Power Panda Total Saver

[gooki]

Just wondering if any electrical engineers out there are willing to comment on the Power Panda Total Saver and what it does?

http://thepowerpanda.com/how-the-total-saver-works-2/

"With the Power Panda Total Saver, the voltage and the amps are in sync, meaning that your electrical equipment will operate at maximum efficiency."

I've purchased two of the little Power Pandas for hot water cylinders, mostly for the timer, and they were cheapish $100 (each). With the main goal to save money.

However if the theory behind the Power Panda Total is sound, it's something I'd happily look into.

[Stuzzo]

Looks like it's power factor correction. These use capacitors to balance inductive loads to make your volts more in phase with your amps.

At the meter you are charged for instananeous power (volts x amps at any point in time) so it doesn't really matter, however, I think power companies can penalise large consumers that run poor power factors as it leads to losses in the power grid which everyone pays for in the end.

But I never finished a physics degree so I'm probably completely wrong :)

[cloth_ears]

Power Factor correction was my first thought too.

However I would be concerned about how long it would take to recover the investment cost through savings on power bills.

[gooki]

Any potential sonic benefits for home audio?

[Stuzzo]

The current in a particular device isn't really affected as that only depends on it's own impedance. This device might work to reduce supply currents but, as explained, should make little or no difference to power consumption.

I would be more worried about the noise, non-linear affects from the devices plugged in to the mains which this device probably doesn't help with.

[gooki]

Thanks guys. Ill Give it a miss and just be content with my HWC timers.