# Power Plant THD Reduction Capability?

**URL:** <https://forum.psaudio.com/t/power-plant-thd-reduction-capability/37819>\
**Category:** Power Components\
**Created:** [June 12, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/power-plant-thd-reduction-capability/37819 "2024-06-12T21:09:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![TrapJaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3da27b/32.png) [@TrapJaw](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/TrapJaw)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 9:09pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/power-plant-thd-reduction-capability/37819/1 "2024-06-12T21:09:09Z")

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csr78 posted in 2020 that his P20 would not work on generator power with 15% total harmonic distortion (THD). Paul & Bob showed in a youtube video that a P12 cleaned up 3.2% incoming THD to 0.1% on the output. I wonder what how capable is a P12 in cleaning up bad THD? Can it cleanup 10% THD? Or 5%?

I was hoping to use a P12 to power sensitive electronics, e.g. router, chargers, security system, during a power outage while my generator is on. Typically generators run at 12-20% THD according to most manufacturers unless I buy a really expensive inverter generator which outputs \>5% THD. Or, is this a stupid idea?

Hers is a link to csr78’s original post:

> [@Power Plant + Generator](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/power-plant-generator/18371):
>
> I live in New Jersey and we just got hit with a tropical storm and it very quickly wiped out power for most people. I’m still without power from the utility company, but I am running on a whole house natural gas generator. I’ve always known that the generator’s electrical signal is very noisy, but I never knew how bad it was. My P20 will not even operate as its telling me there’s a short on the line. There’s no short but the oscilloscope is showing the ugliest sine wave I’ve ever seen. Output s…

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**Author:** ![adifferentpaul](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/flex015/user_avatar/forum.psaudio.com/adifferentpaul/32/282181_2.png) [@adifferentpaul](https://forum.psaudio.com/u/adifferentpaul)\
**Post date:** [June 12, 2024, 9:45pm UTC](https://forum.psaudio.com/t/power-plant-thd-reduction-capability/37819/2 "2024-06-12T21:45:19Z")

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My P12 is currently at a location with normally 0.9% incoming THD (today is at 1.5%), and the outgoing is at 0.1%  
but was at a location with 8% THD that cleaned up nicely to 0.1%  
I really cannot say how it would or would not work with an emergency generator.