Help me figure out what this is

[Kory]

I recently won a briefcase in an auction for 20 bucks. I really just got it for the case but inside there are components that are worth easily more than 20 bucks also. I kinda want to figure out what this is for. Can anyone help me here?

Power is fed through the killawatt to the circuit breaker box. Yhe first breaker goes to the box labeled XPS. Inside is a capacitor, no label, and a 10a inline fuse. The other breaker feeds the exhaust fan. It vents out the side of the briefcase. There is a plug in lightbulb socket included.

Any ideas?

 

[Kory]

As a side note the box labeled XPS doesn't go anywhere. It ends at that box.

 

[Kory]

Dang it. Another side note. The killawatt only reads usage on the outlet on its front and not on the cord that is fed through it.

 

[Martaine2005]

Hi Kory,
Interesting box!!
I am very devious and can only see one purpose! It's probably way off, but hey!!

It's a travelling man's sales case for a revolutionary product that saves customers money.
Quite simple really.....Picture the scene.......
Man knocks on door and tells customer he can save them money and prove that his product uses less power than their home products...
He plugs his box into their home outlet, and the customers product/appliance into the Kill A Watt!! ....Stay with me....
He flicks the first switch.....Blue neon lights for "External Power Supply"........
He then flicks the second switch...... fan on!........
Then turns the customers appliance on!!! BAAAmmmm.......Kilowatts showing on meter!!!

Man shows customer how much power their product consumes.....
So now...........Stay with me here!..
Man gets out his revolutionary "through box power saver", ...
Man powers down his case.......Turns the "all important" switches off.........

He then plugs his "power saver" box into the Kill A Watt........And customers appliance to his "power saver" box
Powers up his "test case" again....Only this time leaves the fan OFF......

Turns customers appliance on and BAAmmmm , it now only consumes 80mA......
He then sets out to sell his revolutionary "power saver" box to customer!!!!!!!

The End...

Martin

 

[davenn]

there's quite a bit online about the Homeline Load Center HOM2-4L70 which is the box on the left with the 2 circuit breakers in it ... that part is a valid bit of gear

what the purpose of all the other bits is ... who knows ?? .... it may be some sort of scam as Martin suggested

 

[Martaine2005]

Look what I found!!
Not the same but I have a feeling it's similar!!

 

[shrtrnd]

Yeah, I'm thinking somebody made or bought this as a way to try to reduce power usage, probably within a home.
They were all the rage here a few years ago, with people trying to cut their electric bills.
If you can't figure-out what to do with it, like clock-boy (now living in Quatar), see if President Obama will give you an invite to the White House with it(Or maybe MIT will offer you a scholarship)

 

[cjdelphi]

From memory, don't these things simply use a capacitor ? Scammy

 

[jackorocko]

From memory, don't these things simply use a capacitor ? Scammy

well a motor is an inductor, so the easiest way to correct PF is to add in some capacitance. Is that not really what they are doing here?

 

[cjdelphi]

I guess so!