Mains power voltage drop to reduce usage?...

[Commander Kinsey]

Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage, why don\'t we just allow (or deliberately) the voltage and frequency to drop? Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?

 

[server]

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:56:56 -0000, <hubops@ccanoemail.com> wrote:

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:23:25 -0000, \"Commander Kinsey\"
CK1@nospam.com> wrote:

Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage,
why don\'t we just allow (or deliberately) the voltage
and frequency to drop? Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?



The large thermal plants are very sensitive to system
frequency deviations - so that isn\'t an option.

In Ontario the grid operations use 3 % or 5 %
voltage reductions as part of their emergency load
reduction plans. It\'s tested regularly - link below
for a local municipal utility.

https://www.energyplus.ca/en/news/planned-voltage-reduction-test-february-1-2022.aspx

Also :

Typical voltage reduction is:
A 3% voltage reduction will lead to about a 1.5% reduction in total
energy consumption (for a load of 20,000 MW this represents about 300
MW)
A 5% voltage reduction will lead to about a 2.6% reduction (for a load
of 20,000 MW, this represents about 520 MW

file:///C:/Users/USER_ONE/Downloads/ORGuide.pdf

The UK is predicted to be 5% short this winter. Would a 10% drop in voltage cause problems? I doubt it since the legal rule is I get 230V+/-10% anyway, which is a 23V drop.

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

The other answers disagree, some loads would reduce, resistive heating for example (including washing machine heaters).

Note, since yourself and others keep dropping off the crossposts (idiots), you might not have seen the other replies, they\'re in alt.home.repair and uk.d-i-y

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

A device getting damaged by not enough power is screaming of bad design.

 

[Peeler]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 14:23:25 -0000, Birdbrain Macaw (aka \"Commander Kinsey\",
\"James Wilkinson\", \"Steven Wanker\",\"Bruce Farquar\", \"Fred Johnson, etc.),
the pathological resident idiot and attention whore of all the uk ngs,
blathered again:

<FLUSH the subnormal sociopathic trolling attention whore\'s latest
attention-baiting sick bullshit unread again>

--
ItsJoanNotJoann addressing Birdbrain Macaw\'s (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"You\'re an annoying troll and I\'m done with you and your
stupidity.\"
MID: <e39a6a7f-9677-4e78-a866-0590fe5bbc38@googlegroups.com>

--
AndyW addressing Birdbrain:
\"Troll or idiot?...
You have been presented with a viewpoint with information, reasoning,
historical cases, citations and references to back it up and wilfully
ignore all going back to your idea which has no supporting information.\"
MID: <KaToA.263621$g93.262397@fx10.am4>

--
Phil Lee adressing Birdbrain Macaw:
\"You are too stupid to be wasting oxygen.\"
MID: <uv2u4clurscpat3g29l7aksbohsassufe2@4ax.com>

--
Phil Lee describing Birdbrain Macaw:
\"I\'ve never seen such misplaced pride in being a fucking moronic motorist.\"
MID: <j7fb6ct83igfd1g99rmu4gh9vf610ra3jk@4ax.com>

--
Tony944 addressing Birdbrain Macaw:
\"I seen and heard many people but you are on top of list being first class
ass hole jerk. ...You fit under unconditional Idiot and should be put in
mental institution.
MID: <VLCdnYC5HK1Z4S3FnZ2dnUU7-dPNnZ2d@giganews.com>

--
Pelican to Birdbrain Macaw:
\"Ok. I\'m persuaded . You are an idiot.\"
MID: <obru31$nao$3@dont-email.me>

--
DerbyDad03 addressing Birdbrain Macaw (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"Frigging Idiot. Get the hell out of my thread.\"
MID: <4d907253-b3b9-40d4-be4d-b32d453937e0@googlegroups.com>

--
Kerr Mudd-John about Birdbrain Macaw (now \"Commander Kinsey LOL):
\"It\'s like arguing with a demented frog.\"
MID: <op.yy3c02cqmsr2db@dell3100.workgroup>

--
Mr Pounder Esquire about Birdbrain Macaw (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"the piss poor delivery boy with no hot running water, 11 cats and
several parrots living in his hovel.\"
MID: <odqtgc$iug$1@dont-email.me>

--
Rob Morley about Birdbrain:
\"He\'s a perennial idiot\"
MID: <20170519215057.56a1f1d4@Mars>

--
JoeyDee to Birdbrain
\"I apologize for thinking you were a jerk. You\'re just someone with an IQ
lower than your age, and I accept that as a reason for your comments.\"
MID: <0001HW.1EE2D20300E7BECC700004A512CF@news.eternal-september.org>

--
Sam Plusnet about Birdbrain (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"He\'s just desperate to be noticed. Any attention will do, no matter how
negative it may be.\"
MID: <rOmdndd_O7u8iK7EnZ2dnUU78TGdnZ2d@brightview.co.uk>

--
thekmanrocks@gmail.com asking Birdbrain:
\"What, were you dropped on your head as a child?\"
MID: <58ddfad5-d9a5-4031-b91f-1850245a6ed9@googlegroups.com>

--
Christie addressing endlessly driveling Birdbrain Macaw (now \"Commander
Kinsey\" LOL):
\"What are you resurrecting that old post of mine for? It\'s from last
month some time. You\'re like a dog who\'s just dug up an old bone they
hid in the garden until they were ready to have another go at it.\"
MID: <59d8b0db.4113512@news.eternal-september.org>

--
Mr Pounder\'s fitting description of Birdbrain Macaw:
\"You are a well known fool, a tosser, a pillock, a stupid unemployable
sponging failure who will always live alone and will die alone. You will not
be missed.\"
MID: <orree6$on2$1@dont-email.me>

--
Richard to pathetic wanker Hucker:
\"You haven\'t bred?
Only useful thing you\'ve done in your pathetic existence.\"
MID: <orvctf$l5m$1@gioia.aioe.org>

--
clare@snyder.on.ca about Birdbrain (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"\"not the sharpest knife in the drawer\"\'s parents sure made a serious
mistake having him born alive -- A total waste of oxygen, food, space,
and bandwidth.\"
MID: <s5e9uclqpnabtehehg3d792tmll73se0g8@4ax.com>

--
Mr Pounder exposing sociopathic Birdbrain:
\"You will always be a lonely sociopath living in a shithole with no hot
running water with loads of stinking cats and a few parrots.\"
MID: <os5m1i$8m1$1@dont-email.me>

--
francis about Birdbrain (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"He seems to have a reputation as someone of limited intelligence\"
MID: <cf06cdd9-8bb8-469c-800a-0dfa4c2f9ffa@googlegroups.com>

--
Peter Moylan about Birdbrain (now \"Commander Kinsey\" LOL):
\"If people like JWS didn\'t exist, we would have to find some other way to
explain the concept of \"invincible ignorance\".\"
MID: <otofc8$tbg$2@dont-email.me>

--
Lewis about nym-shifting Birdbrain:
\"Typical narcissist troll, thinks his shit is so grand he has the right to
try to force it on everyone
MID: <slrnq16c27.1h4g.g.kreme@jaka.local>

 

[David Wade]

On 06/11/2022 14:23, Commander Kinsey wrote:

Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage, why don\'t we
just allow (or deliberately) the voltage and frequency to drop?
Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?

Recent research suggests \"no\" or perhaps not enough. At one time you
could buy transformers to reduce the houshold voltage with the aim of
reducing consumption. In the past where devices had conventional PSUs
and we had incandescence lights this worked.

With modern devices it doesn\'t really work well. Many devices have
switched mode PSU\'s which simply ramp up the input current to compensate
for the lack of voltage so you don\'t save any power.

So TVs, computers, USB chargers and many LED lighting systems. Even a
modern fridge has in effect a switched mode PSU so a variable frequency
inverter drive to the motor.

https://news.samsung.com/global/how-the-digital-inverter-compressor-has-transformed-the-modern-refrigerator

or

https://tinyurl.com/5n6uajmn

so that will simply increase the power input to maintain the motor
speed. I guess microwaves ovens are similar, and my hob is an induction
hob so I expect that adjusts its power depending on voltage.

That leaves devices which actually heat. Kettles simply take longer to
boil, washing machines longer to heat up (they also have inverter driven
motors, so again, essentially a switched mode PSU) so not much scope there.

Dave

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:49:13 -0000, David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:

On 06/11/2022 14:23, Commander Kinsey wrote:
Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage, why don\'t we
just allow (or deliberately) the voltage and frequency to drop?
Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?

Recent research suggests \"no\" or perhaps not enough. At one time you
could buy transformers to reduce the houshold voltage with the aim of
reducing consumption. In the past where devices had conventional PSUs
and we had incandescence lights this worked.

What a ridiculous way to reduce power. Why not just turn less lights on, or use lower wattage bulbs? And turn the heating thermostat down instead of artificially throttling it?

With modern devices it doesn\'t really work well. Many devices have
switched mode PSU\'s which simply ramp up the input current to compensate
for the lack of voltage so you don\'t save any power.

So TVs, computers, USB chargers and many LED lighting systems.

Yes, but a lot of stuff would use less - washing machine water heater, electric water or house heating for example.

Even a modern fridge has in effect a switched mode PSU so a variable frequency
inverter drive to the motor.

https://news.samsung.com/global/how-the-digital-inverter-compressor-has-transformed-the-modern-refrigerator

or

https://tinyurl.com/5n6uajmn

I\'ve heard of that but never owned one, I doubt many have those yet. I assume a lower voltage would lower the consumption of most motors.

so that will simply increase the power input to maintain the motor
speed. I guess microwaves ovens are similar, and my hob is an induction
hob so I expect that adjusts its power depending on voltage.

That leaves devices which actually heat. Kettles simply take longer to
boil, washing machines longer to heat up

But it would make people use less at that precise moment. The problem is not overall usage, but peak demand.

 

[Peeler]

On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 16:49:13 +0000, David Wade, another mentally deficient
troll-feeding senile ASSHOLE, babbled:


> Recent research suggests \"no\" or perhaps not enough.

MY research suggests that HE is a clinically insane troll, wanker and
attention whore, and YOU are another brain dead useless troll-feeding senile
ASSHOLE!

 

[SteveW]

On 06/11/2022 15:10, Commander Kinsey wrote:

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their
Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of
power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other
voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably
some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies
and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some
would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they
would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern
devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

A device getting damaged by not enough power is screaming of bad design.

Not necessarily. We have a \"guaranteed\" minimum and maximum supply
voltage. Why should a company spend extra designing and installing
protection against supplies (not temporary aberrations) outside them?

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 17:13:16 -0000, SteveW <steve@walker-family.me.uk> wrote:

On 06/11/2022 15:10, Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their
Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of
power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other
voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably
some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies
and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some
would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they
would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern
devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

A device getting damaged by not enough power is screaming of bad design.

Not necessarily. We have a \"guaranteed\" minimum and maximum supply
voltage. Why should a company spend extra designing and installing
protection against supplies (not temporary aberrations) outside them?

Because other things could cause lower voltage, like a wiring fault in the device or the building. Especially in dual voltage countries like the US where you can lose one live.

And all you need is thicker motor windings surely? Or a better cooling fan? Everything is designed to just manage to work, no safety margins like there used to be with \"over engineering\".

I recently broke a brand new strimmer simply by it jamming for precisely 1 second. Seriously? No thermal cutout? No over-current cutout? These devices are very simple and cheap to add. My £10 fan heater has a thermal cutout. It probably cost 50p.

 

[Max Demian]

On 06/11/2022 17:05, Commander Kinsey wrote:

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:49:13 -0000, David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:
On 06/11/2022 14:23, Commander Kinsey wrote:

Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage, why don\'t we
just allow (or deliberately) the voltage and frequency to drop?
Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?

Recent research suggests \"no\" or perhaps not enough. At one time you
could buy transformers to reduce the houshold voltage with the aim of
reducing consumption. In the past where devices had conventional PSUs
and we had incandescence lights this worked.

What a ridiculous way to reduce power.  Why not just turn less lights
on, or use lower wattage bulbs?  And turn the heating thermostat down
instead of artificially throttling it?

With modern devices it doesn\'t really work well. Many devices have
switched mode PSU\'s which simply ramp up the input current to compensate
for the lack of voltage so you don\'t save any power.

So TVs, computers, USB chargers and many LED lighting systems.

Yes, but a lot of stuff would use less - washing machine water heater,
electric water or house heating for example.

The first two and possibly the latter have thermostats so will just be
on for longer.

Even a modern fridge has in effect a switched mode PSU so a variable
frequency
inverter drive to the motor.

Even without that the motor would be on for longer as they have thermostats.

Actually my fridge freezer might as well not have one as it rarely turns
off. Ice forms inside the fridge part and you can just about freeze
vodka in an ice cube tray so it must be about -25C.

--
Max Demian

 

[Peeler]

On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 17:13:16 +0000, SteveWanker, another troll-feeding senile
ASSHOLE, blathered:

Not necessarily. We have a \"guaranteed\" minimum and maximum supply
voltage. Why should a company spend extra designing and installing
protection against supplies (not temporary aberrations) outside them?

Why should an idiot like you answer any idiotic question by the known
attention-baiting, clinically insane troll, you troll-feeding senile
asshole?

 

[Peeler]

On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 17:53:00 +0000, Max Dumb, the REAL dumb, notorious,
troll-feeding senile idiot, blathered again:

The first two and possibly the latter have thermostats so will just be
on for longer.

Oh, gosh! For how long will you senile ASSHOLES still feed that
attention-starved trolling wanker? Until he is fed up with you again?

 

[Cursitor Doom]

On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 17:13:16 +0000, SteveW <steve@walker-family.me.uk>
wrote:

On 06/11/2022 15:10, Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their
Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of
power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other
voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably
some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies
and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some
would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they
would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern
devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

A device getting damaged by not enough power is screaming of bad design.

Not necessarily. We have a \"guaranteed\" minimum and maximum supply
voltage. Why should a company spend extra designing and installing
protection against supplies (not temporary aberrations) outside them?

Yes, all sorts of issues if a power company messes around with the
voltage and frequency. If a consumer wants to attempt saving money in
this way then the obvious thing to try would be a variac. It won\'t
change the frequency but does enable one to reduce the supply voltage
easily to whatever device you wish to reduce the power to.

 

[Tim+]

Max Demian <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:

Even without that the motor would be on for longer as they have thermostats.

Actually my fridge freezer might as well not have one as it rarely turns
off. Ice forms inside the fridge part and you can just about freeze
vodka in an ice cube tray so it must be about -25C.

Have you measured how much that is costing you? Fridges are potentially a
fairly major household power consumer these days now that lighting has
become so much more efficient. You really don’t want a fridge that’s
working harder than it needs to 24/7.

A power monitoring plug can be had for less than £15 and is a useful tool.

Tim



--
Please don\'t feed the trolls

 

[Carlos E.R.]

On 2022-11-06 18:05, Commander Kinsey wrote:

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:49:13 -0000, David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:
On 06/11/2022 14:23, Commander Kinsey wrote:
Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage, why don\'t we
just allow (or deliberately) the voltage and frequency to drop?
Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?

Recent research suggests \"no\" or perhaps not enough. At one time you
could buy transformers to reduce the houshold voltage with the aim of
reducing consumption. In the past where devices had conventional PSUs
and we had incandescence lights this worked.

What a ridiculous way to reduce power.  Why not just turn less lights
on, or use lower wattage bulbs?  And turn the heating thermostat down
instead of artificially throttling it?

With modern devices it doesn\'t really work well. Many devices have
switched mode PSU\'s which simply ramp up the input current to compensate
for the lack of voltage so you don\'t save any power.

So TVs, computers, USB chargers and many LED lighting systems.

Yes, but a lot of stuff would use less - washing machine water heater,
electric water or house heating for example.

Those with switching supplies would compensate, taking more current, and
eventually burning when the voltage goes below design margins.
Otherwise, they would take the same power, so no gain.

--
Cheers, Carlos.

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 18:20:18 -0000, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com> wrote:

On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 17:13:16 +0000, SteveW <steve@walker-family.me.uk
wrote:

On 06/11/2022 15:10, Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their
Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of
power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other
voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably
some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies
and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some
would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they
would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern
devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

A device getting damaged by not enough power is screaming of bad design.

Not necessarily. We have a \"guaranteed\" minimum and maximum supply
voltage. Why should a company spend extra designing and installing
protection against supplies (not temporary aberrations) outside them?

Yes, all sorts of issues if a power company messes around with the
voltage and frequency. If a consumer wants to attempt saving money in
this way then the obvious thing to try would be a variac. It won\'t
change the frequency but does enable one to reduce the supply voltage
easily to whatever device you wish to reduce the power to.

Not the same thing at all. If you want to reduce usage, you turn things down or off. If the whole country wants to do that over a short period due to high demand, they can\'t very well phone everyone up and tell you to delay your coffee for half an hour, they have to lower the voltage.

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 18:20:18 -0000, Cursitor Doom <cd@notformail.com> wrote:

On Sun, 6 Nov 2022 17:13:16 +0000, SteveW <steve@walker-family.me.uk
wrote:

On 06/11/2022 15:10, Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 09:43:37 -0000, <Wanderer@noplace.com> wrote:

Sure, but we would need to replace all electrical devices by the their
Thevenin Equivalent.

Seriously, All electrical device need to use a certain amount of
power. We often convert the mains voltages and currents to other
voltages and currents that devices can consume. There are probably
some power supplies that could use the lower voltages and frequencies
and get the same power. Some motors and clocks may run slower but some
would not work at all. If we still had incandescent light bulbs they
would be dimmer, the reason for the old term \'brown out\'. Most modern
devices would not work and might even be damaged.

So No.

A device getting damaged by not enough power is screaming of bad design.

Not necessarily. We have a \"guaranteed\" minimum and maximum supply
voltage. Why should a company spend extra designing and installing
protection against supplies (not temporary aberrations) outside them?

Yes, all sorts of issues if a power company messes around with the
voltage and frequency. If a consumer wants to attempt saving money in
this way then the obvious thing to try would be a variac. It won\'t
change the frequency but does enable one to reduce the supply voltage
easily to whatever device you wish to reduce the power to.

Not the same thing at all. If you want to reduce usage, you turn things down or off. If the whole country wants to do that over a short period due to high demand, they can\'t very well phone everyone up and tell you to delay your coffee for half an hour, they have to lower the voltage.

 

[Commander Kinsey]

On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 17:53:00 -0000, Max Demian <max_demian@bigfoot.com> wrote:

On 06/11/2022 17:05, Commander Kinsey wrote:
On Sun, 06 Nov 2022 16:49:13 -0000, David Wade <g4ugm@dave.invalid> wrote:
On 06/11/2022 14:23, Commander Kinsey wrote:

Instead of rolling blackouts when there\'s a power shortage, why don\'t we
just allow (or deliberately) the voltage and frequency to drop?
Wouldn\'t that make a lot of devices use less?

Recent research suggests \"no\" or perhaps not enough. At one time you
could buy transformers to reduce the houshold voltage with the aim of
reducing consumption. In the past where devices had conventional PSUs
and we had incandescence lights this worked.

What a ridiculous way to reduce power. Why not just turn less lights
on, or use lower wattage bulbs? And turn the heating thermostat down
instead of artificially throttling it?

With modern devices it doesn\'t really work well. Many devices have
switched mode PSU\'s which simply ramp up the input current to compensate
for the lack of voltage so you don\'t save any power.

So TVs, computers, USB chargers and many LED lighting systems.

Yes, but a lot of stuff would use less - washing machine water heater,
electric water or house heating for example.

The first two and possibly the latter have thermostats so will just be
on for longer.

Even a modern fridge has in effect a switched mode PSU so a variable
frequency
inverter drive to the motor.

Even without that the motor would be on for longer as they have thermostats.

Actually my fridge freezer might as well not have one as it rarely turns
off. Ice forms inside the fridge part and you can just about freeze
vodka in an ice cube tray so it must be about -25C.

But brownouts are to reduce current usage in a peak load, not overall throughout the day.