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From: henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer)
Newsgroups: sci.electronics
Subject: Re: Power Factor Controller
Message-ID: <7988@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 1-May-87 17:26:03 EDT
Article-I.D.: utzoo.7988
Posted: Fri May  1 17:26:03 1987
Date-Received: Fri, 1-May-87 17:26:03 EDT
References: <278@lpi.UUCP>
Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
Lines: 14

> How do power factor controllers work?  What types of devices/motors
> are they suitable for, and what are their typical payback periods 
> for things like refrigerators??

I'm not up on motors very much, but here goes...  As I understand it, the
only situation power-factor controllers help with is motors that run for
substantial periods at less than full power.  Things like refrigerators,
which vary their output by cycling on and off rather than by running at
lower output continuously, don't benefit at all.  My impression is that
power-factor controllers are really of very limited use to consumers,
since few motorized consumer products run at partial power for long.
-- 
"If you want PL/I, you know       Henry Spencer @ U of Toronto Zoology
where to find it." -- DMR         {allegra,ihnp4,decvax,pyramid}!utzoo!henry