Power Savers...

BaJi_2

Hmmm, you guys are forcing me to think and that's something I begrudge doing because it's been a long time since my last electrical power lesson and other chaps with more recent memories might find it easier.

Anyway, from what I remember power factor put simply helps one calculate how efficiently a machine (industrial or domestic) uses the power supplied to it (AC of course). Now, for non-unity PF systems any power not used is returned to the supply. This means a motor on your fridge, for example (inductive load), can do less useful work if the power factor is non-unity. Or put another way it doesn't run as well.

Will this lead to more power consumed over a day to maintain the fridge at a correct temperature? I don't know. But I suspect it's not that much of an issue as pointed out here, the current and voltage are probably marginally out of phase. If domestic appliances were a major PF problem I think the elctricity companies would have said something about it by now.

It's mainly industrial companies with lots of inductive loads who the electricity grid complain to as they want the grid to run efficiently.

However, maybe somebody can test it on two identical fridges (one fridge as a control) with two independant electrical supplies? Then we'd know if it's a scam for sure. So it's over to Martin to do the test.
:money:

Cardew

The link in Post #6 gives a lot of technical detail.

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

BaJi_2

Yes I've read it all. Some of it seems reasonable and a few people are barking up the wrong tree. I still say a test is required.

A patent is mentioned which can be checked with the patents office. Also if trading standards are persuaded to do a test and find it is a scam they 'should' do something about it.

Cardew wrote:

The link in Post #6 gives a lot of technical detail.

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

Graham1

BaJi wrote:

Will this lead to more power consumed over a day to maintain the fridge at a correct temperature?

The answer to this question is:

At the house electricity meter: no, as this measures true power not volt-amperes

At the generating plant: marginally yes, because of the very slight increase in transmission losses.

Volcano

A patent is mentioned which can be checked with the patents office.

I believe a patent is no proof that a device works. Wasn't the fax machine patented years before the technology existed?

BaJi_2

Well yes, because it is considered that the PF error in a house is small and the consumption compared to a factory is low. However, it doesn't negate the fact that the device may save on power used to run something like a fridge. question is how much? It seems nobody knows until a independant test is done.

Ref above. The patent will tell something about how the device works so you cna have a better idea if it is of any use.

Graham1 wrote:

The answer to this question is:

At the house electricity meter: no, as this measures true power not volt-amperes

At the generating plant: marginally yes, because of the very slight increase in transmission losses.

gromituk

penrhyn wrote: »

I see that the Centre for alternative technology sell these devices in their latest catalog so maybe they have some merit.

Yes I know this is an old thread but I found it and others will too...

I was rather surprised to read that the CAT were stocking this device. I did a search for it and found that they are no longer stocking it. Shame that they were conned in the first place, but the fact that it is no longer stocked says it all, really. They do still do the Savaplug, which is dubious, but not as bad.

Cardew

Someone will find a way to market them again under a different name.

Also making an fresh appearance is the other famous con of strapping a magnet to the fuel line of your car or oil CH boiler and it reduces fuel consumption by 'up to' 30%; it does this by lining up the mollycules(sic) of the fuel so it burns more efficiently!!

highhanded

Have any of you people used the device? I ask this because I have had one fitted for over a year now and I am saving on power used and, therefore, cost.

Cardew

highhanded wrote: »

Have any of you people used the device? I ask this because I have had one fitted for over a year now and I am saving on power used and, therefore, cost.

As they say in the pantomime 'Oh no you don't!);)

If you do save power, how do you measure it?