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PF Correction (was RE- Cap Confusion)


From: 	Malcolm Watts[SMTP:MALCOLM-at-directorate.wnp.ac.nz]
Sent: 	Thursday, November 20, 1997 2:11 PM
To: 	Tesla List
Subject: 	PF Correction (was RE-  Cap Confusion)

I second what Ed says. Using power factor correction will save your 
house wiring, switches, circuit breakers and plug connections a lot 
of heating and stress and cut the bill mildly by eliminating 
unnecessary I^2.R heating in the above items. It also relieves a lot 
of stress on the variac. A single microwave transformer used on the 
230V mains we have here in NZ draws current spikes of the order of 
20Amps. I have measured this and scoped the waveforms. This is for a 
power draw of less than 1kW. Two in parallel (minimum practical for 
serious disruptive discharge coils) doubles that figure.

Malcolm

> From:   Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com[SMTP:Esondrmn-at-aol-dot-com]
> Sent:   Wednesday, November 19, 1997 6:03 AM
> To:     tesla-at-pupman-dot-com
> Subject:    Re: RE-  Cap Confusion
> 
> In a message dated 97-11-19 05:20:56 EST, you write:
> 
> << 
>    I agree that power factor correcting (PFC) capacitors are of little value
>  for Tesla coilers. I would not recommend them because they can cause
>  resonance problems.
>  
>    Reactive currents do not register on power company's kilowatt hour meters
>  and are not billed to the customer. Only large electric user customers are
>  billed for reactive currents (low power factor) by installing special meters
>  like demand meters.  
>  
>    A Tesla coiler will not save any money on his electric bill if he installs
>  PFC capacitors.  Reactive currents will circulate thru his house wiring
>  system but will do nothing except create a small extra voltage drop when the
>  coil is operating.
>  
>    Note that the electric power company does not sell electric power to its
>  customers, only electric energy.
>  
>    John Couture
>   >>
> 
> I think the only real need for pfc caps is when you have multiple neon sign
> transformers and the total current is too much for the variac at hand.  Then
> adding pfc caps may bring the current down to an acceptable level.  I used
> them initially when I only had a 10 A variac.
> 
> Ed Sonderman