Commercial Voltage Optimistation

[infinity]

Im looking at cutting the energy bills for a large club.

Im installing 10KW Solar PV and im looking at adding voltage optimisation to the system.

The majority of the power used is at evening time mailnly lighting.

Has anyone used a certain brand of VO they can recomend? I know marshal tuflex can build one to design which could be good.

Did you put load monitores on over a period of time to more accuratly access the voltages and loads at diffferent times of the day/ week?

 

[Brightspark2]

We've removed ones that where previously installed on sites as they dont meet any claims and they had problems with lighting. Low bays...some lamp manufacturers would work, most wouldn't, the ones that did work didn't seem to last very long.

I wouldn't recommend them and they dont have a good reputation on here. Equipment either has to work harder/longer or will just draw more current as you cut the voltage.

The company that installed the system didn't even want it back, said we could have it but we left it in but bypassed as you can get quite a lot of information on screen.

 

[infinity]

I see your point. But this would be for a bar/ club with a very high electricity bill, and the lighting is mainly halogen so mainly resistive loads which should be ideal for VO? The lighting has to contribute to over 75% of the bill (£1000 month) as nothing is on in the day and only lighting & Tills at night. occassionally air conditioning. How would the air con react to a votage decrease?

 

[Knobhead]

Energy out = energy in + losses
A/C motors will draw more current for the same work load.

What is the average voltage/current over the time the club is open?


The biggest saving the club can make is don't waste their money on these things.

 

[Engineer54]

I see your point. But this would be for a bar/ club with a very high electricity bill, and the lighting is mainly halogen so mainly resistive loads which should be ideal for VO? The lighting has to contribute to over 75% of the bill (£1000 month) as nothing is on in the day and only lighting & Tills at night. occassionally air conditioning. How would the air con react to a votage decrease?

All a VO unit will do for purely resistive loads, such as in your case lighting, is reduce the light output which is pretty pointless when you think about it!! Same goes for heaters and kettles, they will take longer to reach operating temperatures, so you would still end up, using the same amount of energy!!

In supermarket stores for instance, it would be useful when connected to their many refrigeration and freezer units, and dare i say for the Air Conditioning systems etc. In your case it would make far more sense spending the money on replacing your Halogen lamps for LED lamps, probably cheaper as well ...lol!!

 

[jonnyboy1]

How about quoting for led lighting?

 

[papycompany]

what about for a garage what's got a spraying/drying station for 3 cars+the workshop....opinions? it will save something or the same case what's for the club?

 

[Engineer54]

I speak like what the Queen does too!! lol!! Sorry, couldn't resist !!! lol!!

Your biggest load there will be the heating banks of the dryers, which is again resistive, so will not benefit much if at all from a VO unit. Can't say for the rest of the garage plant, would need a lot more info....

 

[papycompany]

the garage:

2 x elevators
1 x spraying station+dryer
@20 6ft florescent lights
@20 double sockets
2 x big air compressors to supply the workshop tools
same thing like above he wants to save energy and someone told him about VO

 

[Engineer54]

He may get some savings, but at what cost is another matter!! All depends on what the cost of the VO unit is, as to whether it will be a cost effective measure or not. These units work better saving money, with equipment that are permanently connected to the supply, rather than equipment that is used as and when needed etc....

 

[Brightspark2]

As suggested try other methods such as LED lighting and/or installing pir or photocell controlling...

 

[papycompany]

i don't know nothing yet about the cost of the VO's ... maybe Infinity can tell us more...

 

[papycompany]

As suggested try other methods such as LED lighting and/or installing pir or photocell controlling...

don't know how that will work for a garage with high ceilings and of course i have to think about the costs of led's compared to florescent fittings

 

[Brightspark2]

don't know how that will work for a garage with high ceilings and of course i have to think about the costs of led's compared to florescent fittings

It was directed at the OP squire...