Green Plug or Power Planner

Does anyone out there use either of these products? If so, what has your experience been.
Do you feel that they do the job?

THANKS

I would also be intrested to know real world results and more info on them. You might want to post that same question over at the Wind & Sun site
http://disc.server.com/Indices/58324.html

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by horn:
Does anyone out there use either of these products? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I almost bought some Greenplugs last year - some outfit had them on sale for like six bucks apiece and they had several models.

I was wondering about them... I too would like to hear from anyone who's used them.

OK, I can comment on this one. AFAIK, the 'Green Plug' is a version of the (Frank) Nola power-factor device that came from NASA in the mid '70s. They held the patent, but handed out licenses for production to just about anyone who asked.

The US Department of Energy ate 'em with a spoon big time. Although originally intended only for small appliances, they were later available as an option to then-new electronic [SCR-based] 'soft' motor starters for industrial applications. The snake-oil claims were plentiful.

I tested a pair of them on a package air conditioner in the late '70s by carefully logging daily readings on a dedicated watthour meter connected to the unit. As far as I could tell—at very best—the miracle boxes *added* about 2% to energy consumption. At that time they were often installed for free by plumbing contractors, thrown in with rooftop solar water-heater installations. The particular model connected to my cohort's air conditioner had integral 32-volt (aviation) circuit beakers protecting 230-volt motor circuits—a first-class fire hazard in waiting.

Internally, they looked like they had been built one-at-a-time on someone's kitchen table. They even fooled some building inspectors with a prominent UL (safety) label, but that label applied only to the empty box they were mounted in—not the assembly itself.

More recently, they have resurfaced in mail-order catalogs and demo'ed at hardware stores connected to a small lightly-loaded water pump; hardly an accurate representation of the devices' worth.

Save your money for something truly useful, like flashlight batteries (especially if you live in California.)

THANKS FOR THE INPUT
I remember reading about the GREEN PLUGS in Popular Science way back when. And I also recall NASA being tied to them.
It wasn't just the advertised energy savings but also the benefits to the motors running better and longer.

The claims on the POWER PLANNER are that they are not a GREEN PLUG, but something better.

I realize that their are plenty of weird things to waste money on. But when you look at for instance the electronic bug repellers and suddenly see a company like Coleman offering a device, you begin to wonder just what works and what doesn't.

Maybe its time to buy a bottle of snake oil.

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by horn:
Does anyone out there use either of these products?<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I do. My electric snowblower was popping the circuit breaker after about 5 minutes of work and it was frustrating because I had to go all the way to the basement of the house, reset the breaker, then walk all the way uphill back to the driveway and work another 4-5 minutes before repeating the scenario.

I bought a Green Plug at the local hardware, plugged the snowblower into it, and never blew the breaker again.

Had I known about the research you forum members did, I would not have bought the thing. Instead, I'd still be mad as a hornet blowing breakers and doubling the snowblowing time here in Northern Illinois.

Your mileage may vary...