iDRY Vacuum Kilns

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Anyone ever heard of these?

Started by Raider Bill, October 07, 2008, 09:59:46 AM

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Raider Bill

The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

beenthere

No, but I'd be a bit skeptical..

  ::) ::)
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

StorminN

On first look, it just looks like some capacitors in a box. If you have efficient motors in the first place, you don't need a box like this.

If you think you might have some inefficient loads, you can test your individual 120V appliances for Power Factor efficiency with a $20 Kill-A-Watt meter like this one:

P3 Kill A Watt meter

-Norm.
Happiness... is a sharp saw.

StorminN

Happiness... is a sharp saw.

Raider Bill

Norm,

Took a look at your link, light bulb came on so I went out to the shop, rummaged through some boxes and guess what I found ???

A kill o watt P-3! :D ;D

Now I'm on a mission to check out my appliances.

Thanks.

Bill
The First 70 years of childhood is always the hardest.

Radar67

Just a note on the P3, it is only rated for 15 amps. Check the instructions. I bought one last year and it does not work on some of the really big stuff. I have used it on refridgerators and freezers. Dehumidifiers are out though.  ::)
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

Ianab

Basically it's a box of snake oil.

Domestic power meters measure watts of power and ignore the power factor. Sure the electric company would like everyone to have have 100% power factor, it cuts down the current that their lines have to carry to deliver the same amount of power, but thats all.

In large industrial situations a poor power factor does make a difference, and the supply is measured in VA, not true watts.

But in a domestic situation you are fixing a non-problem.

Ian
Weekend warrior, Peterson JP test pilot, Dolmar 7900 and Stihl MS310 saws and  the usual collection of power tools :)

Gary_C

Quote from: Ianab on October 07, 2008, 05:57:25 PM
Basically it's a box of snake oil.


I agree completely. The power company would love to have everyone balance their power factor as they are tecnically not getting paid for power generated when the power factor is less than one at the meter. So if that Power Save thing really works, you could actually pay more for electricity.  ::)

Large three phase industrial users can be charged a penality if their power factor gets below 0.90 to 0.95. For the large user, power factor correction will pay to reduce the penalty. For people not paying any penalty, the power company gains.  ::)
Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.

StorminN

Quote from: Radar67 on October 07, 2008, 04:48:45 PMJust a note on the P3, it is only rated for 15 amps. Check the instructions. I bought one last year and it does not work on some of the really big stuff. I have used it on refridgerators and freezers. Dehumidifiers are out though.  ::)

Radar, are you saying that your dehumidifier with a 15A plug on it actually pulls more than 15A?

-Norm.
Happiness... is a sharp saw.

Radar67

Start amperage on my Woods dehumidifier is 21. The killowatt meter blanks out with it, and will not work again until unplugged.
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

StorminN

Quote from: Radar67 on October 07, 2008, 08:33:28 PMStart amperage on my Woods dehumidifier is 21. The killowatt meter blanks out with it, and will not work again until unplugged.

That's interesting... and it has a "normal" three prong plug on it? I have always thought that regular outlets were officially limited to 15A... 20A takes a different plug (one spade 90 degrees to the other) and then 30A is the bigger plug (like on an RV) with two angled blades and a round one on top, sorta a small version of a range plug...

-N.
Happiness... is a sharp saw.

pigman

StorminN, circiut breakers can take loads larger than their rating for short periods of time. A motor rated at 15 amps could take 50 amps for a fraction of a second to get started.
Things turn out best for people who make the best of how things turn out.

Radar67

Norm, in our area, all plugs with two flat blades and one round ground prong are plugged into  20A outlets. We do not have the rotated blade.
"A man's time is the most valuable gift he can give another." TOM

If he can cling to his Blackberry, I can cling to my guns... Me

This will kill you, that will kill you, heck...life will kill you, but you got to live it!

"The man who can comprehend the why, can create the how." SFC J

John Mc

Quote from: Radar67 on October 07, 2008, 11:59:45 PM
Norm, in our area, all plugs with two flat blades and one round ground prong are plugged into  20A outlets. We do not have the rotated blade.

A 20 Amp circuit breaker does not mean your circuit is rated for 20 amps continuous. Circuits with a 20 Amp breaker generally have outlets rated for 15 amps on them. Read the fine print on your light switch or outlet... usually stamped into the metal. If the two flat blades on an outlet are parallel, the outlet will most likely be stamped "15 Amps". If on flat blade is set 90 dergrees to the other, it will most likely be stamped "20 Amps".
If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.   - Abraham Maslow

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