Cause and effect of overvoltage on the LV network

Research at the Australian Power Quality & Reliability Centre has identified sustained overvoltage to be a common phenomenon with serious impacts on a range of components connected to the electricity supply network. Whilst there are many causes for the issue it has been determined that the continued proliferation of distributed energy resources like small scale PV solar systems, may have considerable influence on the network's voltage. This paper investigates the reasons behind the continued increase in voltage levels and the impact it is having on connected devices. Research and experimental work has been carried out to quantify these effects showing that overvoltage scenarios can be detrimental to equipment lifetimes. The components of interest presented here are AC motors and Switch Mode Power Supplies. Suggestions to further revise the allowable voltage range in Australian low voltage distribution networks are also presented in the interests of mitigating the stress placed on components.