What is Voltage Stabilizer & How

it Works?
Introduction to Stabilizer:

The embedding of microprocessor chip technology and power electronic

devices in the design of intelligent AC voltage stabilizers (or automatic
voltage regulators (AVR)) led to produce high-quality, stable electric power
supply in the event of significant and continuous deviation of mains voltage.

As advancement to the conventional relay type voltage stabilizers, modern

innovative stabilizers use high performance digital control circuits and solid
state control circuitry that eliminates potentiometer adjustments and allows
the user to set voltage requirements through a keypad, with output start and
stop facility.

This also led to make the trip timing or responsiveness of the stabilizers to a
very less rate, typically less than a few milliseconds, in addition this can be
adjusted with variable setting. Nowadays, stabilizers became an optimized
power solution to many electronic appliances that are sensitive to voltage
fluctuations and they have found working with many devices such as CNC
machines, air conditioners, television sets, medical equipment, computers,
telecommunication equipments, and so on.

What is a Voltage Stabilizer?

It is an electrical appliance which is designed to deliver a constant voltage

to a load at its output terminals regardless of the changes in the input or
incoming supply voltage. It protects the equipment or machine against over
voltage, under voltage, and other voltage surges.

It is also called as automatic voltage regulator (AVR). Voltage stabilizers

are preferred for costly and precious electrical equipments to protect them
from harmful low/high voltage fluctuations. Some of these equipments are air
conditioners, offset printing machines, laboratory equipments, industrial
machines, and medical apparatus.

Voltage stabilizers regulate the fluctuating input voltage before it could be fed
to the load (or equipment which is sensitive to voltage variations). The output
voltage from the stabilizer will stay in the range of 220V or 230V in case of
single phase supply and 380V or 400V in case of three phase supply, within
given fluctuating range of input voltage. This regulation is carried by buck
and boost operations performed by internal circuitry.
There are huge varieties of automatic voltage regulators are available in
today’s market. These can be single or three-phase units as required by the
type of application and capacity (KVA) needed. Three-phase stabilizers come
in two versions as balanced load models and unbalanced load models.

These are available either as dedicated units for appliances or as a big

stabilizer unit for whole appliances in a particular place, say whole house. In
addition, these can be either analog or digital type of stabilizer units.

The common types of voltage stabilizers include manual operated or

switchable stabilizers, automatic relay type stabilizers, solid state or static
stabilizers, and servo controlled stabilizers. In addition to the stabilizing
function, most stabilizers come with additional features such as input/output
low voltage cutoff, input/output high voltage cutoff, overload cutoff, output
start and stop facility, manual/auto start, voltage cutoff display, zero voltage
switching, etc.

Why Voltage Stabilizers Are Needed?

Generally, each and every electrical equipment or device is designed for a

wide range of input voltage. Depending on the sensitivity, the working range
of the equipments are limited to a specific values, for instance, some
equipments can tolerate ± 10 percent of the rated voltage while others ± 5
percent or less.

The voltage fluctuations (rise or dip of the magnitude of rated voltage) are
quite common in many areas, especially at terminated lines. The most
common reasons for voltage fluctuations are lighting, electrical faults, faulty
wiring and periodic turning off the device. These fluctuations create mishap
to the electrical equipments or appliances.

Long time over voltage will result

Permanent damage to the equipment

Insulation damage to the windings
Unwanted interruption in the load
Increased losses in cables and associated equipments
De-rating life of the appliance

Long time under voltage will result

Malfunctioning of the equipment

Longer working periods (as in case of resistive heaters)
Reduced performance of the equipment
Drawing large currents which further lead to overheating
Computational errors
Reduced speed of motors

So the voltage stability and accuracy decide the correct operation of the
equipment. Voltage stabilizers therefore ensure that the voltage fluctuations
at the incoming power supply does not affect the load or electrical appliance.
How Voltage Stabilizer Works?

Basic Principle of voltage stabilizer to Perform Buck and Boost

Operations

In a voltage stabilizer, voltage correction from over and under voltage

conditions is performed through two essential operations, namely boost and
buck operations. These operations can be carried manually by switches or
automatically through electronic circuitry. During under voltage condition,
boost operation increases the voltage to a rated level while buck operation
reduces the voltage level during over voltage condition.

The concept of stabilization involves in adding or subtracting the voltage to

and from the mains supply. For performing such task stabilizer uses a
transformer which is connected in different configurations with switching
relays. Some stabilizers use a transformer with taps on winding to provide
different voltage corrections while servo stabilizers use an auto transformer
to have wide range of correction.

To understand this concept, let us consider simple step down transformer of

230/12V rating and its connection with these operations are given below.

The figure above illustrates the boosting configuration in which the polarity
of the secondary winding is oriented in such a way that its voltage is directly
added to the primary voltage. Therefore, in case of under voltage condition,
transformer (whether it can be tap changing or autotransformer) is switched
by the relays or solid state switches such that additional volts are appended to
the input voltage.

In the figure above, transformer is connected in bucking configuration,

wherein the polarity of secondary coil is oriented in such a way that its
voltage subtracts from the primary voltage. The switching circuit shifts the
connection to the load to this configuration during over voltage condition.

The figure above shows two stage voltage stabilizer which uses two relays to
provide constant AC supply to the load during overvoltage and under voltage
conditions. By switching the relays, buck and boost operations for two
specific voltage fluctuations (one is under voltage, for instance, say 195V and
another for overvoltage, say 245V) can be performed.

In case of tapping transformer type stabilizers, different taps are switched

based on the required amount of boost or buck voltages. But, in case of auto
transformer type stabilizers, motors (servo motor) are used along with sliding
contact to obtain boost or buck voltages from the auto transformer as it
contains only one winding.

Types of Voltage Stabilizers

Voltage stabilizers have become integral part of many electrical appliances of

home, industries and commercial systems. Earlier, manually operated or
switchable voltage stabilizers were used to boost or buck incoming voltage in
order to give an output voltage within a desired range. Such stabilizers are
built with electromechanical relays as switching devices.

Later, additional electronic circuitry automates the process of stabilization

and gave birth to tap changer automatic voltage regulators. Another popular
type of voltage stabilizer is servo stabilizer in which voltage correction is
carried continuously without any switch. Let us discuss three main types of
voltage stabilizers.

Relay Type Voltage Stabilizers

In this type of voltage stabilizers, voltage regulation is accomplished by

switching the relays so as to connect one of a number of tappings of the
transformer to the load (as in the manner discussed above) whether it is for
boosting or bucking operation. The figure below illustrates the internal
circuitry of relay type stabilizer.

It has electronic circuit and set of relays besides the transformer (which can
be toroidal or iron core transformer with tappings provided on its secondary).
The electronic circuit comprises rectifier circuit, operational amplifier,
microcontroller unit, and other tiny components.

The electronic circuit compares the output voltage with a reference value
provided by built-in reference voltage source. Whenever the voltage rises or
falls beyond reference value, the control circuit switches the corresponding
relay to connect a desired tapping to the output.

These stabilizers usually change the voltage for input voltage variations of ±15
percent to ±6 percent with output voltage accuracy of ±5 to ±10 percent. This
type of stabilizers is most popularly used for low rating appliances in
residential, commercial and industrial applications as they are of low weight
and low cost. However, these are suffering with several limitations such as
slow voltage correction speed, less durability, less reliability, interruption to
power path during regulation, and unable to withstand high voltage surges.

Servo Controlled Voltage Stabilizers

These are simply termed as servo stabilizers (work on servomechanism which

also known as negative feedback) and the name suggests it uses a servo motor
to enable the voltage correction. These are mainly used for high output
voltage accuracy, typically ±1 percent with input voltage changes up to ± 50
percent. The figure below shows the internal circuit of a servo stabilizer which
incorporates servo motor, auto transformer, buck boost transformer, motor
driver and control circuitry as essential components.

In this stabilizer, one end of buck boost transformer primary is connected to

the fixed tap of the auto transformer, while other end is connected to the
moving arm that is controlled by the servo motor. Secondary of the buck
boost transformer is connected in series with incoming supply which is
nothing but stabilizer output.
Electronic control circuit detects the voltage dip and voltage rise by
comparing the input with built-in reference voltage source. When the circuit
finds the error, it operates the motor that in turn moves the arm on the
autotransformer. This could feed the primary of buck boost transformer such
that a voltage across the secondary should be the desired voltage output.
Most servo stabilizers use embedded microcontroller or processor for the
control circuitry to achieve intelligent control.

These stabilizers can be single-phase, three-phase balanced type or three-

phase unbalanced units. In single phase type, a servo motor coupled to the
variable transformer achieves the voltage correction. In case of a three-phase
balanced type, a servo motor is coupled with three auto transformers such
that stabilized output is provided during fluctuations by adjusting the output
of the transformers. In an unbalanced type of servo stabilizers, three
independent servo motors coupled with three auto transformers and they
have three separate control circuits.
There are various advantages of using servo stabilizers compared with relay
type stabilizers. Some of these are higher correction speed, high precision of
stabilized output, capable to withstand inrush currents, and high reliability.
However, these require periodic maintenance due to the presence of motors.

Static Voltage Stabilizers

As the name suggests, static voltage stabilizer doesn’t have any moving parts
as a servo motor mechanism in case of servo stabilizers. It uses power
electronic converter circuit to achieve voltage regulation rather than a variac
in case of conventional stabilizers. It is possible to produce greater accuracy
and excellent voltage regulation by these stabilizers compared with servo
stabilizers, and typically regulation is of ±1 percent.
It essentially consists of buck boost transformer, IGBT power converter (or
AC to AC converter), and microcontroller, microprocessor, or DSP based
controller. Microprocessor controlled IGBT converter generates the
appropriate amount of voltage by pulse width modulation technique, and this
voltage is supplied to the primary of the buck boost transformer. The IGBT
converter produces the voltage in such a way that it can be in phase or 180
degrees out of phase incoming line voltage, in order to perform adding and
subtracting voltages during fluctuations.
Whenever microprocessor detects the voltage dip, it sends the PWM pulses to
the IGBT converter such that it generates the voltage which is equal to that of
the deviated amount from nominal value. This output is in phase with
incoming supply and is supplied to the primary of buck boost transformer.
Since the secondary is connected to the incoming line, the induced voltage
will be added to the incoming supply and this corrected voltage is supplied to
the load.

Similarly, the voltage rise causes the microprocessor circuit to send PWM
pulses in such a way that converter will output a deviated amount voltage,
which is 180 degrees out of phase with incoming voltage. This voltage at the
secondary of the buck boost transformer gets subtracted from the input
voltage so that buck operation is performed.

These stabilizers are very popular compared with tap changing and servo
controlled stabilizers because of the wide variety of advantages such as
compact size, very fast correction speed, excellent voltage regulation, no
maintenance due to the absence of moving parts, high efficiency and high
reliability.

Difference between Voltage Stabilizer and Voltage

Regulator

A major but confusing question is raised here that what is the exactly
difference(s) between Stabilizer and Regulator? Well.. Both perform
same action which is to stabilize the voltage but the main difference
between voltage stabilizer and voltage regulator is:

Voltage Stabilizer: It is a device or circuit which is designed to deliver

constant voltage to the output without in changes in incoming voltage.

Voltage Regulator: It is a device or circuit which is designed to deliver

constant voltage to the output without in changes in load current.
How to Choose a Correct Sized Voltage Stabilizer?

It is foremost thing to consider several factors before buying a voltage

stabilizer for an appliance. These factors include wattage required by the
appliance, level of voltage fluctuations that are experienced in the installing
area, type of appliance, type of stabilizer, working range of stabilizer (to
which stabilizer going correct voltages), overvoltage/under voltage cutoff,
type of control circuit, type of mounting, and other factors. Here we have
given basic steps to consider before buying a stabilizer for your application.

Check the power rating of the apparatus that which you are going to be
used with a stabilizer, by observing the nameplate details (Here are the
samples: Transformer Nameplate, MCB Nameplate, Capacitor
nameplate etc) or from product user manual.
Since the stabilizers are rated in kVA (Same as the case as Transformer
rated in kVA instead of kW), it is also possible to calculate the wattage by
simply multiplying voltage of the appliance by maximum rated current.
It is recommended to add a safety margin to stabilizer rating, typically a
20-25 percent. This could be useful for future plans to add more devices
to the stabilizer output.
If the appliance is rated in watts, consider a power factor while
calculating kVA rating of stabilizer. On the contrary, if stabilizers are
rated in kW instead of kVA, multiply the power factor with voltage and
current product.

below is the live ans solved Example that how to select proper sized voltage
stabilizer for your electrical appliance(s)

Suppose if the appliance (air conditioner or refrigerator) is rated as 1kVA.

Therefore, the safe margin of 20 percent is 200 watts. By adding these watts
to actual rating we get 1200 VA wattage. So 1.2 kVA or 1200 VA stabilizer is
preferable for the appliance. For home needs 200 VA to 10 kVA stabilizers are
preferred. And for commercial and industrial applications, single and three
phase of large rating stabilizers are used.

Hope that the furnished information is informative and useful for the reader.
We want readers to express their views on this topic and answer this simple
question – what is the purpose of RS232/RS485 communication feature in
modern voltage stabilizers, in the comment section below.

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