A great time to invest in savings
As the voltage optimisation market has matured, principally over the last three years, there has been significant growth in the number of manufacturers and distributors servicing the sector. With this has come a wider range of solutions, moving away from the ‘one size fits all’ approach to sophisticated, intelligent VO products capable of optimising simple through to complex installations at a price point that is financially viable. If you’ve considered VO previously but decided against it, now is a great time to reconsider given the greater selection of products now available.
Many of these new systems also address restrictions on public sector spending and lack of capital available in the private sector because they require lower investment levels yet offer meaningful savings, fast payback, quick installation and little or no maintenance/user involvement. The best of the new products offer smaller off-the-shelf VO units, from entry level upwards, equipped with multi-tap transformers. They are available in 100A, 200A, 300A, 400A versions.
Benefits of these new quick-fix systems:
• ideal for installations with consistent electrical loads (light commercial, offices, warehousing etc)
• better suited to premises that do not require all the ‘bells and whistles’ that bespoke solutions provide; equipment may not need it if the site has a consistent and stable load profile.
• better savings than a ‘one size fits all’ approach
• quicker – and therefore cheaper – installation
• off-the-shelf availability from electrical wholesalers allows faster project completion times
• smaller and lighter so easier to site
• installations may not need an in-depth energy audit, further reducing costs
• choice of three pre-programmed tappings settings, decision can be made on site from measured input voltage levels (and allowing for voltage drop) at point of installation, simplifying the specification process and future proofing installations.
Units with multi-tap transformers allow installers to select the most appropriate tapping level on site and return at any future point to re-adjust if mains voltage levels change significantly. Often this negates the need for a full site survey and future proofs the installation; one unit can cover a range of incoming mains voltage levels.
We advocate units with three tapping settings (for mains at 245V or above, at 240V or at 235V), with the voltage being dropped by 11 per cent, 9 per cent and 6 per cent respectively. For incoming mains of 240V and above savings of 10-20 per cent are achievable, depending upon site demands, power utilisation profile and incoming power profile.
The multi-tap transformer approach is available on both hi-spec and entry level ‘no-frills’ units. Entry level units deliver a simple three phase VO solution that is easy to source and install, which is smaller and more cost-effective than more sophisticated systems. These are best suited to users who do not have voltage dependent equipment and whose electrical consumption is characterised by consistent, steady loads where intelligent control for more dynamic loads is not always necessary. A good example is the high street shop; the load it pulls is constant as they principally just have lighting and maybe a small fridge in the staff room – the load is consistent and stable and therefore more simple solutions which are cheaper and easier to install will meets their needs and pay back much faster.
High spec multi-tap units offer a more sophisticated approach, with automatic, seamless, neutral-switching bypass (ensures the VO unit never drops voltage so low as to cut power to site), intelligent control (important to maximise savings) and remote monitoring. Consider units with hi-tech control software to provide enhanced reliability and performance and reduce installation time and costs and those which can provide extensive performance data via an integral meter.
It is worth remembering that a voltage optimisation system, however good, will not deliver savings on all equipment, and savings can differ enormously from one site to another. Savings depend upon incoming mains voltage levels (generally the higher the voltage, the higher savings possible) and the site’s power usage profile. For example, VO can deliver substantial savings on three phase induction motors, probably the most common type of three phase load used in a variety of equipment including refrigeration, pumps, air conditioning, conveyor drives etc but is less effective when paired with variable speed drives.
Research has also highlighted VO’s efficacy on LED lighing power usage. Testing commissioned by the ESTA Voltage Management and Optimisation Group looked into the impact of VO systems on the effects of supply voltage on LED light output and power use. Typical light outputs were obtained and normalised, with the output of each type set at 100 lm at 245V. Optimising the mains voltage by 10 per cent, from 245V to 220V, delivered an 8 per cent saving in watts used by LEDs but only a 1 per cent decrease in lumens.
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