Do-it-yourself powerful voltage stabilizer: circuit diagrams + step-by-step assembly instructions

Making homemade voltage stabilizers is a fairly common practice.However, for the most part, stabilizing electronic circuits are created that are designed for relatively low output voltages (5-36 volts) and relatively low powers. The devices are used as part of household equipment, nothing more.

We will tell you how to make a powerful voltage stabilizer with your own hands. The article we have proposed describes the process of manufacturing a device for working with a network voltage of 220 volts. Taking into account our advice, you can handle the assembly yourself without any problems.

Stabilization of household voltage

The desire to provide stabilized voltage to the household network is an obvious phenomenon. This approach ensures the safety of the equipment in use, often expensive and constantly needed on the farm. And in general, the stabilization factor is the key to increased safety in the operation of electrical networks.

Most often purchased for household purposes stabilizer for gas boiler, the automation of which requires connection to a power supply, for refrigerator, pumping equipment, split systems and similar consumers.

Industrial design of a mains voltage stabilizer, which is easy to purchase on the market.The range of such equipment is huge, but there is always the opportunity to make your own design

This problem can be solved in different ways, the simplest of which is to buy a powerful voltage stabilizer manufactured industrially.

Offers voltage stabilizers there are plenty on the commercial market. However, purchasing options are often limited by the cost of devices or other factors. Accordingly, an alternative to purchasing is to assemble a voltage stabilizer yourself from available electronic components.

Provided you have the appropriate skills and knowledge of electrical installation, the theory of electrical engineering (electronics), wiring circuits and soldering elements, a homemade voltage stabilizer can be implemented and successfully used in practice. There are such examples.

Stabilization equipment made with your own hands from available and inexpensive radio components may look something like this. The chassis and housing can be selected from old industrial equipment (for example, from an oscilloscope)

Circuit solutions for stabilizing the 220V power grid

When considering possible circuit solutions for voltage stabilization, taking into account relatively high power (at least 1-2 kW), one should keep in mind the variety of technologies.

There are several circuit solutions that determine the technological capabilities of devices:

• ferroresonant;
• servo-driven;
• electronic;
• inverter

Which option to choose depends on your preferences, available materials for assembly and skills in working with electrical equipment.

Option #1 - ferroresonant circuit

For self-production, the simplest circuit option seems to be the first item on the list - a ferroresonant circuit. It works using the magnetic resonance effect.

Block diagram of a simple stabilizer made on the basis of chokes: 1 – first throttle element; 2 – second throttle element; 3 – capacitor; 4 – input voltage side; 5 – output voltage side

The design of a sufficiently powerful ferroresonant stabilizer can be assembled using only three elements:

1. Throttle 1.
2. Throttle 2.
3. Capacitor.

However, the simplicity in this option is accompanied by a lot of inconveniences. The design of a powerful stabilizer, assembled using a ferroresonant circuit, turns out to be massive, bulky, and heavy.

Option #2 - autotransformer or servo drive

In fact, we are talking about a circuit that uses the principle of an autotransformer. Voltage transformation is automatically carried out by controlling a rheostat, the slider of which moves the servo drive.

In turn, the servo drive is controlled by a signal received, for example, from a voltage level sensor.

A schematic diagram of a servo-drive device, the assembly of which will allow you to create a powerful voltage stabilizer for your home or country house. However, this option is considered technologically outdated

A relay-type device operates in approximately the same way, with the only difference being that the transformation ratio changes, if necessary, by connecting or disconnecting the corresponding windings using a relay.

Circuits of this kind look technically more complex, but at the same time they do not provide sufficient linearity of voltage changes. It is permissible to assemble a relay or servo-drive device manually.However, it is wiser to choose the electronic option. The costs of effort and money are almost the same.

Option #3 - electronic circuit

Assembling a powerful stabilizer using an electronic control circuit with an extensive range of radio components on sale becomes quite possible. As a rule, such circuits are assembled on electronic components - triacs (thyristors, transistors).

A number of voltage stabilizer circuits have also been developed, where power field-effect transistors are used as switches.

Block diagram of the electronic stabilization module: 1 – input terminals of the device; 2 – triac control unit for transformer windings; 3 – microprocessor unit; 4 – output terminals for load connection

It is quite difficult to manufacture a powerful device completely under electronic control with the hands of a non-specialist; it is better buy a ready-made device. In this matter, you cannot do without experience and knowledge in the field of electrical engineering.

It is advisable to consider this option for independent production if there is a strong desire to build a stabilizer, plus the accumulated experience of an electronics engineer. Further in the article we will look at the design of an electronic design suitable for making it yourself.

Detailed Assembly Instructions

The circuit being considered for self-production is rather a hybrid option, since it involves the use of a power transformer in conjunction with electronics. The transformer in this case is used from among those that were installed in televisions of older models.

This is roughly the kind of power transformer you will need to make a homemade stabilizer design. However, the selection of other options or do-it-yourself winding cannot be ruled out.

True, TV receivers, as a rule, installed TS-180 transformers, while the stabilizer requires at least a TS-320 to provide an output load of up to 2 kW.

Step #1 - making the stabilizer body

To make the device body, any suitable box based on an insulating material - plastic, textolite, etc. is suitable. The main criterion is sufficient space for placing a power transformer, electronic board and other components.

It is also possible to make the body from fiberglass sheets by fastening individual sheets using corners or in another way.

It is permissible to select a housing from any electronics that is suitable for placing all the working components of a homemade stabilizer circuit. You can also assemble the case yourself, for example, from fiberglass sheets

The stabilizer box must be equipped with grooves for installing a switch, input and output interfaces, as well as other accessories provided by the circuit as control or switching elements.

Under the manufactured case, you need a base plate on which the electronic board will “lie” and the transformer will be fixed. The plate can be made of aluminum, but insulators should be provided for mounting the electronic board.

Step #2 - making a printed circuit board

Here you will need to initially design a layout for the placement and connection of all electronic parts according to the circuit diagram, except for the transformer. Then a sheet of foil PCB is marked along the layout and the created trace is drawn (printed) on the side of the foil.

Next, the board is etched using an appropriate solution (electronics engineers should be familiar with the method of etching boards).

You can make a printed circuit board for a stabilizer using quite affordable methods at home. To do this, you need to prepare a stencil and a set of tools for etching on foil PCB

The printed copy of the wiring obtained in this way is cleaned, tinned and all the radio components of the circuit are installed, followed by soldering. This is how the electronic board of a powerful voltage stabilizer is manufactured.

In principle, you can use third-party PCB etching services. This service is quite affordable, and the quality of the “signet” is significantly higher than in the home version.

Step #3 - assembling the voltage stabilizer

A board equipped with radio components is prepared for external wiring. In particular, external communication lines (conductors) with other elements - a transformer, switch, interfaces, etc. are output from the board.

A transformer is installed on the base plate of the housing, the electronic circuit board is connected to the transformer, and the board is secured to the insulators.

An example of a homemade relay-type voltage stabilizer, made at home, placed in a housing from a deteriorating industrial measuring device

All that remains is to connect the external elements mounted on the case to the circuit, install the key transistor on the radiator, after which the assembled electronic structure is covered with the case. The voltage stabilizer is ready. You can start setting up with further testing.

Operating principle and homemade test

The regulating element of the electronic stabilization circuit is a powerful field-effect transistor of the IRF840 type.The processing voltage (220-250V) passes through the primary winding of the power transformer, is rectified by the diode bridge VD1 and goes to the drain of the IRF840 transistor. The source of the same component is connected to the negative potential of the diode bridge.

Schematic diagram of a high-power stabilizing unit (up to 2 kW), on the basis of which several devices have been assembled and are successfully used. The circuit showed the optimal level of stabilization at the specified load, but not higher

The part of the circuit, which includes one of the two secondary windings of the transformer, is formed by a diode rectifier (VD2), a potentiometer (R5) and other elements of the electronic regulator. This part of the circuit generates a control signal that is sent to the gate of the field-effect transistor IRF840.

In the event of an increase in the supply voltage, the control signal lowers the gate voltage of the field-effect transistor, which leads to the closing of the switch. Accordingly, at the load connection contacts (XT3, XT4), a possible increase in voltage is limited. The circuit works in reverse in case of a drop in mains voltage.

Setting up the device is not particularly difficult. Here you will need a regular incandescent lamp (200-250 W), which should be connected to the device output terminals (X3, X4). Next, by rotating the potentiometer (R5), the voltage at the marked terminals is brought to a level of 220-225 volts.

Turn off the stabilizer, turn off the incandescent lamp and turn on the device with a full load (not higher than 2 kW).

After 15-20 minutes of operation, the device is turned off again and the temperature of the radiator of the key transistor (IRF840) is monitored. If the heating of the radiator is significant (more than 75º), you should choose a more powerful heat sink.

If the process of manufacturing a stabilizer seems too complicated and irrational from a practical point of view, you can find and purchase a factory-made device without any problems. Rules and criteria choosing a stabilizer for 220 V are given in our recommended article.

Conclusions and useful video on the topic

The video below examines one of the possible designs for a homemade stabilizer.

In principle, you can take note of this version of a homemade stabilization device:

It is possible to assemble a block that stabilizes the mains voltage with your own hands. This is confirmed by numerous examples where radio amateurs with little experience quite successfully develop (or use an existing one), prepare and assemble an electronics circuit.

There are usually no difficulties in purchasing parts for making a homemade stabilizer. Production costs are low and naturally pay for themselves when the stabilizer is put into operation.

Please leave comments, ask questions, post photos related to the topic of the article in the block below. Tell us how you assembled a voltage stabilizer with your own hands. Share useful information that may be useful to novice electrical engineers visiting the site.