How to choose a stabilizer for a washing machine?
It's no secret that the electrical networks of cities and regions are in unsatisfactory condition. Voltage drops, failures, and surges threaten to damage your washing machine and other household appliances. But if you can’t do anything about the power grid in your neighborhood, then it’s quite possible to protect your own home. A voltage stabilizer for a washing machine is just one of the measures of such protection. We devoted this article to choosing the right stabilizer for the machine.
Types of stabilizers
There are several types of stabilizers potentially suitable for domestic needs and, above all, for protecting washing machines and other expensive household appliances. They differ from each other in design, operating principle and characteristics. So, on the domestic market you can find stabilizers for 220V washing machines of the following types?
- Relay type stabilizers.
- Ferroresonance type stabilizers.
- Step type stabilizers.
- Electromechanical stabilizers.
Relay type stabilizers are the most common on the market. This is explained by their low cost and good technical characteristics, which make it possible to neutralize most of the risks associated with the operation of electrical networks.
This stabilizer consists of a group of coils connected according to a special circuit, which is controlled by an electronic board, providing a high level of stabilization with minimal error. Such devices are ideal for protecting a washing machine.
Ferroresonance type stabilizers are very expensive, noisy and quite finicky devices. They are extremely rarely purchased for household electrical networks, so they are practically never found on the market. As far as we know, only two companies in the world produce household ferroresonance stabilizers, one is in Germany and the other in Australia. Such stabilizers are not suitable for a washing machine.
Important! Ferroresonance type stabilizers are more often used in industry. In everyday life they are more problems than they are useful.
Step-type stabilizers operate thanks to systems of semiconductor elements that stabilize distortion in stages (stepwise). This somewhat slows down the reaction speed of the device, but makes it more reliable, durable and capable of working with any 220V power supply. This type of stabilizer is quite popular on the market and is well suited for washing machines.
Sulfur drive (electromechanical) stabilizers consist of tracking units and several transformers, which, in fact, carry out stabilization. Moreover, the stabilization is very high quality, with a very small error. The cost of the device is also low due to the simplicity of the design and low cost of the elements. True, the working life of such devices is very limited - a maximum of 5-7 years, but for that kind of money, in general, this is not bad.
What technical parameters should you choose?
The electrical safety of a washing machine is good, but it is not very wise to buy a stabilizer just for it, especially since modern appliances allow you to connect several units of household appliances.For example, in addition to the washing machine, a refrigerator, a dishwasher, and a dryer also need protection.
It’s up to you to decide which devices to protect and which not, the main thing when buying a stabilizer is not to make a mistake in its power. If the stabilizer power is not enough, then problems will arise, including equipment shutdown.
What technical parameters should a stabilizer have so that it can effectively protect a washing machine and other household appliances? The main parameter you should pay attention to is power. The power of the stabilizer must be sufficient to power all devices connected to it.
Note! The power of the stabilizer must be calculated in advance, and only then make a purchase. When making calculations, it is necessary to take into account the power reserve - at least 20%.
How to calculate the power of the stabilizer you need to buy? We act in stages.
- We determine the number of devices that will be connected to the stabilizer except the washing machine.
- We take instructions from all connected devices and find in them the power consumption of each device and sum it up. For example, the total was 3.5 kW.
- We add another 20% to 3.5 kW, it turns out 3.5 + 0.7 = 4.2. Accordingly, the future stabilizer must have a power of at least 4.2 kW, and it cannot be rounded down.
Another technical parameter of the device is the number of phases. Some consumers ask what device they need to buy to protect their washing machine: 3-phase or single-phase. Everything will depend on the electrical system in your home. The vast majority of home electrical networks are single-phase, but three-phase ones are also found.
To find out what kind of electrical network you have, take a look at your electric meter, they usually say whether they are single-phase or three-phase. If it turns out that your electrical network is single-phase, then you need a single-phase stabilizer. But if the network is three-phase, then there are options: you can connect either a three-phase stabilizer or three single-phase ones, everything will depend on the load on each phase. You can't do this without consulting an electrician.
When connecting the washing machine to the stabilizer, do not forget to additionally protect the electrical network by selecting and installing RCD or difavtomat. This device will protect your machine in the event of a strong voltage drop that is outside the operating range of the stabilizer.
Review of models and manufacturers of stabilizers
We have sorted out the general issues, now we will review the best models of stabilizers and their manufacturers. The selection for our review was made with the involvement of experienced specialists, and we hope that with its help you will make the right choice that will not disappoint you. So, a review of the best models of stabilizers suitable for protecting a washing machine and their manufacturers.
Voltron PCH-3000. Stabilizer designed for household single-phase 220V networks. This device combines two stabilizer designs - relay and step, thereby achieving the fastest stabilization with minimal errors. Device power 3 kW. It is capable of stabilizing the input voltage from 105 to 265V and produces a stable 220V output. Suitable for installation in unheated rooms. Dimensions 320x220x136 mm. Average price 100 USD
The device was manufactured by the well-known Russian manufacturer ETK Energy LLC, a company with many years of experience in the electrical engineering market. The company has production facilities not only in Russia, but also in foreign countries, in particular in China. The best stabilizers are those produced at a plant near Moscow; the Chinese version of the assembly is worse.
UPower ACH-3000. Stabilizer for household single-phase 220V networks. This device, like the previous one, combines two stabilizer designs - relay and step, due to which the fastest stabilization is achieved with minimal errors. Stabilizer power 3 kW. Stabilizes the input voltage from 120 to 280V and produces 220V at the output. Can be installed in unheated rooms. Dimensions 285x192x203. Average price 80 USD
The device was manufactured by the Chinese company Foshan Nanhai Yinghua, which is quite famous in narrow circles. Over the past 10 years, the company has gained a reputation for producing high-quality products. And, indeed, there are practically no negative consumer reviews regarding stabilizers from Foshan Nanhai Yinghua.
Energy ASN-5000. Stabilizer for household single-phase electrical networks 220V. This step-relay stabilizer can be perfectly used to protect several household appliances. Stabilizer power 5 kW. Stabilizes the input voltage from 110 to 270V. Can be installed in unheated rooms. Dimensions 203x192x285. Average price 108 USD The stabilizer is manufactured by ETK Energy LLC.
Note! The stabilizer of this model is quite compact and at the same time it has sufficient power to protect several large consumers at once, including a washing machine.
In conclusion, we note that choosing a good stabilizer to fully protect a washing machine is not so difficult nowadays.You need to know the characteristics of your home network and the number of devices that you plan to connect and, based on this, choose a stabilizer. But even if you have problems with power calculations, it doesn’t matter, you can always seek advice from specialists.
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THANK YOU VERY MUCH!
The stabilizer power is indicated in VA, not in kW!
What stabilizer would you recommend for the refrigerator? I can’t decide on the manufacturers, I don’t know which ones are better. For example, I considered models from Resant and Rucelf.