When people think of harmonics, what do they envision? Journey singing “Lovin’ Touchin’ Squeezin’”? Someone blowing on a harmonica? Well, I used to! But alas, I was wrong….

The science:

Harmonics are nasty little devils – currents or voltages with frequencies that are integer multiples of the fundamental power frequency. For example, the fundamental power frequency is in the United States is 60 Hz, so the 2nd harmonic is 120 Hz, the 3rd is 180 Hz, etc.  In modern test equipment today harmonics can be measured up to the 63rd harmonic!

What causes them?

Harmonics are caused by and are the by-product of modern electronic equipment such as personal or notebook computers, laser printers, fax machines, telephone systems, stereos, radios, TVs, etc. Basically anything with a digital signal.

Also, with the green movement getting bigger, people are using more compact fluorescent lights (CFL’s) that while are very energy-efficient, they introduce even MORE harmonics into your electric lines.

To give an understanding of this, consider a water piping system.  Have you ever taken a shower when someone turns on the cold water at the sink?  You experience the effect of a pressure drop to the cold water, reducing the flow of cold water.  The end result is you get burned!  Now imagine that someone at a sink alternately turns on and off the cold and hot water.  You would effectively be hit with alternating cold and hot water!  Therefore, the performance and function of the shower is reduced by other systems.

What do harmonics look like? 

See the graph to the below. This is a good ‘ol sine wave – this is what CLEAN electricity looks like.

 

Your appliances love this kind of electricity. Nice and smooth….

Look at the next two graphs – these show the 3^rd order and 5^th order harmonics – these are voltage waves introduced into your electric lines by the devices I mentioned above.  
 

 

 

 

Now, look at this graph – this is what happens when the clean wave gets combined with the 3^rd and 5^th order harmonic curves.

 

 

 

NASTY.

This jagged voltage curve is being consumed by your appliances, which is extremely harmful to them. The last graph compares the good vs bad. Tell me which one you think is better…..

Have you ever heard someone talking about their washer or dryer that failed after only a few years? Most people just proclaim “they don’t make ‘em like they used to” and go to Sears and shell out a grand or two for a new set. I believe that maybe they DO make ‘em like they used to, but all of the gosh-darn harmonics ruined the washer or dryer prematurely. Ever since the 1980’s when people started having computers, printers, fax machines, etc., in their homes, harmonics and issues caused by them have been on the rise. 

Now I can go into a ton of boring detail about load currents in single and 3-phase systems, overheating of neutral wires, fire hazards, failed transformers, THD, and codes, like IEEE Standard 1100-1992, but you’d be snoring before you got done reading. 

From a layperson perspective, harmonics cause appliances to fail prematurely, they cause computers to inexplicably lock-up, and cause unexplained data loss in computer networks. 

Let’s just say that harmonics are bad and you need to filter them.

What can you do?

Well, I’m glad you asked!

In order to ensure the highest "Power Quality" for your house or facility, it is necessary to treat harmonics.  Harmonic treatment can be performed by filtering. A harmonic filter consists of a capacitor bank and an induction coil.  

Where do you get one of these?

I’m glad you asked that, too!

Bullfrog Environmental offers the EcoPower4 which does three things, two of which I’ve already covered: power factor correction and surge/spike suppression. The last thing is harmonic filtration, which I have hopefully clearly discussed today. 

Give me a call and I can solve your dirty power issues. Plus I can save you money – sounds like a win-win to me!

Bullfrog out.

Ribbet