Voltage Optimisation Units

[Shoei]

Voltage Optimisation can make sense on large installations where load balancing reduces copper losses but in domestic or light industrial settings it doesn't help.

It might have had a marginal benefit in the past but now most equipment uses power-conversion ( switchmode supplies) which take as much power as they need. If the voltage goes down the current goes up to compensate, so zero gain or even a slight increase in copper losses.

Filament lamps would have got a bit dimmer when the voltage dropped but LEDs will shine just the same, if they aren't designed to be dimmable. Switchmode supplies make sense for cost and efficiency reasons, but you can't fool them by messing with the mains voltage.

Paradoxically, the way to save power with switchmode supplies is to increase mains voltage, then supply current goes down and the LV wiring losses are reduced, but the differences are minimal and don't justify the cost of an optimiser.

 

[static zap]

So(eg), at 220V rather than 240V it may take 3% say longer to do the same repeated mechanical task ... uses 0.5 % less energy.

Similarly, a store has say 50 fluorescent lights burning 8am to 5pm. What is the cheapest way to dim them? Lower the supply voltage. Do stores get many complaints about dim lighting
.

Just waiting for my local Council to start getting sued , for more pedestrian -vs- car deaths in town , due to poor LED lighting - to save Gov cash to meet cut back targets .... More green to let some
Mother / Father / Student die crossing in same place - now " Un-Seen at night "
(--- Magnum booze , Gets my goat up--)

 

[marconi]

This is my final contribution to this discussion. I looked for some case studies and which businesses had decided to use VO/VR/VS. There are some 'big names' who have 'spent to save'. Unless the case studies have been spun - would the equipment seller or buyer get away with that? - these businesses seem to be able to produce their same outputs for less energy cost. I find it intriguing why that can be and have my own theories which I have hinted at earlier.

Case Studies - GW Energy - http://gwenergy.co.uk/case-studies/

PS: I have no involvement or interests in GWE.

 

[LeeH]

Huge savings with VFDs but only if you can reduce the process speed. They don’t save energy if you’re running them at the same DOL speed I believe.

I did some digging into VO when I had my solar fired. Basically snake oil especially in a domestic environment.