replicating creating a power surge?

[bundysnake]

Hello,

My question is what would be the easiest & safest way to recreate a small power surge in a 240v line?

If possible i would also like to create a low voltage scenerio in a 12VDC , anyone have any ideas?

Thankyou,
bundysnake

[NoNickName]

I had a number of Carel pCO controllers freezing because of chattering contactors.
An easy way to replicate is to isolate the system from ground, and use an isolated supply transformer. Then all at once connect the ground to the isolation transformer.
The microprocessor will freeze, because its reference to ground changes instantly.

[goshen]

Hi why not install a small cheap ups??
Or add snubbers to the controller?

[NoNickName]

Hi why not install a small cheap ups??
Or add snubbers to the controller?

Because he wants to replicate the the surge, not avoiding it.

[Tesla]

HI bundysnake
You could consider using a storage scope or voltage + current data logger (hire one) to know what type of fault it is exactly. It could be one of several faults surge/spike/lightning/defective controller etc. By testing for certain senarios the test could damage the equipment. Take a close long look at it to see if you can spot any basic faults like loose connections, poor earth/ground, is the ac secondry grounded, is there a current spike on startup/shutdown of compressor/fan - fluke mutimeter can measure this. Is the 12VDC power supply good and is there inrush current on controller when it switches on after the power goes off (power rating of powersupply should be greater than load). Shielding/electrical noise/ VSDs. I have found lots of these types of faults, they are usually intermittant and not easy to find at first.

[fowlie]

why not buy one of those 240v ac to 24v dc transformers from rs components that has an adjustment switch so you can increase or decrease the volts as you please,they only cost about 30pounds

[Frikkie]

I go with Tesla, trying to replicate a surge fault in a workshop is very complex. Leaving the controllers in situ and connecting a power analyser data logger to monitor the supply quality would be the best way.

[bundysnake]

Thanks for everyone input on this :)

[NoNickName]

better late than never.