USES box?

[ggunn]

Has anyone heard of something called a USES box added to a commercial electrical service to reduce consumption? I tried goggling USES and got nothing but a bazillion references to the word "uses" which was no help. I ask because several of our customers which are connected via the same energy management company have had us install USES boxes (whatever they are) after we have installed PV systems. They are not cheap - ~US$16,000 - and they simply connect to the MDP with a 50A breaker with no output. It sounds like a scam to me but I don't know everything, so I'm asking you guys.

 

[texie]

Has anyone heard of something called a USES box added to a commercial electrical service to reduce consumption? I tried goggling USES and got nothing but a bazillion references to the word "uses" which was no help. I ask because several of our customers which are connected via the same energy management company have had us install USES boxes (whatever they are) after we have installed PV systems. They are not cheap - ~US$16,000 - and they simply connect to the MDP with a 50A breaker with no output. It sounds like a scam to me but I don't know everything, so I'm asking you guys.

Well, you mention this is commercial. As I'm sure you are aware, that many chains use all manner of energy remote control systems. But your description of this box doesn't sound like such a critter. Sounds like a another energy scam to me.

 

[jaggedben]

Sounds like power factor correction to me, if I had to guess. Not sure how that actually works with solar.

 

[ggunn]

Sounds like power factor correction to me, if I had to guess. Not sure how that actually works with solar.

That's what I thought as well but one of our guys told me that he thinks it's something else. It is apparently not related to PV systems but we have been tasked with installing them.

I have installed energy management systems before, but they were boxes that were connected with CAT cables to a bunch of CT devices on breakers. These are apparently just boxes that connect to the MDP through a 50A breaker.

 

[jim dungar]

These are apparently just boxes that connect to the MDP through a 50A breaker.

There is nothing that connects with only three wires that will lower any electric bill that is not based on a PF charge.

Oops sorry: except for an additional source of electricity, such as generator or PV system.

 

[gadfly56]

Has anyone heard of something called a USES box added to a commercial electrical service to reduce consumption? I tried goggling USES and got nothing but a bazillion references to the word "uses" which was no help. I ask because several of our customers which are connected via the same energy management company have had us install USES boxes (whatever they are) after we have installed PV systems. They are not cheap - ~US$16,000 - and they simply connect to the MDP with a 50A breaker with no output. It sounds like a scam to me but I don't know everything, so I'm asking you guys.

You need to up your Google-fu.

Uses Saves Energy

Uses Saves Energy provides state-of-the-art power-saving Green technology for your business or home.

usessavesenergy.com

In any event, my scam detector just overloaded looking at their website. Their theme song should be:

"Scam, scam, scam, scam
Scam, scam, scam scam
Scammity scam, wonderful scam..."

 

[texie]

You need to up your Google-fu.

Uses Saves Energy

Uses Saves Energy provides state-of-the-art power-saving Green technology for your business or home.

usessavesenergy.com

In any event, my scam detector just overloaded looking at their website. Their theme song should be:

"Scam, scam, scam, scam
Scam, scam, scam scam
Scammity scam, wonderful scam..."

Yep. My scam detector is also overloaded. In fact I think it is smoking and gonna catch fire.

 

[__dan]

I crossed paths with a USES rep in about 1984 - 5. Don't know if it's the same company but selling air is still a good gig in 2022. He was making the rounds of the State Office Building trying to sell one to them (thing in a his hands was smaller that a 6x6x4 box). They found me and asked me about it while the rep was standing there with the mini 6x6 in his hands.

Pretty quickly I was asking how did it work and very quickly I was thinking PFC. Then I started telling him the savings would have to be (infinitesimal), reducing the I current flow very marginally and getting the saving in reduced I^2R, resistance of the wire heating.

Was not sure if there were caps in the box to confirm my premise and I said on autopilot, "let's open it up and look inside". He probably tried to blow me off but seconds later he got a really worried look on his face, then he disappeared. We were still standing there and the State guys are going yup.

 

[ggunn]

You need to up your Google-fu.

So what were your search terms?

 

[texie]

So what were your search terms?

Good question. I tried all kinds of things and it did not come up.

 

[gadfly56]

So what were your search terms?

"USES energy saving device"

The funny thing is, for internal reasons we use Bing as our search engine. When I use that search term in Bing, it comes up about the third item down. If I use Google, you just can't find it. You have to enter the exact .com URL. Which, of course, if you already knew it you wouldn't be searching. So apparently, no amount of Google-fu will win the day. I withdraw my mild snark.

 

[wwhitney]

When I use that search term in Bing, it comes up about the third item down. If I use Google, you just can't find it.

Score one for Google's ranking algorithm over Bing's, it knows to exclude scams. : - )

Cheers, Wayne

 

[Carultch]

Score one for Google's ranking algorithm over Bing's, it knows to exclude scams. : - )

Cheers, Wayne

I thought the only reason the OP wasn't finding it, is that "uses" is such a generic word, that is probably part of millions of websites. I tried the searching it through Google, and couldn't find any results either.

 

[ggunn]

I thought the only reason the OP wasn't finding it, is that "uses" is such a generic word, that is probably part of millions of websites. I tried the searching it through Google, and couldn't find any results either.

Perzactly.

 

[synchro]

The only way I could get Google to find anything relevant was to put the company name Uses Saves Energy in quotes. Without the quotes, nothing about the company or its products came up.

DuckDuckGo found it with just uses saves or uses energy without any quotes.

 

[Zee]

sounds like you saved your clients $16k

 

[electrofelon]

You need to up your Google-fu.

Uses Saves Energy

Uses Saves Energy provides state-of-the-art power-saving Green technology for your business or home.

usessavesenergy.com

In any event, my scam detector just overloaded looking at their website. Their theme song should be:

"Scam, scam, scam, scam
Scam, scam, scam scam
Scammity scam, wonderful scam..."

There is some outstanding techno-babble nonsense on that website!

 

[gadfly56]

There is some outstanding techno-babble nonsense on that website!

At my age, I have precious little time to spare wasting it on killing the few brain cells I have left by exposing them to such tripe.

 

[ggunn]

sounds like you saved your clients $16k

But no, the customer still wants it.

 

[__dan]

uses power saving

But no, the customer still wants it.

Sell them your own box with air in it, wires stick out, for one grand less. Plus you guarantee it. Show them USES has no guarantee. Just don't make it a money back guarantee. Performs per spec could be fine.

Amending my earlier post. They did not come to find me. I was working nearby contractor work and walked into the same room, sharing the same basement, but the guys knew me and asked me for it. Everything was like that. Guy got a really worried look on his face then went poof.

Same thing as a vacuum cleaner salesman. You vacuum then I vacuum. Then OMG carpet fleas boy do you need this. But delivered by someone naturally gifted in the art of having the lady believe him. Me, OMG your carpet fleas I have this for you. Her yes and I have this for you.