A point seldom mentioned

[Turiko]

A point that Eskom never mentions at any point, except if one were to dig deep is the apparent poor power factor on the national grid.

In EU countries power factor correction is mandated by law, on anything that exceeds roughly 15 watts or so.

Eskom has in the past stated that nationally the power factor is poor. On the sites I have been to, where there was a factory with loads of inductive motors on machines and about 180 computers, the PF was about 0,88 which is not bad at all. So I am not too sure.

I presume the mines, and stuff are the big culprits. As we know poor power factor = energy wasted as heat, something we can ill-afford right now.

Discuss...

 

[Nick333]

Discuss...

Only if you explain what a power factor is.

 

[SecretCode]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Power_factor

The detailed price list from Joburg City Power has different schedules for reactive loads, although that doesn't say anything about the total situation.

I've been surprised to find how many of my devices have a power factor of 0.6 or even 0.5 - mostly the electronic ones that presumably have simple rectifiers in them. Or is my meter - a cheapo one from "Prodigit", bought in the UK - just not accurate?

 

[Gnome]

Eskom has in the past stated that nationally the power factor is poor. On the sites I have been to, where there was a factory with loads of inductive motors on machines and about 180 computers, the PF was about 0,88 which is not bad at all. So I am not too sure.

That is because they pay for power factor. Only residential customer don't pay for power factor. I'm sure most of the PF problems are focused in residential areas where people have no idea what it even is.

Why that is, I have no idea. But since the rest of the world are so focused on it most of the electric devices in our home have some kind of PFC since SA imports most of the stuff anyway.