Fake power saving plugs

These scam products have been about for a long time. They were originally sold by "salesmen" using a trick involving a display case. But recently they've been marketed aggressively on sites like Facebook from countries with poor financial accountability. The marketing generally has a story associated with it, often involving young inventors who defied the oil industry by sharing their marvellous invention with the world. The stories are all fake too. The images and video footage are either stock or stolen from other sites.

In reality the plugs do nothing to reduce measured power in your home.
There's even a risk that in the future when smart meters start measuring apparent power these units could end up costing you more.

The capacitors in them are often low quality and connected directly across the mains supply, so there is a risk of fire if they fail. As such, I recommend against using them.

If you really want one, they are available at their REAL price of about $5 from the main Chinese marketing sites. (Many are drop-shipped to online buyers.)
They generally contain a fan-motor capacitor of between 3-5uF and a small PCB to make the green power indicator light. Sometimes the capacitors are so low quality that they don't even connect them.

If you've bought one of these then your chance of getting a refund from the scammers is slim. Keep it as an unusual ornament and reminder to avoid online scams.

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#electronicscreators
#shorts

[bigclivedotcom]

These scam products have been about for a long time. They were originally sold by "salesmen" using a trick involving a display case. But recently they've been marketed aggressively on sites like Facebook from countries with poor financial accountability. The marketing generally has a story associated with it, often involving young inventors who defied the oil industry by sharing their marvellous invention with the world. The stories are all fake too. The images and video footage are either stock or stolen from other sites.

In reality the plugs do nothing to reduce measured power in your home.
There's even a risk that in the future when smart meters start measuring apparent power these units could end up costing you more.

The capacitors in them are often low quality and connected directly across the mains supply, so there is a risk of fire if they fail. As such, I recommend against using them.

If you really want one, they are available at their REAL price of about $5 from the main Chinese marketing sites. (Many are drop-shipped to online buyers.)
They generally contain a fan-motor capacitor of between 3-5uF and a small PCB to make the green power indicator light. Sometimes the capacitors are so low quality that they don't even connect them.

If you've bought one of these then your chance of getting a refund from the scammers is slim. Keep it as an unusual ornament and reminder to avoid online scams.

[markharrisllb]

It makes me smile knowing people who don’t necessarily like electronics, are still getting Clive's wisdom in these shorts.

[demef]

I bought ten of those things for my house, and my house burned down. Sure enough, I'm saving on my power bill now, from $300/mo down to $0/mo!

[GasparLewis]

THANK YOU FOR THE ABRIDGED VERSION!!! Spotted two of the top buggers in my uncle's sockets and immediately started looking for debunk videos; showed him the short, he took them out right after.

[frainy]

The really insidious thing about these is the people targeted by these scams. They appeal to people that are desperately looking to save money, likely because they don't have much in the first place... Or those who are a little more vulnerable. It's depressing that we live in a world where things like this are common.

[eidodk]

I dislike "shorts" with a passion. Not because they are short videos, but because they "force" you to divert from your original thought process by the linking of other channels/videos below them.

[pinkpanther]

SOLD! Was tooling around out there in what should be Labeled Scamville & you were tucked in a corner so I reached over and opened you👍🏻 and happy I did and you are untucked 😁 TY!

[kstricl]

I've seen power saving circuitry that did work at a local school. It clipped the waveform to reduce the voltage. Worked exceedingly well; because the appliances were now barely functional and volunteers just didn't use them.

[KarismaProductions]

the real scam here is the 25 percent missing from the aspect ratio

[hi-tech-guy-]

You should Get some overhead projector transparencies sheets And Have the Repeating Lines
"Scam Device - Fake Device - Dangerous Device "
Even in other languages
Just So They Can't Use your Video's For images that aid in sales

[gerasimger]

big Clive please open one of these "audiophile noise rejection plugs" and show us the snake oil inside

[JamesAllmond]

They work as good as those gizmos you just reviewed for cars! Home version one could say!

[ericpowell]

Thank you - I have now consigned my Power Saver to recycling. Love the channel.

[amorphuc]

Yet another Fabulous and very helpful public service announcement brought to you by Big Clive with his decades of knowledge and experience shared here.

Thanks Big Clive.

[garyholmes]

Recieved an ad for one of these type of units and thought of you. Then saw this video.

[peteb]

Haha, my neighbour came to me wanted one fixed that had been burning! He'd bought up at least 10 the damn things and wasn't happy when i showed him he'd been duped!

[roody]

Can you do a video/tear down on those plug in ‘super efficient’ room heaters YouTube and alike keep trying to sell me?

[carlyonbay]

I also heard these unregulated electrical products can cause problems with insurance - if they cause a fire / you try to claim - it could void your cover if the item doesnt pass UK standards .

[Jrez]

If you could save electricity by plugging in a box, then your electric grid, or home, or the power company, or the electrical appliances you own would already have it.

[Drucklufttroete]

Sometimes these black "capacitors" are just epoxy blocks with wires coming out of them