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 show savings in everyday life.
On the Internet, not so long ago, a device called "statistical converter" appeared. Manufacturers advertise it as an energy-saving device. The installation is said to reduce meter readings by 30% to 40%.
Energy Saving Appliance
It is believed that the unique technology is able to stabilize the power efficiency in the network, eliminate power surges. This leads to a longer 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 oscillate between the converter and the windings rather than go between the load and the transformer. Alternating current passes power to the equipment, and reactive current goes where it is needed at a certain moment. Through transformationreactive power to active indicator of the latter increases.
Manufacturers recommend installing an energy-saving device in the nearest outlet in order to determine the voltage before the meters and thereby regulate 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 find out if the device really works wonders.
Even the description of "intelligent technology" raises doubts. It immediately becomes clear that advertisers have worked hard on the project. Reactive power compensation does occur. But how much does it save money?
With one of the devices, it was decided to conduct experiments. Below is an analysis of one of them.
Experiments and measurements
It's called the Electricity Saving Box. In China, the device is very cheap. But for Russia, enterprising businessmen sell it much more expensively. 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 wattmeter 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 includedappliance and off.
In the off state, measurements showed an active power of 1944 W.
The included Saving Box energy-saving device showed the same 1944 watts at the output. From this follows the conclusion that the savings did not work out.
Another experiment can be done: the wattmeter is installed on the power cable. The 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;
- full current - 4, 899 A.
After that, with the device turned on, the same measurements were repeated. It turned out:
- active power - 1053W;
- power factor - 0.99;
- voltage - 221.8 V;
- full current - 4, 791 A.
You can see how the value of the total current has decreased. However, at the same time, the power factor increased by 0.2, and it can be seen that the active current remained at the same level.
Electrical diagram of the device
If you disassemble this "unique" technology, you will find a completely unexpected picture for such a serious device:
- FU fuse;
- 4.7uF capacitor;
- diode bridge for voltage rectification;
- varistor.
The capacitor is compensating. The same is mounted inchoke lights to increase power. Nothing original.
Specialists explain that the Electricity energy-saving device is an unregulated compensating type device with a power of up to 78.5V 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 reactive capacitor resistance. The value obtained is strikingly different from the declared 15,000 watts. Passport data is indicated 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 promotional videos how readings really changed when the devices were turned on. In advertising, an electric motor was connected and readings were taken without installing the device. Then the same was carried out with the device turned on. And the measurements showed completely different results!
However, this is nothing more than a trick, and it is explained very simply, as the experts say. The fact is that measurements are made with conventional electrical clamps. 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. It is then that the results will show a different value: the total current indicator changes, and the active current indicator remains at the same level. This proves the real measurement of active power using a wattmeter. And this, of course, is not done in promotional videos.
Accounting for active and reactive power
Individual meters take into account active power.
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, are only able to take into account the consumption of active energy. Therefore, people who bought the device say that they do not observe any positive effect.
When it comes to industrial production, energy-saving technology can come in handy. After all, the meters here take into account both parts of the power: both active and reactive. Therefore, if the cost of electricity reaches a significant level, then capacitor banks help to reduce losses. Such devices still work today, reducing the reactive power. But these are completely different devices that have nothing to do with the proposed product.
So it turns out that manufacturers are misleading buyers by selling a useless energy-saving device. Reviews with positive ratings today are found on the network less and less. Apparently, the number of people who understand exactly how advertising calculations are made is increasing.
