Saving energy with this device

[mramos1]

I have seen boxes you put in your outlet years ago (green something) and I see them surplus on occassion. Not that I like to play with 110VAC, but anyone know how they work? Do they time slide the signwave of something. Anyone ever built something like that. Also, I saw this on TV this morning, that started the thread. This one does a whole house. I could sure use something like this. **broken link removed** EDIT: It claims it can takes we waste heat from the electronics in your home and lower that heat as well.

 

[Rolf]

I think those gadgets are just AC capacitors to change the power factor, caused by your inductive load, like motors.
Go to Home Depot and buy enough 60w fluorescent bulbs (uses only 14w) to replace all the bulbs in your house and you will have a much greater saving. About $1.50 ea when bought in six packs.

 

[Hero999]

Most electricity meters measure power not VA so it won't make any difference anyway.

 

[mramos1]

Yea, I read somewhere on another unit, it mentioned it was a big cap. I swapped most bulbs out in the house, then the wife put the incondesent bulbs back in I will just have to track her.. Funny this, the above PDF talk about your TV will not get as warm? I am like, OK. And the one that said it was a cap said it takes spikes and uses the power or somehow leads you to believe you are sending it back to the power company. Oh well. Off to get bulbs..

 

[Oznog]

Sounds like the Power Planner/Green Plugs. I am not completely clear on what they do. I've heard they do a power factor correction (which will generally not save you any money since you are not billed for reactive power) and something about voltage level control- that motors would take a higher voltage to start but run more efficiently on a slightly reduced voltage. I am unclear on this principle.

However, this was only useful on motor-driven devices made before I think '92 or so, when the government mandated that the mfg design in whatever was in those things.