E
Beware the snake oil salesman
VERYWHERE you turn, someone is peddling a new technology with one fantastic claim or another. Electric utility customers are often targets for such marketing practices.
One such claim is made by manufacturers of those so-called “black boxes.” “We get a lot of questions about black boxes,” said Alan Shedd, director of Touchstone Energy’s residential and commercial energy programs.
Shedd cautions cooperative members against investing money in technologies that offer nothing more than money down the drain. He encourages utilities to help members sort the good from the garbage. “In some cases it’s really obvious. All you have to do is look at the website or the promotional material—they don’t have a clue what they’re talking about and they’re charging a premium price for it,” he said. “In other cases, it may be a technology that really does hold some promise.”
Making that distinction can be tough, said Ken Black, president of E Source, a com- pany whose mission over the past twenty years has been to help its clients advance the efficient and environmentally sound use and provision of energy.
“It is really easy to get duped,” Black said. “These snake oil salesmen are very convinc- ing with their smoke and mirrors and testimonials of why their products work so well.” Black reviewed some of the more popular items being hawked, including transient voltage surge suppressors, which he labeled “notorious.”
“Many vendors make this product,” Black said. “These are surge suppressors that are made for helping you control high voltage input—lightning, for example. And they really do work well as a surge suppressor.” But once they start claiming energy savings of 20 percent or more, that’s another story. “Energy savings are impossible with these products,” Black said. “They will not save you one watt of energy.” Also earning Black’s “notorious” label are products marketed to homeowners that promise “power factor correction.”
“This is one you really have to watch out for,” Black said. “There are probably 50 or 60 products that fall into this general category.”
While commercial members should take appropriate steps to manage loads wisely, Black said these devices are often sold to residential members who don’t face those same challenges.
And, Black added, manufacturers of these devices often “make stuff up,” including exaggerated claims and fantastic statements that defy logic.
Also flunking the E Source sniff test are polarized refrigerant oil additives, which supposedly result in energy savings of up to thirty percent.
“Bottom line, they’re not effective,” Black said. “They’re definitely unsubstantiated.” The secret, Black said, is that while up on the roof, the tech also tunes the HVAC equipment to optimize efficiency.
“They have all these testimonials. People say, ‘It works great. I saved 20 percent.’ It’s because of the tune-up, not because of the stuff they’re putting in there,” Black said. “That’s the dupe.” To protect themselves, co-op members are encouraged to ask the right questions of anyone making a questionable claim while promoting a product or service.
Northeast Connection is published monthly as an effective means of communicating news, information and innovative thinking that enhances the profitability and quality of life for members of Northeast Oklahoma Electric Cooperative.
Please direct all editorial inquiries to Communications Specialist Clint Branham at 800-256-6405 ext. 9340 or email
clint.branham@
neelectric.com.
Vinita headquarters: Four and a half miles east of Vinita on Highway 60/69 at 27039 South 4440 Road.
Grove office: 212 South Main.
Business hours: Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. Offices are closed Saturday, Sunday and holidays.
A representative is available 24 hours at: 1-800-256-6405
If you experience an outage, please check your switch or circuit breaker in the house and on the meter pole to be sure the trouble is not on your side of the service. If you contact us to report service issues or discuss your account, please use the name as it appears on your bill, and have both your pole number and account number ready.
Officers and Trustees of NEOEC, Inc. President Dandy Allan Risman
Vice President John L. Myers
Secretary-Treasurer Benny L. Seabourn
Harold W. Robertson Member
Sharron Gay
Member James A. Wade
Member Bill R. Kimbrell Member
Jack Caudill Member
Asst. Secretary-Treasurer Everett L. Johnston
District 5 District 4 District 2 District 3 District 1 District 6 District 7 District 8 District 9
NEOEC Management Team Anthony Due General Manager
Larry Cisneros, P.E.
Manager of Engineering Services Susanne Frost
Manager of Office Services Cindy Hefner
Manager of Public Relations Connie Porter
Manager of Financial Services Rick Shurtz
Manager of Operations April 2013
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