Non-motoring > Is this real or hogwash? Green Issues
Thread Author: zippy Replies: 14
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New Mon 30 Dec 13 22:34 
 Is this real or hogwash? - zippy
A local manufacturing company has come up with a gadget that claims to save electricity by regulating the incoming electricity voltage to 220 volts from 240.

www.savepowerathome.co.uk/

I am clueless about electricity and cannot see how it would actually save money.

Any bright sparks here like to comment?
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New Mon 30 Dec 13 22:42 
 Is this real or hogwash? - No FM2R
www.ofgem.gov.uk/ofgem-publications/58457/energy-saving-trial-report-vphase-vx1.pdf

Might help.
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New Mon 30 Dec 13 23:06 
 Is this real or hogwash? - smokie
This isn't new, I was nearly involved with the nationwide rollout of something similar for a major supermarket chain about 2 years ago. Really demanding and unsocial hours, coupled with low pay meant I didn't do it.
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New Mon 30 Dec 13 23:25 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Armel Coussine
It's been around for three years or four. Skimming through FMR's report, it seems to save a little over 5% of electricity. The device is estimated to have a life of 36 years.

One would want to know how much the thing cost and how much hassle it would be to install to have any idea whether it would pay for itself inside the 36 years in an averagely-consuming household.

Looks a bit like one of those things that seem a good idea at the time but work out pretty much the same as not bothering by the end of the story. Smokie's memory of high-pressure hucksterish pyramid-style promotion suggests as much. Low pay, tempting-sounding commission, but forget it unless you're made like that.

Perhaps I'm just lazy and extravagant though.
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New Mon 30 Dec 13 23:48 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Runfer D'Hills
I had previously noticed on a few occasions that in America, light bulbs in hotel rooms etc seem dimmer to me, then someone told me they use 120 volt systems. Not being any kind of expert I'm not sure if their supply voltage would have that effect would it?

Or maybe they just favour dimmer lighting?
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 00:48 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Manatee
Hotel rooms everywhere have dim lights don't they?

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New Tue 31 Dec 13 09:18 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Zero
For a country at the forefront of technology and industrial might, the states has the most appalling electrical system and supply.
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 08:41 
 Is this real or hogwash? - smokie
Slightly misunderstood me AC, the supermarket had done all their research and I was to be one of their implementation managers for a wide area of the South/South East. The installs were to happen overnight on Sunday, and they expected me to be on site for at least 14 hours overnight on Sunday but wouldn't pay hotels and their day rate was not very spectacular. Wasn't a sales type job, and I doubt that the supermarket would have been spending the many thousands on the product unless it was worth their while - as they say, every little helps!!
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 09:28 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Slidingpillar
I'd class it as hogwash although you will save money on some things.

Any lights will be a bit dimmer, so if that is acceptable, money saved there. Fridges and freezers will probably run for a bit longer, so I doubt any money saved there. Vacuuming may take longer as the cleaner will produce slightly less suck.

The best way to save money on the electricity bill is to turn stuff off and don't light unoccupied rooms.
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 11:44 
 Is this real or hogwash? - MD
Aren't most things dimmer in America?
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 12:32 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Old Navy
>> The best way to save money on the electricity bill is to turn stuff off
>> and don't light unoccupied rooms.
>>

Agreed, the cheapest Kwh is the one you don't use.
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 15:47 
 Is this real or hogwash? - spamcan61
>> I'd class it as hogwash although you will save money on some things.
>>
>> The best way to save money on the electricity bill is to turn stuff off
>> and don't light unoccupied rooms.
>>

Agreed, heating appliances such as kettles and convector heaters will just take longer to reach operating temperature, so no saving there; items such as computers that consume constant power irrespective of input voltage will consume the same amount of power.
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 11:56 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Armel Coussine
>> Slightly misunderstood me AC,

I did suspect I might have over-interpreted you.

I can only apologise for suggesting you might have been a professional huckster and conman like so many of our distinguished colleagues here... no names no packdrill (places colander on head and sprints for cover).
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 16:19 
 Is this real or hogwash? - spamcan61
>> It's been around for three years or four. Skimming through FMR's report, it seems to
>> save a little over 5% of electricity. The device is estimated to have a life
>> of 36 years.
>>
I've only skim read the report as well (judging by the amount of padding somebody was paid by the word to write it...) but seems the 5% saving would only apply to the proportion of electricity used to power items where some saving is possible i.e. they've already excluded items used to generate heat - see appendix 10. So overall saving on one's bill would almost certainly be less.

Classic solution in search of a problem.
Last edited by: spamcan61 on Tue 31 Dec 13 at 16:20
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New Tue 31 Dec 13 20:08 
 Is this real or hogwash? - Gromit
I understand our supply varies between 220 and 240 volts depending on the demand on the grid, so chances are this gadget (if it really works) would only be of benefit at night when you'd have few devices working anyway.
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