A YouTuber reviews a "power saver" device that claims to save users money by reducing power usage at home through power factor correction. The device is found to be nothing more than a high-voltage capacitor, which does not actually help in most homes. The YouTuber explains that residential homes only pay for real power, not reactive power, making the device useless. The device also fails to make a significant impact when tested with various appliances, including a microwave and an AC motor. The YouTuber concludes that the device is a waste of money and only useful as a novelty "shocker" or with very specific, small inductive loads.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The author purchased a "power saver" device from Amazon.
2. The device claims to save power by performing power factor correction.
3. The device contains a high-voltage capacitor with a value of around 2.1 microfarads.
4. The capacitor is not polarized and is rated for high voltage.
5. The author's local power supplier, BC Hydro, charges residential customers only for real power, not reactive power.
6. In Canada and the US, residential customers only pay for real power, not reactive power.
7. Industries that use a lot of reactive power pay a surcharge for it.
8. The author's home has two phases coming in, with the main one providing 2.5 amps at the moment.
9. The power saver device reduces the current draw by a small amount (around 0.1 amps) when connected to the home's power lines.
10. The device has a negligible effect on the overall power consumption of the home.
11. The author's microwave draws around 14 amps when empty and around 12 amps when cooking a cup of water.
12. The power saver device has no significant effect on the microwave's power consumption.
13. The device may have a small effect on small inductive loads, such as old-fashioned transformers or AC motors.
14. The device can be used as a novelty shocker by plugging it in and then unplugging it at the right moment to discharge the capacitor and shock someone.
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