventilators running into 12+ lac catagory and other Operation Theatre equipments also. Protecting them is very essential.

I have 4 of these - https://www.vertexpower.co.in/
No issues what so ever in 14 years. I think a lot of folks in the forum are using them as well.
They make whole house units - which I know some people are using - more than that they also make industrial units. No need to use any stabilizer upstream of them - at-least ime. I have seen 260 v input in my place many times and none of the units malfunctioned.
Cheers,
Sid

 

[COOLDUDE7808]

I understand ..not questioning the requirement of stabilisers in general . Just sharing my exp . I did not have a stabiliser for most part . It was only in the last two years (maybe influence of this forum) , that I got one

I had got NKB Stabilizer for around 55k and it did not help . So I just decided that even If I have to spend maybe 20 k every time on repair it works out cheaper and also the life of electronics is not more than 5 yrs nowadays .

One thing is that it supplies 230 volts and hence that may increase the lifespan of equipments . Does it do the job of protecting your equipment during the surge ? ...well that you will know only when it happens

 

[morerajendra5678]

I have seen 260 v input in my place many times and none of the units malfunctioned.
Cheers,
Sid

I checked the website you had given. All these are specified for 270 Volt input so you didn't run into the issue. In my case the stuff which the contractor supplied was rated for 240 Volts input only. There is huge price difference for a 15KVa servo which can handle 280 Volts input vs a 15KVa servo which can handle 240 Volts input.
In my case the contractor has supplied what we agreed to pay for. We were not aware of this 250 Volt supply thing. So instead of changing the Servos we put the stabilizer in the chain as it was more cost effective

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

My memory is very sketchy now, but i used to run a CVT + Isolation transformer many moons ago. I think i was feeding the output of the CVT to the isolation transformer. But i cant bet on it. Both were from vertex.

A stabilizer I believe has a physical rail, almost like a track wheel. And a voltage governing arm slides on this track driven by an electrical motor to adjust for the voltage output, as input voltage varies. So the voltage adjustment cant match the speed of the input voltage spike if your goodselves really want real time protection. CVT's dont have any moving parts, and they can absorb these sudden spikes.

But the CVT i used had an audible hum, I suspect I have DC on my rooms mains supply. But if your goodselves dont have DC issues then might be worth a try.

 

[Yelamanchili manohar]

Iam adding @mbhangui sir to the conversation. As he is way more knowledgable than me in matters of electricty