In the past, a number of products have been advertised on TV and online which seem too good to be true. I’d like to explain the reality of these exciting claims and give you a layman’s understanding of how Power Savers work.

A Power Saver is a device which you plug in to your power socket. Apparently just by keeping the device connected it will immediately reduce your power consumption. Typical claims are savings between 25% and 40%.

The technology behind Power Saver units comes from German research coupled with Asian manufacturing and it is based on sound scientific principles.

Electricity is not stable. When electricity flows the voltage can rise and fall all the time. The rises in voltage are known as ‘spikes’ and they cannot be used by your appliances at all. All these spikes do is waste your electricity. These power spikes also convert electrical energy into heat energy which leaks power from your circuit. Not only that but the heat will also do long-term danage to your wiring and to your appliances.

There are a few Power Saver models on the market but they all work along the same principle. They store the electricity inside of it using a system of capacitors and they release it in a smoother way to normal without the spikes. The systems also automatically remove carbon from the circuit which also encourages a smoother electrical flow. This means that you will have less power spikes. More of the electricity flowing around your circuit can be used to power your appliances than before.

There are many factors which do affect the efficiency of your Power Saver. The device works immediately after plugging it in although it can take as long as 8 days before it has adjusted itself for peak performance. The rate of savings will depend on what kind of appliances you have connected. All appliances are different but expect savings of up to 25% on lights, 30% on air-conditioning units and up to 35% on other appliances.

The highest savings will be in areas where voltage supply is less stable. Locations close to shops, restaurants and light industries tend to gain additional savings from Power Saver devices.

So how can you be sure that your Power Saver is working correctly?

Most often Power Savers come fitted with a light to indicate that it is working. If you have access to an electricity meter then you should see it immediately slowing down. Assuming that the light is on and that you leave the device unattended you can expect savings immediately. Be aware that often electricity companies will not take meter readings each month. Often bills are calculated on monthly averages which self-correct over time so please be aware of that in using your bill as a guide.

Finally, it is highly recommended to order your Power Savers from companies offering 100% guarantees for longer than 30 days. Remember that 30 days may not be sufficient time to truly know if the device is working as effectively as you expect. Try to work with companies that extend their guarantee dates to at least 60 day which gives you a much longer period to assess the benefits.

By: Daphne Chen

Ronnie Dawson of Greenville couldn’t pay his electric bill and was worried about how he’d survive. It wasn’t the heat so much as the lack of refrigeration for the insulin that he takes daily for his diabetes.

Dawson just bought and moved into his mobile home in May. He was floored by his first electricity bill when it arrived. “I got this high-dollar light bill, and it killed me,” Dawson said. “I’ve gotten in over my head.”

The bill from city-owned Greenville Electric Utility System was initially a little more than $365. But Dawson, 56, asked for another read of his meter. That did knock $89 off the total, but the clock was ticking. He now had fewer than 48 hours to come up with $276.

“It might not be much to you, but it is to me when I don’t have [the money] and they won’t work with me,” Dawson said.

So he called Problem Solver. “I have to have my insulin. It has to be refrigerated. I don’t know what to do. I’ve even tried to sell my pickup, but no one is buying,” said the former tow-truck driver, who went on disability about two years ago because of his diabetes and Crohn’s disease.

This was Dawson’s first bill, so he would not qualify for an extension from GEUS. Also, his medical disability didn’t qualify him for any leniency. The provider will not disconnect the electricity only if the resident is on some type of life support.

“Keeping insulin refrigerated probably would not qualify,” said Jimmy Dickey, GEUS consumer services manager.

Dawson said that without refrigeration for his insulin and the food he needs to manage his diabetes, he’d be on life support soon enough. “If I go into a diabetic coma, let’s see what they have to say about that,” he said.

Fortunately, there was help for Dawson. On the advice of his local office of Adult Protective Services, and with Dawson’s permission, Problem Solver turned in a report of his situation to the state.

The agency, which investigates abuse, neglect and exploitation of elderly and disabled adults, acted immediately. Within hours of getting the report, APS made a one-time payment to keep the electricity on.

“The city was out here when they got the call not to disconnect. You timed that pretty close,” Dawson said.

To avoid another impossible-to-pay bill, Dawson said he would sign up for a prepay option that Greenville provides residents.

“I want to thank you. I appreciate it. I’ll do what I have to do,” he said.

Dickey said the city, which has a “fair amount of disconnects,” has had more than 700 people sign up for the pay-as-you-go option. “It allows them to buy electricity when they have money,” he said. “It helps residents know how much they’re using.”

Update

Not surprisingly, there were no arrests in the rash of tire slashing up in Plano in April. Tires were hacked and punctured on more than a dozen vehicles on April 10, causing damage of roughly $15,000.

Police didn’t think they would catch the person since cases of this sort are usually so random. They were right.

A request for information filed under the Texas Open Records Act with the Plano Police Department came back with the answer that no arrests have been made.

Source: Dallas News