Mysterious Black Box That Saves Energy

[bangkokburning]

I've moved in wih my gf for a year so as to see how things go before we (or she) makes any big changes in her life.

She has this black box "Energy Saving Unit"

It has no wires attached

Supposed to save power in the entire apt. I haven't a clue how it may work. There is an on/off button and a fuse on front. Power cord to AC.

??????

I think its snake oil in a box.

[filingaccount]

Probably just a box with some capacitors in it, "designed" (and I'm being generous with the word) to stabilize power draw when you turn on/off electrical equipment.

To answer shortly, no it doesn't work. If it did, they would already be integrated into existing electrical systems. So yes, it would be snake oil, of the electrical kind.

It might even increase power draw (5-10%?) depending on how it is "designed" and implemented.

[carnac]

It's probably made by the same people that make the voodoo bomb detectors the army uses.

[richard_smith237]

In the UK my parents have a 'black box' with a digital readout.

In the Fuse box there is some sort of device (which measures draw of current, I think), this sends data to the 'black box' which displays the power usage and converts it into money (i.e. cost per hour etc)... You can see the change when the kettle is on etc...

Could it be something like this ..... Or is it actually just a box with some sort of suspected paranormal influence over the electricity ?

[siamect]

It can be a box that contains capacitors as previously mentioned and it is used to compensate the cos-fi (angle between the voltage and the current).

Ideally the current should be at peak when the voltage is at peak but due to inductive loads the voltage is ahead of the current..This is the reason why electric motors and tube lights should have a capacitor in parallel.

This capacitance need to be calculated based in the inductive loads, but there are boxes designed to detect this by themselves and connect a suitable number of capacitors automatically.

It should be said that I don't believe that this is a real box like that. Most likely it is a cheapo box with some capacitance that is not calculated at all.... maybe it is just empty.

Most inductive loads (like aircon) have capacitors built in to get the cos-fi up to about 0.85 or better.

Martin

Edited June 21, 2010 by siamect

[elkangorito]

See this thread:

Electrical Experienced Members - Thailand Forum

[bangkokburning]

Thanks all and thanks for the link but I think we have deduced it's junk. There is a wavelength sticker on the front, most likely for show. As I had stated, nothing can plug into it.

OH it also has a 5yo wty sticker!

Made by BHX - cannot find company w/ a google search

Thanks

[LivinLOS]

Monitor your meter..

My conclusion after reading up on this.. Is that of course nothing can change the laws of physics and a device uses the same amount of power it always uses. However I do think there are meter cheater devices which can reduce the metering of that power use, or even turn it backwards.

[crev]

^^^ Meter cheater?

[bangkokburning]

Dude, its nowhere near the meter. and I don't see how this simple device could pick out 'our' meter - what am I missing?

[Pib]

Maybe the box transmits waves to a person's subconscious and repeats over and over the following: "Save Electricity...Don't turn on the A/C...Don't turn on too many lights...Run the fans on low....Save Electricity."

If it's not above, then its probably an alien device transmitting the location of Earth--unplug that sucker now!!!!

[bangkokburning]

Yeah, the device is meant to be displayed in plain view, that way it is a visual reminder to turn "it" off

[Pib]

Therefore the items does what it claims; that is, it does save electricty by turning it off.