
PFC for a "green" home?
#1
Posted 07 August 2002 - 06:30 AM
Planning a new house, I'm trying to get as energy-efficient as possible; hot water service is going to be solar, lighting is all going to be compact fluorescent. Going through the list of "always on" equipment, I have come up with two fridges and a freezer; being relatively small, single phase units, I guess that the manufacturer would never have considered trying to get a decent power factor on the compressor motors - would these be a candidate for static PFC? Would there be a rule of thumb for sizing the capacitors for appliances like this?
Cheers
Matthew
#2
Posted 08 August 2002 - 09:19 AM
If you are taking your supply from the national grid, i.e. not generating your own, then you will get no reduction in your bill for having power factor correction. Domestic charges are based on KW Hours or units used. Industrial users are often charged for KWHrs used and in addition, have a KVA maximum demand surcharge added on to cover the poor power factor.
If you are generating your own power, then you may see some advantage from power factor correction if you have significant line losses. Be careful however, power factor correction can introduce other problems such as supply resonance which can create havoc with electronic appliances if your supply is weak.
If you have more data, we may be able to be more specific.
Best Regards
Mark Empson | administrator
Skype Contact = markempson | phone +64 274 363 067
LMPForum | Power Factor | L M Photonics Ltd | Empson family | Advanced Motor Control Ltd | Pressure Transducers | Smart Relay | GSM Control | Mark Empson Website | AuCom | Soft Starters
#3
Posted 29 October 2003 - 12:32 PM
#4
Posted 29 October 2003 - 06:08 PM
No, that is not correct.
The electrictricity bill is based on KW used, not amps used. It is possible to have a poor power factor and high amps, and yet pay low KW. Industrial and large users usually pay for a poor power factor so that they are effectively penalised for a poor power factor, but not domestic users.
a domestic consumer would pay the same for 20 amps at a pf of 0.5 as for 10 amps at a pf of 1.0.
Best regards,
Mark Empson | administrator
Skype Contact = markempson | phone +64 274 363 067
LMPForum | Power Factor | L M Photonics Ltd | Empson family | Advanced Motor Control Ltd | Pressure Transducers | Smart Relay | GSM Control | Mark Empson Website | AuCom | Soft Starters
#5
Posted 18 August 2004 - 11:47 PM
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