Power Factor for AC Pumps

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Good news so far, I'll wait for conformation from Enmax before celebrating though

I am feeling bad for someone out there who is paying more because of your motor having low pf

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by mrhasan

I am feeling bad for someone out there who is paying more because of your motor having low pf

I still don't think it works that way, the extra current isn't lost. The only losses are from heat resulting from the difference in current that feeds through the lines plus some very minor losses in the pump which you would experience with most devices. The extra current flows back to the source. Large industries are sometimes penalized for low power factors due to the provider having to supply higher currents and accept higher losses due to cable inefficiency. In residential the losses are minimal and probably absorbed in general as delivery charges.

The real advantage of high power factors is the ability to design lower powered circuits, it really has very little to do with efficiency.

And before you curse me, measure your own pumps many home appliances such as washing machines are known to have very low power factors. And while I'm still really surpirsed at the number for these expensive pumps at the end of the day at least they don't cost that much to run and I'd still rank then significantly higher in quality over the wavelines I have as well.

[sphelps]

Funny story, I just got a phone call from some direct energy provider wanting me to switch to them for electricity. I asked if they'll charge me for reactive power and she said she didn't know. I then asked how can you expect me to switch if you can't even tell me if I'll be billed for the imaginary power my pumps use. She hung up..

[Madmak]

You've probably scared the crap out of her...

[sphelps]

Well I thought it was a legit question, we've been talking about it all morning.

[hillegom]

I like the fine print in a certain "other" thread

[albert_dao]

What you SHOULD do is find out why your pump is running at a power factor completely out of line with my numbers. How old is it?

[sphelps]

Originally Posted by albert_dao

What you SHOULD do is find out why your pump is running at a power factor completely out of line with my numbers. How old is it?

About 4 years I think, in service for around 2.5. Everything seems good, runs like new and from my googling it seems a few users have discovered that RD pumps have low power factors. Also the bubble king 2000 is following a similar path. Doubtful I have two defective units.

[Jeff000]

Originally Posted by sphelps

Funny story, I just got a phone call from some direct energy provider wanting me to switch to them for electricity. I asked if they'll charge me for reactive power and she said she didn't know. I then asked how can you expect me to switch if you can't even tell me if I'll be billed for the imaginary power my pumps use. She hung up..

You're asking some girl that has no technical training, only a script to read to sell you the service and answers to standard questions.
Had you said power factor and not reactive power you might have gotten an answer.

I'm a sparky myself, but not a power lineman. But I did call a buddy working for epcor, he's a meter tech for them, he said the meters only measure actual power use for residential and light commercial.

They aren't even allowed to have the smart meters monitor power factor for statistics.

[sphelps]

Good stuff, thanks Jeff.