Is this for real or not?

[Bizzy]

Good morning everyone.
A co-worker sent me this link and asked me if this is legitimate or not. Let me know your opinion.
Thanks
Bizzy


Green Choice, Your Source for Power Factor Correctiion and More!

[FRC]

Bizzy

Similar techniques have been mentioned on some of the threads. I think there
was a video on the Don Smith thread for something similar. It uses a capacitor
parallel to an AC motor and reduces the input required. Also Duncan mentioned
on the same thread that a syncronous AC motor can also be used to reduce
consumption somehow, but I still do not understand how it works.

George

[Armagdn03]

Power factor correction is great if you have alot of inductive devices, if you use alot of resistive power (lighting) it may not do much.

[Web000x]

Power factor correction is very real. It is utilized mainly in plants that have many induction motors running all of the time. Since the motor windings are made up of induction coils, it tends to create a phase angle between the voltage and the current because of the energy stored in the magnetic field. This phase angle means that there is unnecessary current in the distribution lines. This is very basic theory.

Power Factor Correction Explanation - YouTube

Dave

[Web000x]

Power factor correction is great if you have alot of inductive devices, if you use alot of resistive power (lighting) it may not do much.

I second this. The investment may cost more than the return with use in residential service.

[Aaron]

power factor correction

I second this. The investment may cost more than the return with use in residential service.

Yes, these units won't do much in a residential home.

Those units probably have a single capacitor and get wired into the breaker box. This is "bulk power factor correction". It works but probably won't see much of a difference unless you're in a commercial setting.

Most industrial units used by the big boys are not fixed caps like these units but are in cabinets with multiple different caps that are switched in and out of the lines dynamically.

The power companies will penalize companies for having a PF that is too low. They will put "snoops" on the lines to monitor them and if the PF is too low, they will threaten to cut off their power because it puts too much strain on the power company.

Bit by bit, inductive appliances are coming power factor corrected by the manufacturers so power factor correction units like these will eventually be obsolete.

The CFL's here in the states are not power factor corrected but many CFL's made in Europe are power factor corrected.

When my refrigerator is running, the power factor is about 0.98 so no correction is needed. My friend has an old fridge from the 60's or so and when running, it has a PF of about 0.60 so that can really benefit from PF correction.

If anyone wants to see state of the art efficiency with industrial lighting, etc... should really come to see Paul Babcock's talk at the conference: http://www.energeticforum.com/conference/index.php I believe he has everyone in the industry beat.

[Bizzy]

Thanks

As usual I knew I coudl reliy on everyone here on the forum for quick and useful assistance.

Bizzy

[ewizard]

I agree with what is being said here. I managed to figure out a code to see what they want for their big capacitor (which is about all these things are) and it looks like $399.00 to $899.00. Bet you can get one cheaper and put it into a metal box for a lot less. However as stated this is usually of little use in a residence and many things now already have a PF cap built in.

[realmikel]

Real is a funny word. Real, well powerfactor correction is real. Save money? not so real. All these are is capacitors in a box that corrects the phase lag of current to voltage caused by inductive loads. Cooler operation? not so real since it actually has no effect on the electricity going into the induction load it only corrects it before it goes back to the power company. Power companies as mentioned above sometimes demand it from large companies. Power factor of one is real though if you think that is important.