Home Energy Saving Devices

Various Energy Saving Devices

Savings on energy bills can come in a big size like in solar water heating or solar power generation but also as a smaller size savings.

Energy Saving Devices

So, what small size energy saving ideas can one find?

• Buy and install an home energy monitor
• Buy an energy saving smart power strip. This is smart power strip you can buy for a few tens dollars that will automatically switch off the current to a computer (or printer) in the standby mode or to a TV (or other entertainment device) in the standby mode. This will eliminate the “phantom current” taken by electronic devices in the standby mode; did you know that in the UK they figured out they could have one power plant less if all those “phantom current” were eliminated?
• Buy Energy Star Labeled efficient appliances
• There are different devices on the market that improve the Power Factor. Without going into electrical engineering details, it is true these devices (that might cost a few hundred dollars) save on the current coming from the utility grid but the save in power consumption (what you pay for) is insignificant. The saving doesn't worth the investment, I’d prefer to invest my money elsewhere…
• There is a special plug for the refrigerator (or the freezer) with a commercial brand name Savaplug that can save the power consumption of the fridge

Devices that do not really save money

There are devices on the market that reduce the consumed current. These devices are really big capacitors that compensate for inductors. Inductors' loading are typical to electrical motors. If you are a commercial user, the utility require that your load is not inductive and require you to install capacitors. However, the utility does not require a typical residential customer to install such devices. Some people try to promote such devices as energy savers, in actuality they only reduce the current. Since you pay for power consumed and not for the current, consider this promotion and sales pitch as you would consider any "nice to have but not not really necessary" offer.