While browing thru the brochure for the ElectricWest show I came across an advertisement for a product names an Energy Bank Unit manufactured by DMI Manufacturing, Inc. It guarantees to reduce your electric bill by 11-30%.

How it works: The EBU removes irregularities from the electricity supplied by the power grid. It stores energy internally until needed by any electrical device - a light, television, computer, motor, refrigerator, etc. Power factor correction to 0.99. 18-36 month payback

Any opinions ? Would this be more suited for businesses that utilize large motors ? Or is it another vodoo box ?

http://www.ebunit.com/

I'd sure hate to be answering all the electrical contractors' questions about this Snake Oil Voodoo Box at that show.

Alas, save for one exception (not relevant here), EVERY 'energy savings' product I've ever seen has been far, far less effective than the 'simple math' promised by the sales propaganda. The promise to save a dollar usually turns out to be a nickel- or less

The first issue is that there has to be a problem, before you can 'fix' it. Very few electricians have either the expertise, or equipment, to quantify power supply issues.

Next is the matter of having a true, 'double blind' test. Trust me on this: if a firm spends big bucks to 'save energy,' the message will get out, and peoples' behavior will change. We have no way of telling if the savings are the result of the magic box, or the changes in behavior.

Finally .... despite all the very real "Cindarella success stories" we hear .... the Apples, the Polaroids, the Lears .... you can be sure that the major manufacturers are not paying their acres of design folks to sit around, debating what shade of gray to use on their switchgear! That the GE's, the Eatons, the Schneiders all manage to consistently overlook such a promising product ought to be a major 'red flag.'

Take a look at this one.

Don,
you have never seen trained electrons?? I have the ones in my house trained, if anyone touches them they are trained to bite. HA HA Seriously if it sounds too good to be true it usualy is.

*lol* mathematically that means you decrease the frequency... good idea!
So far all of these miracle boxes either contained PFC capacitors (useless in a household with kWh meter, only good in an industrial setup with kvarh metering, or plain snake oil.

Wouldn't lengthening a sine wave turn it into an oval?

Roger

My favorite "voo-doo box" is the long lasting light bulb

Yep, I see the Energy Bank Unit goes for power factor correction as well, but is still aimed at domestic use as well as commercial.

Is there anywhere in the world that actually penalizes residential users for low power factor? I've never heard of it.