What is power factor?

Power factor is the ratio of real power (watts) to apparent power (VA). It ranges from 0 to 1, where 1.0 means all power does useful work. Low power factor wastes energy and increases utility bills.

What is the power triangle?

The power triangle is a right triangle where real power (P) is the adjacent side, reactive power (Q) is the opposite side, and apparent power (S) is the hypotenuse. The angle theta between P and S gives PF = cos(theta).

How do capacitors correct power factor?

Inductive loads (motors, transformers) draw lagging reactive power. Adding capacitors supplies leading reactive power that cancels the lagging component, reducing total reactive power and improving the power factor.

Power Factor Calculator

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About Power Factor Calculator

The power triangle relates real power (P in watts), reactive power (Q in VAR), and apparent power (S in VA) through S squared = P squared + Q squared, with power factor PF = P / S = cos(theta). This calculator solves for any missing quantity, classifies the load as leading or lagging, and computes the correction capacitor needed to reach a target power factor.

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FAQ

What electrical engineering calculations can this tool perform?

This tool handles LED resistor sizing (R = (Vs - Vf) / I), wire voltage drop (NEC Chapter 9 tables), conduit fill analysis (NEC fill limits), and power factor correction (power triangle with capacitor sizing).

Are the results accurate?

Yes. All calculations use deterministic algorithms and NEC/IEEE reference data. Every result is mathematically guaranteed to be correct.

Is this electrical engineering calculator free?

Yes! All electrical engineering calculations are completely free with detailed step-by-step explanations. No account required.

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