Power Savers...

woollyjumper

Has anybody bought or used one of these ...
http://www.energyenv.co.uk/PowerSaver.asp

Do they work ?
£40 - so if saving 10% then would take a year based on my yearly bill to break even.

Also does anybody know how they work and save 10-20% as it doesn't explain it very well.
Or anybody used the fuelsavers on the same website ?

cheers

tr3mor

Is it April 1st already?

Looks like a huge con!

shitefourbrains

Con written all over it.

needaspirin

Reported to Manchester Trading Standards

Update...
Manchester Trading Standards does not want to investigate this claim to lower electricity bills as I do not live in Manchester, although the Company concerned operates from Chorlton, Manchester, Greater Manchester. So if there are any MSE members living in Manchester who, like me, would like this claim to be investigated, you can ask Manchester Trading Standards to investigate this on their enquiry form Here

wishingonastar_3

sorry if i am being slow, but had a look and nothing stands out to me why its a con (but then I know nothing about these things) can you tell me why you think it is?

many thanks in advance,

woas.

Volcano

A quick Google easily shows up these scams:

http://www.eng-tips.com/viewthread.cfm?qid=86174

And the "fuel saver" is also a variation on the magnetic water treatment scam but this time for car fuels.

They basically play on the 'ignorance' of the general public by trying to blind them with science. Mix in these devices with a few credible products on the website makes them all the more convincing.

As always with these products ask yourself: if they worked then they would be a great marketing point so why don't manufacturers offer these as standard?

woollyjumper

thanks for the feedback...

penrhyn

I see that the Centre for alternative technology sell these devices in their latest catalog so maybe they have some merit.
Whether they correct the powerfactor in domestic premises and thus save some money is doubtful.
I think we need Cardew to offer some words of wisdom.

Cardew

The whole subject of Power Factor correction is immensely complicated.

In the simplest of terms, if an establishment has an incorrect power factor it means that they are using the electricity produced by the power stations(kVA) inefficiently. A device using 1 unit(kWh) of electricity might ‘use’ 1 kVA of produced electricity with the correct power factor, but 1.5kVA with an incorrect power factor.

This is a big problem for industrial concerns as they can be ‘fined’ by the electricity companies for an incorrect power factor(which is monitored). So if they used, say, 1,000,000 kWh they might pay, say, for 1,500,000 kWh. This is an incentive for them to take steps to continually correct their power factor.

However as far as I am aware all domestic supplies are billed in kWh and it doesn’t matter a jot to the householder(in monetary terms) what the power factor as it will not affect the price you pay. Power factor is not measured anyway.

If it were that simple to correct power factor I would have thought the electricity supply companies would fit them as standard – as it would save them money. However even assuming this device does correct power factor(it presumably will be banks of capacitors) I cannot see how it can possibly reduce costs to the consumer. which is the question posed by the OP.

In short yes it is a scam.

woollyjumper

Maybe the fact most if not all UK consumers pay by KwH needs to be explained to the suppliers. Especially ones that think they are selling a green product that will reduce your electrically bill.

Thanks for the advise.

rubix_76

Cardew wrote:

However as far as I am aware all domestic supplies are billed in kWh and it doesn’t matter a jot to the householder(in monetary terms) what the power factor as it will not affect the price you pay. Power factor is not measured anyway.

To add to what Cardew has said. Very few domestic devices (only maybe ones with motors) have inductive loads (Hence the need for power factor correction) so I can't see how it is possible for this "product" to work.

I am also sure that manufacturers must be obliged to build in any power factor corrections, if any are required, into their products as it is irresponsible for them not to as the public do not (as a rule) have the technical expertise to perform these modifications (unlike industriy) themselves.