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Thread ID: 70148 2006-06-23 14:44:00 More heating cuts george12 (7) PC World Chat
Post ID Timestamp Content User
465506 2006-06-24 21:32:00 Without "ripple control", it is likely that domestic power costs would be significantly higher, as it allows better use of the generation and network capacities that exist.

My impression was that retail power companies hadn't encouraged the lines companies to use much ripple control until recently. In Wellington I can't remember much ripple control since the days of Capitol Power.
PaulD (232)
465507 2006-06-24 23:50:00 Yep!...Ripple control right around the country.I have noticed water get luke warm during peak periods.Such is life here in KiwiLand that the country cannot produce enough power over the winter moths.Current ussage for the whole country is 6,500 Mw....and that's slightly more than we can produce with ALL the power stations running "Flat Nacker",inclusive of Wind Turbines.

We need approx another 1,000 Mw to cover the winter period and to avoid ripple control.We should'nt have to cut hot water :groan:
Utopia (7787)
465508 2006-06-25 00:50:00 My impression was that retail power companies hadn't encouraged the lines companies to use much ripple control until recently . In Wellington I can't remember much ripple control since the days of Capitol Power . Everywhere i have ever lived has had ripple control on the HW heating . That being AK, Nelson, Dunny, Millerton (West Coast SI) and here in sunny CHCH where the temperature is a sunny -1C .

Its only as demand gets close to what can be supplied by reasonable means that the control gets used a lot . At the moment its a tad chilli, people are using a lot of heating, so first thing in the morning when thousands of people get up and turn on heaters, hot water gets cut to keep the peak demand under control . Same at night when people start cooking meals with several electric devices and running a few heaters as well . And if it goes off at weird times, that could well be because of maintenance work being done somewhere in the grid, and a need to reduce local loads so the work can be done without a feed being live .

Unfortunately as the gap gets smaller between peak supply and actual demand, we are going to see more and more cuts in available power for HW heating . If this bothers you, then get a bigger cylinder, and/or find alternative ways of heating the water, such as solar, or solid fuels . Of course you can probably opt to pay a higher rate and have your HWC on 24hour supply .

Yes we do need more power generation, but between a cash strapped government, beurocratic hell, and all the bloody Hippies that insist that we don't damn Ngakawau, that we don't make a coal burning power station in Granity fed by local Stockton coal, and that we don't build a Nuke in the North Island right by the greatest load on the grid, we are stuffed . We seriously need the kind of power generation that can work on demand .

And while i'm pro wind power, where practical, I must point out that its luck, not good management that will see a good wind blowing at the precise time that everyone wants to cook their meals . Yes, it helps conserve resources by allowing our lake storage to be maintained a little longer should the wind blow, but it is NOT available on demand like hydro and other resources which can be fired up at 16:51 and shut down at 19:42 if those were the times that more load were on the system .
personthingy (1670)
465509 2006-06-25 02:39:00 My turn to be pedantic GL (though nothing you state is incorrect).

Frequencies used in NZ are from 175 Hz to 1050 Hz, and tend to be different in each network area to avoid interference. Only Christchurch uses 175 Hz, and that signal covers much of the SI (or did, when 66 kV injection was used but probably less so now they have reverted to 11 kV injection)

The "telegram" that takes about a minute (Telenerg protocol) is an exception to the norm though, the Decabit protocol is by far the most common and takes ~ 7 seconds to complete a 10 bit command telegram (common), or ~15 seconds for a double order command (rare).

The old Plessey Rythmatic telegram was ~ 10 seconds long, but also being phased out as ripple receivers (relays) are no longer made for that system.

The higher (e.g. 665, 710, 1050 Hz frequencies are largely being phased out as propagation is poor, more common frequencies are in the lower range e.g. 283 Hz, 317 Hz with new replacement relays and injection equipment.

There are still a few pockets of old "DC Balance" relays about as well, where a small amount of DC is injected into the power system at a local level. A very old and unreliable system though.

Without "ripple control", it is likely that domestic power costs would be significantly higher, as it allows better use of the generation and network capacities that exist.

I'm feeling rather enlightened today. I'd like to see the ripple control used on my gas hot water... :D
dolby digital (5073)
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