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Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rochester!kodak!ornitz
From: ornitz@kodak.UUCP (barry ornitz)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Domestic KiloWatt Hour Meters
Message-ID: <807@kodak.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-Apr-87 23:33:55 EST
Article-I.D.: kodak.807
Posted: Thu Apr 23 23:33:55 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 25-Apr-87 14:58:06 EST
References: <243@omssw1.UUCP> <24300006@silver>
Reply-To: ornitz@kodak.UUCP (barry ornitz)
Organization: Eastman Kodak Co, Rochester, NY
Lines: 33
Keywords: power factor, KWH, watthour meters
Summary: Power factor has little effect.

In article <24300006@silver> commgrp@silver.bacs.indiana.edu writes:
>Re: Watt-hour meters
>
>Yes, you can make them run "slow" by connecting a reactance (either
>inductive or capacitive) to the line, but nothing is gained by doing so;
>reactive power isn't useful for doing work, and you still get billed for
>the "real" power you use.

I once call Sangamo who makes many of these meters about this same question.
They replied that the basic design of these meters had changed little since
the 1020's when they were first designed.  They had more modern materials
to work with but the concept was the same.

This engineer said the basic meter indicated VIcos@ or real power for
reasonable values of cos@, the power factor.  When I quizzed him about what
was reasonable, he said cos@ greater than 1/10.  This is a quite reactive load.
He said the biggest problem was people who would place a jumper around the
meter.  Normally this would be obvious from drastic changes in use from one
month to the next.  However, he said that if someone wanted to cut his bill
by only 20% or so, it would be difficult for the power company to notice the
change.  If the cheater were caught, however, the courts generally ruled that
in addition to the fine and possible jail sentence, the criminal would have to
pay the estimated higher rates retroactive to the initiation of his service.

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|  ___  ________  |
| |  / /        | |  Barry L. Ornitz       UUCP:...!rochester!kodak!ornitz
| | / /         | |  Eastman Kodak Company
| |< < K O D A K| |  Eastman Chemicals Division Research Laboratories
| | \ \         | |  P. O. Box 1972
| |__\ \________| |  Kingsport, TN  37662       615/229-4904
|                 |
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