Residential low power factor effect 2

[Shark96]

If the utility meter only registers real power consumed, will the residential consumer have higher utility bill if there are low power factor appliances in the home (assuming no PF penalty)?

 

[itsmoked]

Of course not. Crappy PF won't be measured so how can it be billed for?

Keith Cress
kcress -

http://www.flaminsystems.com

 

[waross]

Slightly higher line losses due to the higher current for the same kWs.
This will be Watt hours when the billing is in KWHrs.
Most often this effect is ignored.
Your time to calculate the cost will be more than the added cost.


Bill
--------------------
"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

 

[dpc]

What Bill said. It's insignificant.

 

[cuky2000]

Assuming the load consumes the same kWh, the base rate charges for electricity consumption services. It is recognized that the residential PF ≠ 100%, therefore the losses and inefficiency cost is somehow factored in the base-rate.

We should be aware that many PUC authorized utilities to make fuel surcharge and other Cost Recovery Mechanisms above and beyond the base rate that migh vary between billing cycles with additional fees imposed on a ratepayer’s.

 

[jraef]

Another way to look at this though is that even though there is no specific mention of VARs or PF for residential users (in North America), we DO pay for power factor, in the form of higher rates than industrial users who have separate metering to account for it. In other words the utility costs incurred due to any lower PF at residential services is baked into the PUC negotiated rates that we all pay. So if you spend money to try to ameliorate your PF in a residence, you are doing the utility a favor, but it will have no effect on your bill.

There is no free lunch...


" We are all here on earth to help others; what on earth the others are here for I don't know." -- W. H. Auden