In recent years, many are trying to save on utility bills. People install meters in the hope that they will have to pay less. Some save in everyday life.
Not so long ago, a device called the “statistical converter” appeared on the Internet. Manufacturers advertise it as an energy-saving device. They say that thanks to the installation, it is possible to reduce the counter performance from 30% to 40%.
Energy saving device
It is believed that a unique technology is able to stabilize the power efficiency in the network, eliminate voltage surges. This leads to a longer service life of electrical appliances.
The principle of operation of the device is as follows: in parallel with the current current, an energy-saving device is connected to the network . Inductive currents will fluctuate between the converter and the windings, and not go between the load and the transformer. Alternating current passes power to the equipment, and reactive current flows where it is needed at a certain moment. Due to the transformation of reactive power into an active indicator of the latter increases.
Manufacturers recommend installing an energy-saving device in the nearest outlet in order to determine the voltage to the meters and thereby adjust the power factor.
Believe in a miracle or understand the device?
The prospect of paying less, of course, is of interest to many. But I want to figure out whether the device actually works wonders.
Even the description of “intelligent technology” is doubtful. It immediately becomes clear that advertisers worked hard on the project. Reactive power compensation does occur. But how much does it save money?
It was decided to experiment with one of the devices. The following is an analysis of one of them.
Experiments and Measurements
It is called the energy-saving device Electricity Saving Box. In China, the device is very cheap. But for Russia, enterprising businessmen realize it much more expensive. Both this and other similar devices have similar characteristics:
- voltage - from 90 to 250 V;
- maximum load - 15000 W;
- network frequency - from 50 to 60 Hz.
For the experiment, a power meter and several electrical devices were used that will create the necessary load. Instead of a wattmeter, you can use any single-phase meter. An incandescent lamp and a convection heater were used for the load.
The readings were taken from the device turned on and off.
In the off state, the measurements showed an active power of 1944 W.
The included energy-saving Saving Box output showed the same 1944 watts. It follows from this that saving did not work.
You can conduct another experiment: the wattmeter is installed on the power cable. A vacuum cleaner is plugged into the outlet and the active power consumption is measured without an energy-saving device, and then the readings are recorded. The experimenter noted the following results:
- active power - 1053 W;
- power factor - 0.97;
- voltage - 221.3 V;
- total current - 4.899 A.
After that, with the device turned on, the same measurements were repeated. Happened:
- active power - 1053 W;
- power factor - 0.99;
- voltage - 221.8 V;
- total current is 4.791 A.
One can see how the value of the total current decreases. However, the power factor increased by 0.2, and it can be seen that the active current remained at the same level.
The electrical circuit of the device
If you look at this “unique” technology, you will find a completely unexpected picture for such a serious device:
- fuse FU;
- 4.7 uF capacitor;
- diode bridge for voltage rectification;
- varistor.
The capacitor is compensating. The same is mounted in chokes to increase power. Nothing original.
Experts explain that the energy-saving Electricity device is an unregulated compensating type device with a capacity of up to 78.5 V Ar. It is easy to come to this value on your own. It is enough to divide the mains voltage, taken in the square, by the reactance capacitor. The resulting value is very different from the declared 15,000 watts. Passport data are indicated exactly in watts, apparently so that buyers do not understand anything.
Simple publicity stunt
“How so,” many people will be surprised. After all, they saw with their own eyes in advertising videos how the readings really changed when the devices were turned on. In advertising, they connected an electric motor and took readings without installing the device. Then the same thing was done with the device turned on. And the measurements showed completely different results!
Nevertheless, this is nothing more than a trick, and it is explained very simply, as experts say. The fact is that the measurements are made by conventional electrical measuring tongs. But this way you can get the value of the total current in the network, which, of course, is different.
But to calculate the active current, the total current value is multiplied by the load factor. Then the results will show a different value: the total current indicator changes, and the active indicator remains at the same level. This proves the real measurement of active power with a wattmeter. And this, of course, is not done in advertising videos.
Active and reactive power accounting
Individual meters take active power into account.
Energy-saving devices must reduce the reactive part of the current by connecting a compensating capacitor. But even if they perform their functions, this does not reduce the cost of payment, since household meters, in principle, can only take into account the consumption of active energy. Therefore, people who bought the device, and say that they do not observe any positive effect.
If it comes to industrial production, then energy-saving technology may come in handy. After all, the counters here take into account both parts of the power: both active and reactive. Therefore, if energy costs reach a significant level, capacitor banks help reduce losses. Such devices still work today, reducing reactive power. But these are completely different devices that have nothing to do with the proposed product.
So it turns out that manufacturers mislead customers by implementing a useless energy-saving device. Reviews with positive ratings are found less and less on the network today. Apparently, the number of people who understand how advertising calculations are made is increasing.