Re: Your Opinion Of KVAR Energy Controller

HeyBub wrote:
bud-- wrote:
Jack W wrote:
The guy who sold us a whole house generator, a man whom I trust, is
now pushing KVAR EC. He purchased two ($650 each) and has saved
3,487 kwH from March-to-March. (He sent photocopies of his electric
bills.) He's offering these units at $450 each, uninstalled.

Is this a good deal, guys? Is it a worthwhile product? Thanks.
Perhaps you could provide a link with information.


KVAR commonly refers to "reactive" power (kilo-volt-amps reactive).
Assuming that is what you are talking about:
Industrial power users often have a KVAR meter (in addition to a
WattHour meter)and pay a penalty for the reactive power they 'use'.
Power factor correction can lower the penalty.

Residential users do not pay a penalty for reactive power. Watt meters
do not measure reactive power. Power factor correction for residential
offers negligible advantage.

Right a Watt-Hour meter treats reactive loads like resistive load - the meter can't tell the difference.

WH meters measure power to resistive loads.

Reactive power is not ‘consumed’ and is not measured.
With a motor, part of the cycle power flows into the windings to create a magnetic field, part of the cycle the magnetic field collapses and power flows back into the power grid. That creates higher current (and losses) in wires but no mechanical load on a generator (except losses).

But the load of a large motor - like an AC compressor - is mostly reactive (the resistance is negligible). If you can vanish the reactive load, you get your AC for free. Supposedly.

Nope.
If there was no resistance, the motor would still be supplying mechanical power to the load which is electrical power that will register on a WH meter.
At no mechanical load the motor current is largely reactive. When you connect a load the current goes way up because the motor is supplying real power.


Here's their website:
http://www.kvarec.com/com_units.htm

Very useful.

The manufacturer sells power factor correction equipment. As stated above, there is no significant advantage for residential customers. The losses (slightly higher current times wire resistance) will be slightly lower. This applies only to the wire from the meter to the point where the unit is connected - the service panel. Doubly negligible.

The manufacturer says "Utility rate structures that account for reactive power consumption, by either a KVA or var demand usage, or a power factor penalty are the ones that can provide this pay-back"
Residential users to not pay VAR penalties.

The manufacturer says "If the KVAR® EC UNIT is placed at the load, the reactive current only needs to travel through a short distance."
That means putting their unit at all your 'large' motors.

The manufacturer says "However, most homes in America today have less than a .76 power factor. This means that approximately 76% of the electricity that is coming through your meter at your home or business that you are paying for is being used effectively; the other 24% that you are still paying for is being wasted by the inductive loads."
The "24% that you are still paying for is being wasted" is a *flat out lie*. The manufacturer is either stupid or dishonest. And I would like to see a source for 76% power factor.

Bottom line - for residential users this is a *scam*.
For industrial users it may or may not be useful. Given the hype - probably not.


Note that utilities correct the power factor on their lines. The PF correction capacitors are in racks on power poles, maybe 9 caps in a rack. The caps each have 2 insulators on top and are connected between hot wires.

--
bud--
.

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