Power evaluation service from Eaton

The savings can be as much as 20 per cent, which means the cost of purchasing and installing the equipment is recovered in a very short time.

Eaton is now backing its Memcap products with a free evaluation service to enable potential users to find out the exact savings they could achieve.

The service uses a four step process that includes surveying the client's installation, verifying the impact of power factor correction, determining the cost of fitting the power factor correction equipment, and finally producing a detailed report on the anticipated savings and the pay-back period.

Eaton's power factor correction systems use capacitors to eliminate reactive power in electrical installations.

Reactive power performs no useful function, but has to be paid for just as if it were useful active power.

Eliminating reactive power reduces the stresses on electrical plant and cables and this pays dividends by reducing costs for both new and existing installations.

In new installations, for example, eliminating reactive power often means that smaller and less costly power transformers and cables can be used, while in existing installations the addition of power factor correction can make additional supply capacity available without the need for expensive infrastructure enhancements.

Eaton's experience shows that the savings achieved are often much larger than initially anticipated.

Eaton's power factor correction products are available in three types.

The economical Memcap non-auto low voltage capacitors are suitable for use in electrical installations where the total load changes little from hour to hour and day to day.

Eaton offers Memcap 100 and Memcap 300 products are more suited for installations where the load is more variable.

These constantly monitor the power factor of the installation and automatically adjust the correction so that it accurately matches the instantaneous requirements.

Memcap 100 products are primarily designed for small to medium sized applications where future expansion is not anticipated.

Memcap 300 products are well suited for larger installations and are readily extendable.

Memcap 300 products can also be supplied in de-tuned versions that help to improve supply quality by reducing harmonics.

All Memcap products feature environmentally friendly low-loss capacitors with self-healing properties.

They incorporate protection systems that ensure extended capacitor life and complete end-of-life safety.

The units are housed in robust steel enclosures, and have been designed to be easy to install alongside new and existing switchboards or other distribution equipment.