Advice on V Phase Voltage Optimisation Units

[jenny8678]

Hi I am looking for some advice and guidance with regards to the V Phase Voltage Optimisation Unit which I have been advised to have installed at my property.
Could anyone give me their views on this product and if it is worth spending the money as an investment ?
I have found one on trades supermarket vphase vx1 and would appreciate it if anyone could advise me of anywhere cheaper ?
Thanks for your help
Jenny

 

[Des 56]

Jolly good then, all is rosey in the garden.
I attended one of your "training days". I was thoroughly unimpressed by the load of over complicated useless tosh that was on offer.
Voltage regulation has been around for donkeys years and its not installed in domestic dwellings becuase it doesnt work. This has now all changed due to the lets save some cash green energy drive. What this has done is open up a whole new market for the sharper ones amongst us to make money out of those less blessed.
Ask yourself this Jenny, how many on here have said "what a good idea". None apart from the bloke selling it, nuff said.

You cant get it more to the point than the above post

The visit by the V phase rep is a necessary response to the glut of negative comments being made,by the way, they are informed comments that cast aside spin and over optimistic claims by the makers

The unimfored and some in our industry, who see this as opportunity for easy money, will persuade you of its value
You have had enough information to make an informed decision yourself

Remember the electricians answering your question have done so with no self gain and no axe to grind, as the motive for the replies

 

[Knobhead]

What strikes me is, in the main the people on this board are electricians. Non seem to advocate fitting these units even though there is money to be made installing them.
It shows (to me) there is honesty amongst our members.

 

[Big n Daft]

So we all agree, bar one.
Bar, you say, are they open????

 

[UNG]

Jolly good then, all is rosey in the garden.
I attended one of your "training days". I was thoroughly unimpressed by the load of over complicated useless tosh that was on offer.
Voltage regulation has been around for donkeys years and its not installed in domestic dwellings becuase it doesnt work. This has now all changed due to the lets save some cash green energy drive. What this has done is open up a whole new market for the sharper ones amongst us to make money out of those less blessed.
Ask yourself this Jenny, how many on here have said "what a good idea". None apart from the bloke selling it, nuff said.

Was this training to install it or sell it

If this is so good why are the utility companies not pushing it

The statement from vphase says it all

VPhase has gone to great lengths to test its product and have the results independently assessed and published. It has undertaken trials with Ofgem, British Gas, SSE and many social housing associations throughout the UK. Where possible, these results have been published on the VPhase web site. The savings claims have been independently assessed and demonstrated typical energy savings of up to 12%.

There appears to be no value in these tests are they do not appear to have been conducted under like for like laboratory conditions and to "pass" the results to a third party for verification could ruin someones credibility. Do people live the same lifestyle everyday of every week of every year in order to have any meaning there would have to be exact pre and post vphase installation tests to be of any worth


I find this quite a claim without any substance

Quote from vphase website
One digital cordless phone showed an extraordinary saving of 44%

How many would be taken in by it

I cannot find any thing on the vphase site that would convince me to use or recommend this product as no matter how I twist the Power Equation I still come out with the same result, so unless domestic properties now need power factor correction due to high inductive or capacitive loads and that is what it provides I can't actually see what this device does as reducing the voltage only increases current or has Ohms law had a recent amendment in line with the regs

 

[Des 56]

I notice that "Jenny" came on here and asked a one off question with a link to the V-phase, the rep came on later with a rebuke to negative comments
Is it just me or was the thread an attempt to use the forum for publicity

Given there has been no response from the original poster

 

[malcolmsanford]

I notice that "Jenny" came on here and asked a one off question with a link to the V-phase, the rep came on later with a rebuke to negative comments
Is it just me or was the thread an attempt to use the forum for publicity

Given there has been no response from the original poster

Ohhhhhhhhhh harsh Des very harsh ...................................but most likely true, think though it may have backed fired a little

 

[UNG]

Ohhhhhhhhhh harsh Des very harsh ...................................but most likely true, think though it may have backed fired a little

Got to agree the balls in their court now to try and convince us otherwise

 

[malcolmsanford]

Well don't think they could do that to be honest yours, Des and big n daft posts sort of like shot them down in flames.

 

[Rockingit]

I looked at these units from a commercial perspective some time ago, then just decided I couldn't honestly justify recommending them to customers.

As for why the utilities aren't pushing them, though - that's an easy one. Why would they want you to buy less of their product?

 

[UNG]

As for why the utilities aren't pushing them, though - that's an easy one. Why would they want you to buy less of their product?

They put enough money into cheap insulation at that big shed to cut bills down and smart meters to see how much you are using so you cut down and some were involved in the vphase trials.

 

[Knobhead]

If it was an advertising ploy it was good subliminal advertising. Up until our sceptics got a hold on it.
There’s only one way to save power in reality

View attachment 8946

 

[vphase]

Unfortunately, there are always going to be sceptics about our product and seemingly despite the growing body of evidence, people that refuse to accept that a proven technology can make savings when used for its intended purpose. We are not trying to hijack the board for publicity purposes, but will defend our product where possible and resources permit.

To specifically answer the technical question asked about voltage drop: voltage drop is quoted in BS7671, page 358. The VPhase output voltage is 220volts. Working on the percentages allowed, the absolute maximum voltage drop would be for other use circuits at 5%. Therefore the minimum voltage would be 209volts. As the CENELEC guide issues a range of 230volts +/- 10% the range of voltage is 207volts to 253volts. Therefore at worst case percentage volt drop the range falls within the CENELEC range of applied voltages.

If there are any circuits that there are concerns over a non-compliance with voltage drop exceeding existing wiring then as the installation electrician on site they would assess the requirements and if not suitable, simply leave the circuit supplied on the non-optimised side of a consumer unit.

In terms of where VPhase voltage optimisation fits in with other energy saving technologies, information widely available elsewhere (but collated on the VPhase web site HERE), illustrates that after home insulation, voltage optimisation is the next most effective thing that can be done in the home in terms of "£ saved per £ spent". Smart meters are being rolled out nationally by all of the utilities as per the Government's plans, but these require a change in consumer lifestyle and behaviour. VPhase voltage optimisation devices reduce energy consumption without requiring any further interaction from the consumer.

 

[Deleted member 19807]

The savings claims have been independently assessed and demonstrated typical energy savings of up to 12%.

Its this sort of claim that puts me off,

Who assesed it? and what was their brief for the assesment?

"typical energy saving of up to 12%" so what dose that mean? how many properties were in this test group what type of properties were they what was the test period and time of year and what was the average saving?

 

[vphase]

Please refer to one of our announcements regarding the trials which was published as a Regulatory News Announcement on the London Stock Exchange (HERE), which gives more information about the trial properties that were used. The trials have resulted in a range of savings (between 6% and 12%, ie up to 12%) depending on individual properties, energy use in those properties and the testing methodology used. This isn't marketing promotion speak either - these are facts.

There is also additional information on the VPhase web site about other trials that have been undertaken, including the Great Places Housing Group trial. This trial resulted in average electrical savings of 8.7% - and now the VPhase device is being specified in rewires and new builds at Great Places. The results of the trial were independently assessed by EA Technology.

 

[Engineer54]

So, what is the pay-back period of the overall cost of having one of your VPhase units installed in an average 3 bedroom home??

Yes i am one of those sceptics you talk about, and to my mind, with very good reason. Most of the appliances where any real savings can be made are ''excluded'' because your unit will simply go into by-pass. The likes of any resistive load or heating element will incur no savings but will take that much longer to fulfill it's designed purpose. A good example of that would be a typical kettle!!!

Who says that your unit is the next most effective means of energy saving after home insulation, ....YOU?? Prove it, publish traceable documented figures!! I wouldn't mind betting that those smart meters that are being rolled out, saves a dammed sight more energy than your undersized unit, whether it takes making a lifestyle change or not, besides i thought that was the idea, to encourage consumer lifestyle changes in energy consumption!!!

In essence, homeowners etc, would save more money with a far faster return on there investment if they were to change every lamp in the home with LED lamps.
Your unit is basically undersized to produce the savings that would make it's purchase a worthwhile proposition.

This is not just me thinking along these lines, but just about every professional forum i know, when one of your vphase units come up for discussion. Are you saying that all of those professionals are mistaken??