EPG causing lock-up

[Ezra Pound]

@ BH Yes, providing it is measuring power not VA. That's how these 'energy savers' are purported to work, by shifting the current to be a bit out of phase with the voltage or, put another way, decrease the Power Factor.

It will be measuring true Watts rather than VA and as you say the wheel will stop turning. I've never been convinced about the power saver (despite having them fitted to both fridge and freezer), it seems to me if you shift the current out of phase you reduce the speed of the 'wheel' slightly but also do less work with the remaining energy, so the compressor is on for longer

 

[Black Hole]

Thinking about this a bit deeper, even SMPs will waste more energy as heat if operating with a higher input voltage. The heat is only useful if you want it, and it replaces heat that you would have created by other means. The same goes for a kettle - okay, the water will reach boiling sooner, but there will also be a greater waste of heat because the element gets hotter, continues to supply heat to the water after it has boiled (immersed element), and/or there is another route to the environment for heat to bypass the water.

Thus, overall, and regardless of propaganda arguments about things self-regulating, there will be a greater consumption of energy if the mains is operated at a higher voltage than nominal. SMPs reduce the overhead, but do not eliminate it.

Maybe the answer is to water-cool all our devices, and feed the waste heat into boiling the kettle or heating the house. We had a system like that at my works: the computer centre aircon fed heat into the offices aircon system.

 

[grahamlthompson]

Thinking about this a bit deeper, even SMPs will waste more energy as heat if operating with a higher input voltage. The heat is only useful if you want it, and it replaces heat that you would have created by other means. The same goes for a kettle - okay, the water will reach boiling sooner, but there will also be a greater waste of heat because the element gets hotter, continues to supply heat to the water after it has boiled (immersed element), and/or there is another route to the environment for heat to bypass the water.

Thus, overall, and regardless of propaganda arguments about things self-regulating, there will be a greater consumption of energy if the mains is operated at a higher voltage than nominal. SMPs reduce the overhead, but do not eliminate it.

Maybe the answer is to water-cool all our devices, and feed the waste heat into boiling the kettle or heating the house. We had a system like that at my works: the computer centre aircon fed heat into the offices aircon system.

That's a bit like the argument that low power sby and LED lighting just increases the energy used by your home heating

I have replaced all my most used lighting with LEDS. Electricity bill is significantly reduced, gas bill hasn't significantly altered at all.

Who do you think has control of your domestic supply voltage ? Every house in your street could have a different supplier, the voltage control will be down to the settings of the primary (most likely 33/11KV) avc relay and any line drop compensation applied. They won't have been altered for years (if at all). The settings will be made as far as possible to maintain your supply voltage within the lower statutory limit when the network is loaded to the design ADMD (After Diversity Maximum Demand). As a result at times of lower loadings the voltage will naturally be higher simply down to the lower network loadings between yourself and the regulated 11Kv point you get your supply from.

 

[Black Hole]

This discussion is contemplating the effects of running the mains at higher than nominal voltage, not a declaration that it is running at higher than nominal.

 

[grahamlthompson]

This discussion is contemplating the effects of running the mains at higher than nominal voltage, not a declaration that it is running at higher than nominal.

In that case it's a totally pointless discussion. If you happen to live near a primary substation your voltage profile (and fault level) will be higher than someone who lives further away, especially if they are fed by a light line 11Kv overhead line and a pole transformer. According to you the bills will be higher - may be a few pence but significantly is just ridiculous . You seem to be under the impression everyone has the same voltage, nothing could be further from the truth.