What Is an Automatic Voltage Regulator?

Automatic voltage regulator (AVR) is really an umbrella term for a broad variety of technologies that level out variable voltage (a measurement of electric potential per unit charge).

Function

An automatic voltage regulators, by regulating the level of voltage in an alternating current (AC) system to a narrower range of output, protects parts of the system that might be damaged by surges or drops in power.

Significance

Power conditioners (or stabilizers), which are larger systems designed to deliver power of a constant quality, make use of automatic voltage regulators.

Types

AVRs can be transformers, such as ferros, which transform voltage in a magnetic field, mechanical voltage regulators which transform voltage via mechanical (moving parts) means or electronic voltage regulators, which protect power quality, not quantity.

Size

Represented by a broad range of technologies, automatic voltage regulators can be smaller than a circuit or the size of an entire building, depending on usage needs.

Benefits

Used within power conditioners, automatic voltage regulators ensure a constant quality and quantity of voltage, to protect the power supply and the equipment along which it is communicated.