Energy saving devices, fact or fiction? Review of household energy-saving devices Conversion of reactive power into active power in Smart-Boy

One of the most pressing and pressing issues facing Russian citizens is the issue of increasing tariffs for housing and communal services, among which constant increases in electricity prices are no exception. To solve the question of how to save money, how to “freely” use an extra kilowatt and not pay for it, forces you to literally grasp at any straw that can help with this.

One of such devices designed to save energy is considered to be an energy-saving device supplied to the Russian market by Intelliworks, however, there are other devices with similar functions, for example, SmartBoySP001, SP-002, Power Saver, etc. What is it?

Operating principle of an energy-saving device

The Intelliworks energy-saving device and other similar devices are connected to the AC mains parallel to the load, to an outlet located after the electric energy meter, but it is advisable to do this as close as possible to the point of entry into the apartment so that there is a real possibility for the device to detect the entire electrical load.

The inductive current produces oscillatory movements between the inductive windings and the static converter. With the help of devices for adjusting and measuring the current load in the network, active power goes to the network, and in turn, the reactive load moves to that part of the network where it is needed. The power factor increases and stabilizes, it becomes equal to 1.

What does the device consist of?

Before testing, the SmartBoySP001 device was opened , in order to find out what components it consists of.

In parallel with the electrical plug, a capacitor with a capacity of 5 μF, designed for an operating voltage of 450 V, is connected through a fuse. The capacitor is the main component of the device, in the circuit it is listed as C3, a discharge resistor R1 and a varistor YVR are connected in parallel to it. Capacitor C2 performs a limiting function for the diode bridge D1 - D4. C1 serves as a power filter capacitor; a limiting resistor R2 is installed in the LED power circuit.

Device testing

For testing, it is advisable to use the Circutor AR.5 series power quality analyzer. Also used for testing are a current clamp meter and a multimeter to measure voltage.

The energy-saving device SmartBoySP001 is connected to the network; the network load should be no more than 50 kW. The device turns on every half hour, measurements taken by AP5 every 30 seconds did not show any significant changes. Achieving the main savings when using this energy-saving device is planned through reactive power compensation. With a decrease in the influx of reactive power from the network, there is a reduction in active energy losses for the transmission of this reactive power through the network and, accordingly, active energy is saved. Electricity measurements in the network showed that the power factor in the room is 0.96. That is, there is practically nothing to compensate in residential premises.

A detailed examination of the experiment when using an energy saving device

Experiment 1. All household appliances in the room are turned off and the voltage is measured - 223 V. The device is plugged into the nearest outlet, the voltage is measured again, and its increase by 2 V is recorded.

Experiment 2. Without a connected device, the burner of an electric hob with a power of 2 kW is turned on, the load is measured using a current clamp; it is equal to 8.92 A. Connecting the device to the network did not change.

Experiment 3. When you turn on the washing machine, when using the “spin” mode, an inductive load is used, the current measured in the circuit is 3.12 A, connecting an energy-saving device to the network gives a load change of up to 1.65 A. The counter disk rotates at a constant speed , this suggests that no energy savings occur.

Modern people cannot imagine their life without the mass of conveniences that a wide variety of household appliances provide them. Computers, washing machines, refrigerators, coffee makers, dishwashers have become part of our lives. However, every coin also has a downside. In this case, this is the amount of electrical energy consumed, and, accordingly, large bills for it. In addition to electricity, people also consume gas, water and heat. To reduce the burden on the common man's wallet, inventors are constantly developing new devices to save energy resources.

Types and purpose

To date, a number of devices and devices have been developed, the work of which is aimed at saving resources. Among the most popular:

• Neodymium magnets. Used to stop or slow down electric and gas meters. The principle of operation is the effect of a strong magnetic field on the resource metering device in the meter. The magnet is relatively accessible and cheap; it can be installed independently without any tools. Chinese manufacturers supply many types of them; the most popular 55x25 and 50x30 cost up to 2,000 rubles.
• Electric energy meters with remote control. Here the standard electricity meter is replaced with exactly the same, but modernized one. Using the remote control, the user can completely block commands from the meter processor, which looks like it is fully operational (the count indicator blinks, the network indicator lights up), but does not count consumed electrical equipment. Such meters cost from 6 to 30 thousand rubles, depending on the brand and model.
• Energy-saving devices for the home that plug into an electrical outlet and save electricity by converting wasteful reactive energy into active energy. A striking example of such technologies is the “Economych” energy saving device, which costs about 700 rubles and, with an efficiency indicator of 15-50%, pays for itself within one to two months. By eliminating voltage surges in the network, it extends the life of household appliances. At the same time, installation does not require any additional knowledge. Similar energy-saving devices for the home are also produced by other companies (Electricity Saving Box, Smart Box, Energy Saver, etc.

Having analyzed many comments on the World Wide Web about the above-mentioned savers, we can draw certain conclusions about their strengths and weaknesses.

Additionally, it should be noted that all of these devices are available for sale exclusively via the Internet. You won't find them in regular electrical stores.

If we conduct a comparative analysis using several criteria, we get approximately the following result:

• Efficiency. When installing a strong magnet or a modified meter with DPU, you can completely stop accounting for electrics. Using an economizer connected to an outlet reduces consumption in the range from 15% to 50%, depending on the power of the electrical appliances turned on.
• Price. Devices of the "Economych" type and magnets are affordable for everyone. Fake electricity meters are quite expensive: single-phase simple models start from 6,000 rubles, the most modern multi-phase ones cost tens of thousands of rubles.
• Safety. Using an economizer in an outlet is almost completely safe. Using a magnet to save electricity due to improper placement of the device increases the risk of meter failure by 30-40%; if placed incorrectly on a gas meter, even an explosion is possible. The modified meter is connected directly to the electrical network, so if the work is performed incorrectly, a short circuit and fire may occur.
• Legality. Neodymium magnets and electric meters with a remote control are not so much saving electricity as it is stealing it. Energy regulators are actively combating such devices by conducting inspections and installing anti-magnetic tapes. If found guilty, a very large fine will be imposed. Against this background, outlet economizers stand out, the operation of which is completely legal, since it is based not on the principle of deceiving the meter, but on the principle of energy conversion.

You should also pay attention to the fact that some craftsmen offer to make energy-saving devices with their own hands. There are many schemes for such devices, but it is better not to risk your life and property for the sake of dubious savings, trusting the experience of a stranger.

In recent years, many have been trying to save on utility bills. People install meters in the hope that they will have to pay less. Some people save money in everyday life.

A device called a “statistical converter” appeared on the Internet not long ago. Manufacturers advertise it as an energy-saving device. They say that thanks to the installation it is possible to reduce meter readings by 30% to 40%.

Energy saving device

It is believed that the unique technology is capable of stabilizing the power efficiency of the network and eliminating voltage surges. This results in a longer service life for electrical appliances.

The principle of operation of the device is as follows: parallel to the current current, the network is switched on. Inductive currents will oscillate between the converter and the windings, rather than walking between the load and the transformer. Alternating current passes power to the equipment, and reactive current goes where it is needed at a certain moment. Thanks to the transformation of reactive power into active power, the latter increases.

Should you believe in a miracle or understand the device?

The prospect of paying less, of course, arouses interest among many. But I want to figure out whether the device really works miracles.

Even the description “intelligent technology” raises doubts. It immediately becomes clear that advertisers did a good job on the project. Compensation does happen. But how much does it save money?

It was decided to conduct experiments with one of the devices. Below is an analysis of one of them.

Experiments and measurements

The energy saving device is called Electricity Saving Box. In China the device is quite cheap. But for Russia, enterprising businessmen sell it at a much higher price. Both this and other similar devices have similar characteristics:

• voltage - from 90 to 250 V;
• network frequency - from 50 to 60 Hz.

For the experiment, a wattmeter and several electrical devices were used that will create the necessary load. Instead of a wattmeter, you can use any one. An incandescent lamp and a convection heater were used for the load.

Readings were taken from the device when it was turned on and from when it was turned off.

In the off state, measurements showed an active power of 1944 W.

The switched on energy-saving device Saving Box showed the same 1944 W at the output. From this it follows that there were no savings.

Another experiment can be carried out: a wattmeter is installed on the power cable. A vacuum cleaner is plugged into the outlet and the active power consumption is measured without an energy-saving device, and then the readings are recorded. The specialist conducting the experiment noted the following results:

• active power - 1053 W;
• power factor - 0.97;
• voltage - 221.3 V;
• total current - 4.899 A.

After this, with the device turned on, the same measurements were repeated. Happened:

• active power - 1053 W;
• power factor - 0.99;
• voltage - 221.8 V;
• total current - 4.791 A.

It can be seen how the value of the total current has decreased. However, the power factor increased by 0.2, and it is clear that the active current remained at the same level.

Electrical diagram of the device

If you look at this “unique” technology, you will discover a completely unexpected picture for such a serious device:

• fuse FU;
• 4.7 µF capacitor;
• diode bridge for voltage rectification;
• varistor

The capacitor is compensating. The same is mounted in throttling lamps to increase power. Nothing original.

Experts explain that the energy-saving device Electricity is an unregulated compensating type device with a power of up to 78.5 V Ar. It is not difficult to come to this value on your own. It is enough to divide the mains voltage, taken squared, by the capacitor reactance. The resulting value is strikingly different from the declared 15,000 W. Passport data is indicated in watts, apparently so that buyers do not understand anything.

A simple advertising trick

“How can this be?” many people will be surprised. After all, we saw with our own eyes in advertising videos how the readings actually changed when the devices were turned on. In the advertisement, they connected an electric motor and took readings without installing the device. Then the same was done with the device turned on. And the measurements showed completely different results!

However, this is nothing more than a trick, and it can be explained very simply, as experts say. The fact is that measurements are made in the usual way. But this way you can get the value of the total current in the network, which, naturally, is different.

But to calculate the active current, the total current value is multiplied by the load factor. That’s when the results will show different values: the total current indicator changes, but the active current indicator remains at the same level. This is proven by real measurement of active power using a wattmeter. And this, of course, is not done in advertising videos.

Accounting for active and reactive power

Individual meters take into account active power.

Energy-saving devices should reduce the reactive part of the current by connecting a compensating capacitor. But even if they perform their functions, this does not reduce payment costs, since household meters, in principle, can only take into account active energy consumption. Therefore, people who bought the device say that they do not observe any positive effect.

When it comes to industrial production, energy-saving technology can come in handy. After all, the meters here take into account both parts of the power: both active and reactive. Therefore, if energy costs reach a significant level, then capacitor banks help reduce losses. Such devices still operate today, reducing reactive power. But these are completely different devices that have nothing in common with the product being offered.

So it turns out that manufacturers are misleading consumers by selling a useless energy-saving device. Reviews with positive ratings are becoming less common online today. Apparently, the number of people who understand exactly how advertising calculations are made is increasing.

Constantly rising energy prices, government threats to introduce restrictions on energy consumption per person, the insufficient capacity of the Soviet legacy in the field of energy and many other reasons make us think about saving. But which way to go? How is it like in Europe to walk around the house in a down jacket and with a flashlight?

There are many other ways that will not limit comfort or cause inconvenience. We will not allow them to charge us even more money (for connecting additional power to the house). Let's go through the main criteria for energy consumption (both thermal and electrical) and see how you can save resource consumption by using energy-saving devices.

Heating and hot water supply

Heating water, as well as heating the room (especially in winter) is the most energy-intensive consumption criterion. It would seem how you can save money here, because no one has ever managed to break the laws of physics, and any energy sooner or later turns into heat. You can improve the thermal insulation (which, of course, is worth doing) or lower the temperature (so there will be less heat loss), but what if there is nowhere to improve and you don’t want to huddle under a blanket, freezing?

There are several real ways to save a lot.

Tricky option

Recently in England they invented the simplest, but nevertheless effective energy-saving devices. The principle of their operation is elementary - it turns off the heating for 20 minutes several times a day. According to research, no one in the household notices or freezes in such a short time, and after turning on the temperature returns to normal. Naturally, using such a device, you receive less heat, but you will also pay the same amount less.

Of course, this method will only be effective if there are meters for the heat received, otherwise its use is pointless. And using an energy-saving device, the price of which depends on your requirements and starts from 300 rubles, in the northern regions you are unlikely to be able to avoid inconvenience. Moreover, this is a kind of compromise, and not a radical way to solve the problem.

Heating with heat pumps

No one is surprised by air conditioning anymore. In summer it gives such a welcome coolness. But where does the heat removed by them go? That's right - outside, so special radiators with fans are placed there. What does this have to do with heating, since the problem is completely the opposite? It's simple. An air conditioner is a heat pump. Where does the heat come from if (when heating with electricity) 100% of the energy in any case goes into it, and, for example, 150% cannot be in principle? Let's take it from the street, using other energy-saving devices - heat pumps. Or from underground. In the ground (at shallow depths), winter and summer have the same temperature - about +5 degrees. If you bury a sufficient amount of pipe to the required depth and fill it with coolant, then a large amount of heat can be pumped out of the ground. In Germany, this method has already gained quite a lot of popularity among owners of private houses.

The heat pump is the so-called air conditioner in reverse. It happens that more modern technologies are used - Peltier elements. They exclude a sealed system with expensive compressed gas; they are much more compact, but still very expensive.

Savings from a heat pump

The savings obtained with this heating method (which, by the way, no one bothers to use for hot water supply) is 1 to 3. Having spent 1 kW of electricity, we pump 2 kW of heat into the room and the same 1 kW spent on the operation of the thermal pump will also be indoors. In total, by spending 1 kW, we get 3 kW. Considering the high cost, it will not pay off immediately, but such a system is installed for many years, and over time the savings will be significant.

The method described above is applicable for your own home. Is it possible to do something similar for an apartment, because no one will allow you to bury pipes in the yard just like that, but you would like to use energy-saving devices?

There is another way. True, it is suitable for not very cold climate zones. It’s just that ordinary air, which is blown by the wind outside the window, is used as a coolant. But its effect will be (using the air conditioning principle) only at temperatures outside the window above -7 degrees. Or you will have to use expensive Peltier elements, which can afford a slightly larger temperature difference.

True, there is a drawback with the “air” method. small enough that it needs to be pumped through a radiator, a fan is required. And the presence of a fan means noise; the neighbors may be against it. On the other hand, they use air conditioners with a similar device...

Lighting

There is room for savings in lighting. Especially if it uses energy-saving home appliances like typical incandescent light bulbs. Here, no violations of the laws of nature are required. It's just that an incandescent lamp has about 10%. That is, the lamp, consuming 100%, shines 10%, and the remaining 90% goes into heat, which means nowhere. But you still have to pay for it. But there are many types of much more economical devices. Let's talk about some of them.

Fluorescent lamps

Since ancient times, in factories and offices, to save on lighting, many static energy-saving devices have been used, such as fluorescent lamps, which are usually long luminous tubes.

This type of lamp allows you to save according to two criteria - energy and the cost of replacing the devices themselves. Electrical efficiency is quite impressive - they are three times more energy efficient than incandescent lamps. Such a product shines like a 100 W incandescent lamp, but consumes approximately 30 W of electricity. In addition, they are much more durable. If an incandescent lamp lasts about 1000 hours, then a fluorescent lamp lasts about 8000 hours.

But they also have significant drawbacks. Reviews about energy-saving devices of this type are contradictory. Firstly, they contain mercury, which means you cannot break them and simply throw them in the trash. Used lamps must be taken to specialized places. Secondly, they do not glow with an even, constant light; they blink very often (at a network frequency of 50 times per second), which can affect vision. Thirdly, they require special lamps for their work, which cannot boast of a variety of designs. It will not be easy to choose a lamp for such a lamp so that it fits into the interior.

Compact fluorescent lamps

This is a development of traditional fluorescent lamps. The electronics that control their operation are contained directly in the base. The base itself became similar to incandescent lamps. Additionally, the glass bulb is thinner and curled to take up less space. And the electronic unit, built, let us remind you, into the lamp itself, eliminates noticeable blinking of the lamp. Now flashes occur 30-40 thousand times per second, which is completely invisible to the eye. The energy consumption and durability characteristics have remained virtually unchanged, therefore, these are still the same popular energy-saving devices for the home as before.

But the problem of recycling has not gone away. They still contain mercury, they cannot be broken and must be taken to special points. Which in many ways, apart from some danger, determines the inconvenience of use.

LED lightening

Today, perhaps the most effective thing anyone can do with their own hands is a device that provides LED lighting. The efficiency of such lamps is close to 100% - illumination similar to 100 W in an incandescent lamp is provided by a 7 W LED lamp. They are very compact. As a rule, they are used to make strips or assemble lamps (including spotlights). There are a wide variety of designs for both lamps and luminaires based on LEDs. For a designer, there is absolute freedom here - the presence of both standard devices and an unimaginable number of rare types of products frees up his hands.

Very high durability (more than 25 thousand hours of continuous operation - almost three years) allows them to be made non-removable. They do not have the disadvantages of fluorescent lamps - they burn constantly without blinking. They do not contain mercury. They do not require a special lamp (except for designer delights), they are much more compact than any other types of lamps. In addition, they come in any glow color, thanks to which you can not only switch the brightness of the light, but also the color (cooler tones are suitable for work, and warmer ones for relaxation).

Their main drawback today is cost. But due to mass production and market saturation, it seems that the price will drop significantly in the near future.

Designs based on natural light

In distant, warm but poor countries, where most people have only heard about electricity, there are ways to illuminate rooms without any electrical energy at all. Natural street light is used. There is also nothing stopping us from using it if the room needs to be illuminated only during the daytime.

Like everything ingenious, this method is the simplest. A light-conducting and light-diffusing device is mounted in the ceiling and roof of the room. In the case of poor countries, this is an ordinary bottle. We can use a special design with an aesthetic appearance.

Among the advantages of this method, there are two main ones - the absolute absence of electricity consumption and endless durability.

But the disadvantages are no less significant - you can use this option only if there is fresh air above the ceiling of the room, and not neighbors. And when the sun doesn’t shine, it’s also of no use.

Appliances

Various household appliances account for a significant share of energy consumption. By choosing the right one, you can also significantly reduce the use of a single home. For example, the Energy Saver energy-saving device allows you to significantly save energy consumption. In this case, you just need to plug it into an outlet.

If you have an old TV with a very voluminous (by modern standards) body, there is a good reason to update it, since a modern flat device will not only show better, but also consume significantly less. Also, a laptop instead of a desktop computer will save hundreds of watts of consumption. In addition, there is an opportunity to save a lot of money by purchasing an energy-saving device “Economych”. Various kitchen appliances (refrigerators, dishwashers, multicookers, etc.), and household appliances in general (washing machine, vacuum cleaner, etc.) must be purchased with energy consumption class “A” or, even better, “A+” . This approach can add many more kilowatt-hours saved.

Conclusion

We only considered devices that consume energy. But there are also those that produce it - solar panels, wind generators, etc. There is also a Power Saver - an energy-saving device that can significantly reduce energy consumption in an apartment. If you combine both approaches, then it is quite possible to completely disconnect from external (paid) energy sources, which will give high autonomy (no one will turn off the lights, etc.) and unprecedented savings. But this is beyond the scope of this review.

These are energy-saving devices that allow any electricity consumer to save from 15% to 45% of monthly electricity costs.

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Additional Information

For the rational use of electricity, it is necessary to provide cost-effective ways of transmitting, distributing and consuming it with minimal losses. To do this, it is necessary to exclude from electrical networks all factors leading to losses. One of them is the phase delay of the flowing current from voltage in the presence of an inductive load, since loads in household electrical networks are usually active-inductive in nature. Active energy is converted into useful energy - mechanical, thermal and other energy. Reactive energy is not associated with performing useful work, but is spent on creating magnetic fields and creates an additional load on the power supply lines, since it spreads through the network without dissipating in the active elements, but making oscillatory movements from the load to the generator and back. The share of consumed reactive power in the network, depending on the type of payload, can range from 15% to 45% of the total load current. This 15% is 45% of electricity and can be saved, since reactive power, along with active power, is taken into account by the electricity supplier and is subject to payment. By the consumer at current tariffs.
How it works:

The energy saver is connected to the generator-load circuit parallel to the load after the electric meter. In this case, reactive currents make local oscillations between the inductive elements of the load and the static converter, and do not circulate through the alternating current network between the supply transformer and the load. The presence in this device of elements for measuring and regulating electric current allows active electrical power to be passed from the network to the load, and reactive current to be redirected to the load phase in which it is currently required. In this case, the input power factor is automatically stabilized at a level close to unity, and the useful power in the load increases due to the conversion of reactive energy into additional active energy.

Energy savings of 15–45% are achieved by improving and normalizing the structure of the electrical flow, dynamic absorption or release of reactive power, reducing harmful harmonics and harmful electromagnetic waves, reducing resistance losses, and eliminating power surges in the network.
Savings table

Approximate power consumption of electrical appliances and approximate percentage of energy savings when using static energy-saving devices.

Specifications:

*Rated voltage: 90-250V
* Operating temperature: -6 to 75
* Frequency: 50-60Hz
* Power: 19 kW

The product is certified

Manufacture: China

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