Abdullah Shoaib
Managing Director
6 min read
Last Updated February 06, 2025
What is voltage optimisation?
However, if you’re looking to go the extra mile, a third option may be suitable for you. Voltage optimisation is a technique that allows you to passively reduce your electricity usage – but it’s not the right fit for everyone.
Below, we explore what voltage optimisation really is and how it works so you can begin to understand whether it’s something you want to explore further for your own property.
What is a voltage optimiser?
These days, all appliances marked with a CE symbol are designed to be safe when used with electricity that falls within that range. However, ‘safe’ doesn’t necessarily equal ‘efficient’.
Put simply, a voltage optimiser is a transformer device that alters the voltage of electricity supplied to you so that it better aligns with the voltage requirements of your appliances and devices, making them more efficient.
There are two kinds of voltage optimiser: fixed and variable. A fixed voltage optimiser will reduce the incoming voltage by a set amount – for example, 10%. If your supply voltage changes significantly, a fixed voltage optimiser will continue to reduce it by 10%, which could then result in a voltage that is inefficient for your appliances.
Variable voltage optimisers, on the other hand, can be altered manually should you ever need to. This helps to future-proof the technology and make it even more efficient.
How does voltage optimisation work?
As mentioned, voltage optimisation is based on the premise that many appliances and devices use more energy than necessary because electricity is supplied at a higher voltage than the appliances’ required level.
The idea of a voltage optimiser, which must always be installed by a qualified electrician, is that you can alter the voltage of electricity entering your home or business premises so that you’re only using the electricity your appliances actually need.
In many cases, the ideal voltage for an electrical appliance is 220V, so if your commercial or domestic supply is higher than that, then you may be wasting electricity.
That extra energy, rather than powering any increase in usefulness in the device itself, often gets transformed into unwanted heat or sound energy. As voltage is a kind of pressure, it can also potentially put appliances under greater strain and may reduce their life expectancy.
However, voltage optimisation isn’t always worth it for everyone. It all depends on the kind of appliances you have.
Voltage dependent appliances will use less power when supplied with a lower voltage, so there are direct savings to be made via your energy bill with voltage optimisation. In addition to that, they’ll also wear out less quickly, which means you’ll spend less in the long run for maintenance and replacement.
Voltage dependent appliances include:
- Incandescent lamps
- Lifts and escalators
- Air conditioning
- Fridges and freezers
- Washing machines and tumble dryers
- Microwaves.
In contrast, voltage independent appliances use the same amount of power no matter what the voltage supplied is. This means that your savings would be limited to the maintenance and upkeep side of things.
Voltage independent appliances include:
- Electric heating
- TVs
- Computers
- Ovens.
By assessing the kinds of appliances you have in your home or workplace, you can begin to determine whether or not voltage optimisation could be beneficial for you. If you think it might be, then you should consult an electrician for a more experienced and detailed exploration of your options.