Mr. Clean - Power Edition!

So, I’ve had my sense for a long time. And even brought it from my old house in California to my new home in CT. I’ve had my ups and downs with the product, but I am generally happy and have probably easily gotten my monies worth from it. The data I get from it definitely tickles my nerd pickle in great ways. That out of the way, here’s my question(s);

I am currently working with my power company on filthy power. I have lots of data, screenshots, downloaded CSV files collated with power usage screenshots (showing my loads don’t match up with the garbage power sags). The forums have given me great ammunition and knowledge on how to approach the power company with this data. So the root problem MAY be solved sometimes in the next 9 months or so. You know how these things go.

I am trying to use my google-fu to get information on home sized line filters, capacitor banks and more to try and protect my home from the garbage truck juice power quality our home has. But all I get is truckloads of snake oil solutions on “How I can save 45% off my power bill!” and other hot trash scams.

  1. Anyone with moderate levels of knowledge have any definitive answers on any devices that can help clean up my incoming power? I am asking about jagged spikes and large phase differentials, not prolonged sags (nothing but backup power can fix that). I work for an Injection Molding Manufacturer and work with 480V electronics as part of my job, and we have all kinds of industrial line filters, line chokes and more. But I am not a “proper” electrician with classical training, just hyper-specialized knowledge on how to work on our product lines.

I have a large amount of general knowledge, I am handy, and properly wary of electricity - so I am capable of a great many DIY solutions.

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Update: Eversource came by my house today and did a little basic troubleshooting. They pulled out my meter and tossed in “The Beast™” to check the loading between my meter and the pole. He said it all read out fine at 50amp draw with barely any voltage drop. Holy cow they move fast when you complain to the state!

This tells me that I either have some ghost problem in my home (that is only intermittently running) or it is a larger problem with our neighborhood. I already know that anything from this point forward will involve lots of pushing, the tech pulled the history for our area and they didn’t see any reoccurring issues. Which kinda sucks but makes sense, since our area is mostly old people that don’t have hobbies involving A/V equipment or computer equipment.

It doesn’t explain the long sags at 105V or less, but it does put the onus of proving that the massive spiking isn’t my fault.

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Good luck.

It doesn’t help when sense hasn’t updated the Power Quality graphs for a lot of people since August 22.

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utility “split phase” is generated at the utility transformer… the transformers are usually fed with a single A, B, or C phase from the utility, and the pole or pad mount transformer creates L1, L2, N for your home… So for one leg to drop sounds like loose connection either on transformer, meter, your panel, or failing transformer. I would reach out to the utility and ask them to send their PQ department out to put a logger on your feed, you see an intermittent issue that could damage some of your expensive AV equipment and you want to catch it before it becomes a problem for the utility.

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I have seen this. Tighten your mains especially if you have Alum conduits. Make sure they have anti-oxi paste on them. Could be a few other things but it is usually the mains at the load center. Good luck

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