Power Factor Calculator

What is Power Factor?

Power factor is the ratio of real power to apparent power in an electrical system. It's a measure of how efficiently electrical power is being used. A power factor of 1 indicates that all power is being used effectively, while a lower power factor suggests that some power is being wasted.

Single-Phase vs Three-Phase Systems

This calculator supports both single-phase and three-phase systems:

• Single-Phase: Typically used in residential and light commercial applications. It uses two wires (plus ground) to deliver power.
• Three-Phase: Common in industrial and larger commercial settings. It uses three wires to deliver power, allowing for more efficient power transmission.

Key Formulas

For Single-Phase systems:

• Apparent Power (S) = Voltage (V) × Current (I)
• Power Factor (PF) = Real Power (P) / Apparent Power (S)

For Three-Phase systems:

• Apparent Power (S) = √3 × Voltage (V) × Current (I)
• Power Factor (PF) = cos(θ), where θ is the phase angle

For both systems:

• Reactive Power (Q) = √(S² - P²)