Increase The Power Factor and Save! (Demo)

[tab3212]

would this allow you to run more appliances on one breaker? Even if it doesn't save me electricity, it would be nice to be able to safely run more appliances in my home, without tripping breakers.

[Broadcastbuddy2]

The problem with this device for residential use is, well, the utility doesn't charge based on the power factor. They charge based on real power used, or by kWh.

Now, if your an industrial customer, I know that the utility company may charge a fee for a low pF. In that case, these power factor correcting devices are then practical, but have no real money saving purpose in the home.

[leolearn713]

A couple of things of note...I went to the website listed. They claim this thing will do all kinds of stuff. Just go to the "spec" sheet. It's a total joke. There are absolutely no test parameters stated for anything so how you can determine the benefits of this thing is simply beyond belief. Surge protection? 480 VAC...what the heck does that even mean? Let through of 150 VAC? again...what the hell does that mean? 150 volts from what exactly? This spec is telling YOU nothing...be careful!

[leolearn713]

Attention: Using last years bill vs. this years bill IS NOT going to prove diddly. Octobers bill of 09' vs. Octobers bill of 10' doesn't prove crap...unless you can prove...that the temperature was the same for every day of that month, the exact amount of devices were operating the exact amount of time, with the exact amount of work load, that there were absolutely no additional devices added or removed from your home and that the utility billing price was the exact same compared to 09'. No way!

[81minuten]

power factor isn't mesured by ure meer it is ampdraw not powerfactor

[chester20035]

Apparent Power^2=True Power^2 + Reactive Power^2

A power factor of 1 would mean Reactive Power is 0

our new equation would be:

Apparent Power(kVA) = True Power(kW)

PF correction does not reduce True Power(kW) consumed

[BillyJimmyLee]

I am sure this could result in savings, but considerably less than they are stating. I ordered one yesterday and it comes with 3 year warranty. What's left to lose even if you save , say 5% of your laundry, PC, AC? power plants logically have multiple savings because of much higher scale setups than say a typical home. I dunno, I'll see...

[richestman1500]

Let me ask you another question. What do you have to lose? I know people just like you, who had the same attitude toward the product, but after awhile, they got tired of spending $400 on their electric bill. So they went and invested their money into the product. Last month their bill went from $400 dollars to $185. You add savings. Explain that to me?

[5occerboy]

SCAM WARNING The savings are anecdotal & not corroborated by an independent testing agency (like UL) for energy savings. These "SCAM-GADGETS" purport to save $ by improving power factor. Residential customers don't get billed for power factor - go check your bill. I recently met a guy who was duped into investing thousands for the "opportunity" to become a distributor for a power factor energy savings device. If something looks too good to be true it probably is. You have been warned!

[richestman1500]

The have been tested by UL. The company known as ABET was bought by Power-save. All of the assets now belong to Power-save including the UL listing. Power factor correction improves electrical system efficiency therefore reducing kw consumption.

[5occerboy]

Then tell us which UL category they were tested against? Tell us the UL file # so we can corroborate. They may have been tested for safety under UL just like a toaster so that they won't explode or electrocute you. But they weren't tested for energy savings. You are perpetrating another con by insinuating UL safety testing implies energy savings too - which is false! Residential customers don't get billed for power factor - what is it about that fact that you don't get? Answer that specifically.

[uvman707]

Sounds like this was installed in an industrial plant.

Money wasted for homeowners.

[richestman1500]

What is wrong with you? How can you slander someone for saving money? Sounds like you just can't afford a product that's worth every dime. Maybe if you look deep enough in your penny jar you might have the money. Spending all the money on your forty cats won't help make them love you again. I suggest you look more into the product and quit bad mouthing great inventions. Because you stay on the computer all day and have no life, doesn't give you the right to bad mouth great inventions.

[paulusgnome]

Please don't act like a moron. It is not a great invention, it is a scam which is promoted by a deliberate, calculated lie. Your resorting to a low-grade ad hominem attack is a telling sign of desperation in the absence of facts to argue with.

[richestman1500]

But you have know proof, nor do you have a say in what these inventions can and cannot do. Until you buy one yourself and install it, your making false accusations. Let me ask you a question, I guarantee if you had a great invention that worked and has been tested hundreds of times, and had the same results every time, but still your being slandered for it. now it would be like fighting yourself in the mirror. And I'm sorry that your feel like you are being attacked, like the people you slander.

[uvman707]

Sorry guy, you are not a technical person.

These things suck amps from the line when everything is off.

I have done experiments with these and proves to be true.

You do not understand capacitive reactance.

[paulusgnome]

This from the Energy Star website : "Power Factor Correction Devices claim to reduce residential energy bills and to prolong the productive life cycles of motors and appliances by reducing the reactive power (kVAR) that is needed from the electric utility.

We have not seen any data that proves these types of products for residential use accomplish what they claim. Power factor correction devices ... do not generally improve energy efficiency (meaning they won't reduce your energy bill)."

[drffree]

I would like for everyone to read a piece by Sanjiv Arora on why power factor correction will help the typical residential homeowner. For everyone that doesn't believe that these devices work, I am still saving 18% off of my electric bill. I don't need anymore scientific proof than that.

[paulusgnome]

Arora writes about PFC in industrial plants, where the power companies levy demand charges for peak KVA, and where reducing this demand charge does result in savings on the power bill. Residential power users are not billed these demand charges, the power companies only charge for kWh. Any decrease in I^2R (wiring) losses will be insignificant. If you think you are saving 18% you are fooling yourself. Its called the placebo effect.

[richestman1500]

You left out his statements about system efficiency and release of system capacity. These are important because energy star rated appliances and heating and cooling systems are advocated because they use less electricity. The power-save device does this at the residential level. Raising the power factor increases efficiency by all of the inductive loads within a residence. That is why I am seeing an 18% savings on my electric bill. It seems as though you like to have the last word, so go ahead.

[paulusgnome]

The facts are that this device claims to effect savings by power-factor correction, and that power companies in no way charge residential customers any kind of penalty for having a low power factor.

[drffree]

First of all, I did not invent the product. I just have one installed in my house and am sharing info with other people to help with their electric bill. Can you give your theory on how the couple on the video received a reduction of kilowatt consumption, in turn, lowered their electric bill? I am curious what it would take to convince you that the device works. What is your motive behind your many responses on other videos? Are you on a public service campaign of some sort?

[5occerboy]

These devices are scams.The con being perpetrated by this mountebank is this:the demo video is on an unloaded motor so the only work it is doing is to turn itself.Not a real-world scenario.A washing machine motor or similar appliance IS LOADED doing actual work.Power factor in unloaded motors is poor so adding capacitance will lower amps BUT so what! Residential consumers don't get billed for amps you get billed for the energy in kWh to do work! You're not billed for power factor. Shame on you.

[drffree]

I ask you how I was able to save 18% on my electric bill last month compared to the same month a year previous? I also ask you to explain your motive(s) behind your many responses on other related videos? Would you be willing to try one of these units for yourself to prove your theory?

[5occerboy]

Give it up! These devices are scams. I suppose it is a public service to expose charlatans, mountebanks, and dubious energy savings products from dishonest scam artists. If you actually believe your absurd claims then you don't understand physics & electricity and I invite you to either examine a text book or better still have your head examined. I'm not the only qualified engineer who has posted legitimate technical rebuttals on this and other "scam-gadgets" on the web. Shame on you.

[drffree]

So you are saying that you have tried one of these units and are not satisfied? Have you met with the owners of any of these companies that sell these units? If you are making accusations against these devices and the companies that make them you must know these people. I have read about Power-save and have talked with the people in the tech dept. They seem to be very knowledgeable about the technology. Why don't you give them a call? Advice. Don't make claims without ALL the facts.

[5occerboy]

Seem is a good choice of words. If something seems too good to be true it probably is. If the techs were knowledgeable they wouldn't say improving power factor saves kWh for residential customers who don't get billed for power factor in the 1st place. If you were knowledgeable you wouldn't pervert the laws of physics. I see by your name you think you can get energy for free. I have met folks who were conned by the likes of you into investing $1000's to be "distributors" for these "scam-gadgets"

[drffree]

I have stated before that I am not a person who sells these products. I purchased one from power-save. You have avoided my question and my advice. You should not make claims before you have checked out ALL the facts. Get one. Install one. Then and only then will I listen to you and the things you say. I am glad that the great inventors in the past and present have not listened to people such as yourself. If they didn't continue when they were told not too, imagine what the world would be today?

[5occerboy]

I got it! You didn't invent it but you were foolish enough to buy one. I'm sorry that you got scammed. This is not an invention. It's a scam. It fits in the same class as perpetual motion machines. I'm a physics graduate so I know who the great inventors are. I guess being a layperson you just don't understand what the distinctions of current, energy and power factor are. You keep stepping over the fundamental point that others besides me have made RESIDENCES DON'T GET BILLED FOR POWER FACTOR

[paulusgnome]

Since the power companies charge residential customers for KWh, not amps, this demo is quite meaningless. How many power companies charge residential customers for having a low power factor?

[drffree]

WATCH THE VIDEO FROM CHANNEL 46! There is no need for further discussion. The Power-save works. End of discussion!

[paulusgnome]

Getting a single favourable endorsement for your product aired on TV proves nothing. These capacitors-in-a-box will not affect the rate that your electricity meter moves because the meter has been designed to do just that - to ignore reactive power and measure only real power, KWh. Even the sellers of the x-power (a competing product)admit this : "The XPower device is a capacitor which does not materially affect or reduce power usage or the cost of electricity when used." QED,

[drffree]

I have one of these in my home and I saved 18% off of my electric bill in the month of December 2008 compared to December 2007. I would highly recommend this product to anyone who has an electric bill.