Non-motoring > Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Dulwich Estate Replies: 7
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New Wed 25 Jul 12 19:22 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - Dulwich Estate


www.marshalltufflexenergy.com/voltis/

www.savepowerathome.co.uk/

Apparently:

Voltage optimisation is a well established and proven technology that matches electricity supply to the needs of your electrical equipment.
In the UK, electricity is supplied at around 240Volts and electrical equipment manufacturers produce products that work anywhere between 207Volts and 253Volts. Although household appliances will cope with a higher voltage supply, the extra power that is not needed (over-supply) dissipates as heat and vibration within appliances, which can substantially reduce their lifespan.
Voltage optimisers reduce the voltage level to your property by a transformer. The unit is installed between the energy supplier’s mains feed and the domestic supply circuit. This gives you cheaper electricity, cuts carbon emissions and helps prolong the life of appliances.


Snake Oil or Invention of the Decade ?
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New Wed 25 Jul 12 19:45 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - Dog
Excellent company Marshall-Tufflex, I bought a load of u-pvc windows and 2 doors from them 20 years ago after comparing them to all the big names (excluding Everest)
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New Wed 25 Jul 12 19:50 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - spamcan61
Snake oil.

low tech stuff (e.g. 2 bar electric fire) will draw less current at the lower voltage and produce less heat. so you'll have to turn it up to produce the same amount of heat = no saving.

high tech stuff that draws constant power (e.g. P.C.) will draw more current at the lower voltage = no saving

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New Wed 25 Jul 12 20:09 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - Slidingpillar
Agreed 'tis snake oil.

Automatic Voltage Regulators (AVRs) are quite common in industrial applications where the supply voltage is directly linked to the output level - ie high power TV and Radio transmitters. Having worked on them, a complexity that is just not needed domestically. Plus you do pay a penalty for their use as they are not 100% efficient.

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New Wed 25 Jul 12 23:02 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - smokie
Well I know nothing of the technology but was almost tricked into managing installation of something very like this for a major supermarket chain - costing them thousands per store, so there must be something in it.

I didn't take the job after the first day of training when they said I'd have to roll up on Sunday afternoon, before closing time, to meet the manager - anywhere they chose to send me - and wouldn't be able to leave site until well into the next morning once the manager had signed off the work - all for £100 IIRC. The remainder of the week was part time at a lower rate...
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New Thu 26 Jul 12 07:30 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - sherlock47
A significant proportion of the supermarket (electrical load) usage must be refrigeration and lighting (flourescent, gas discharge or led ?, not incandescent?).

With the lighting, I suspect that they will have already optimised light levels and impact on sales - so maybe not a lot to be gained if you then have to add more lights?

With the refrigeration plant, which possibly is older technology, some scope for savings if extends life of plant?

I suspect that they did some local trials before rolling it out nationally - supermarkets are good at managing and understanding their costs!
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New Thu 26 Jul 12 08:30 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - PeteW
"Snake oil.

low tech stuff (e.g. 2 bar electric fire) will draw less current at the lower voltage and produce less heat. so you'll have to turn it up to produce the same amount of heat = no saving.

high tech stuff that draws constant power (e.g. P.C.) will draw more current at the lower voltage = no saving "

+1

There are loads of solar pv companies jumping onto this at the moment. It's very easy to add a few hundred quid to the price of an installation on the promise of 'maximising your investment and efficiency'. If the customer actually has the reality explained (as spamcan61 nicely has done), that's the end of that company for the whole quote. I have won business on at least 5 occasions in the last 3 months against companies hawking these units.
Last edited by: PeteW on Thu 26 Jul 12 at 08:30
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New Thu 26 Jul 12 09:17 
 Electricity Saving - Snake Oil again ? - Dulwich Estate
This extract from a review of a "Happy Family" who have had it installed kind of sums it up:

“We’ve yet to receive a bill since Voltis Home was installed but ......"


It's the first and most prominent review - is that the best review the manufacturer can find ?
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