1. What is Power Factor?

Power Factor (PF) is the ratio of real power flowing to the load to the apparent power in the circuit. It's a dimensionless number between -1 and 1, representing the cosine of the phase angle (φ) between voltage and current.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the basic power factor formula:

Where:

• \( \phi \) — Phase angle between voltage and current (degrees)
• \( \cos \) — Cosine trigonometric function

Explanation: The power factor equals the cosine of the phase angle between voltage and current waveforms in an AC circuit.

3. Importance of Power Factor

Details: Power factor is crucial in electrical systems as it affects power quality, system efficiency, and energy costs. A low power factor indicates poor utilization of electrical power.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the phase angle in degrees (between -180° and +180°). The calculator will compute the power factor as the cosine of this angle.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is a good power factor value?
A: Ideally, power factor should be as close to 1 as possible. Values below 0.95 are generally considered poor in industrial settings.

Q2: What causes low power factor?
A: Inductive loads like motors and transformers typically cause lagging power factor, while capacitive loads cause leading power factor.

Q3: How is power factor related to IDPA?
A: IDPA (International Defensive Pistol Association) uses power factor calculations to classify ammunition power for competition purposes.

Q4: What's the difference between leading and lagging power factor?
A: Leading power factor (positive angle) means current leads voltage, while lagging power factor (negative angle) means current lags voltage.

Q5: Can power factor be greater than 1?
A: No, the theoretical maximum is 1 (perfect alignment of voltage and current), and minimum is -1 (completely out of phase).