Power Factor Optimizer solution

[ed_lang]

Well, I am no power expert, and thought I would try out this crazy thing. You connect it to the panel box and it will save you money....... Yeah right I thought........ Well..... Maybe it will after all!

Here is what I did. Connected to breaker that supplies my 5HP compressor. I then turned on various equipment in my shop and used a clamp on amp-meter to measure the current in one leg of the single phase power in my shop. Here is what I got.

All equipment off, Shopbot on but not cutting, lights on etc... I pull 15A. With this box on, I pull 13.5A. My 18" wide belt sander showed 34A and them 28A with box on. Cyclone pulled 26A and 24A with box on. cyclone, Table Saw, sander and planer running I pulled 60A with box on 54A.

Not really a good test but at least I saw a difference.

Now if I receive a check from the power company next month, and not the usual bill, I'll be sure to buy a round of drinks at the next ShopBot camp I attend. If my bill is less due to this box, how will I know? My bill is different each month so I have not good baseline.

Well, there you have it for what it is worth. Your millage may vary, void where prohibited by law, and I don't think any electrons were harmed in the experiment but I may be saving some. It did not improve my memory or any other part of my personal life. My cut quality on my ShopBot stayed the same and I still have to work for a living. I am not connected in any way with Lighthouse Enterprises (Ward, the vacuum motor guy) which is where I got this crazy little box. Made in the U.S.A. and CSA as well as UL approved.

If you want more details or an update, contact me off of this forum and I'll be happy to provide any information I can.

[dana_swift]

Ed- what an interesting experience! I appreciate your measurements... what did you pay for the gizmo?

As an electrical engineer there is only two things that are possible to explain the lowering of the current, adjusting power factor to be pure-resistive is almost certainly the explanation.

Appreciate the post.. I would love to have you run your tools and count the RPM (or seconds per revolution) of the power meter at the utility interface with the device on and off with the same load. Since that is what your bill is based on.

Thanks again Ed-

Dana

[harryball]

I agree, must be adjusting the power factor. I know for a fact on large industrial and manufacturing facilities it is a big issue. The power company even monitors what they term the "load factor" and charge a much higher rate when it reaches 10 if memory serves. Adjusting the power factor alters the load factor. I don't believe residential meters typically monitor load factor. Point being, this is not mumbo jumbo it's just a question of how effective it is.

I've never been concerned with it for small and sparse shop equipment as is found in the typical single phase small shop... but maybe I should rethink that.

So far as what you'll save you need to do the math, find out what a kWhr is costing you, figure out your observed full load vs. the load with the device attached and work it out for one continuous hour of operation. Then you'll have your maximum hourly savings.

/RB

[ed_lang]

I will see what I can do this week about counting the speed of the meter with the device on and again with it off.

Yes, the device talks about adjusting the power factor via capacitor(s). Seems to me that if the current draw is less and the voltage stays the same then power must be less. I guess P=IE still works.

This device is $199 shipped to your door.

[ward]

You are all correct! This little box tries to make the power factor 1. To read about this go to: http://www.lighthouseenterprises.us/KVAR/KVAR.htm

This box is good up to about 75 amps and only works with 220v an inductive load - ie motors!

[dana_swift]

When the power factor is not 1, the utility meter may not measure it and therefore there is no additional charge for the condition. That is why I am curious about the power meter RPM. It is very possible that the "cure" either has no effect, or almost none.

The money and time may be well spent, but it does depend on knowing how the electric utility is billing for the service.

Lowering the current sounds like it would always lower the bill, because with DC circuits POWER=VOLTS*AMPS, but only with DC. With AC systems the power factor usually makes the bill LESS than the DC case.

The simplest way to know what case exists with any given shop is to measure the utility meter RPM when a motor is idling vs under load. If the RPM does not change.. power factor correction may save some significant money. If the meter RPM speeds up proportionally to the work the motor is doing power factor correction is an unnecessary expense.

D