JPC Electrical Services Ltd

Power Factor is the relationship between True power (known as kW or kilowatts) and Reactive power (known as kVAR or kilovolt-amperes-reactive). Kilowatts is the power you use to perform your work, whereas kilovolt-amperes-reactive is used to create ...

Power Factor is the relationship between True power (known as kW or kilowatts) and Reactive power (known as kVAR or kilovolt-amperes-reactive). Kilowatts is the power you use to perform your work, whereas kilovolt-amperes-reactive is used to create magnetic fields in equipment like electric motors, these magnetic fields are needed for the motor to work properly. A good Power Factor is when you have a high kW to a low kVAR ratio. This typically gives you a value of Power Factor of 0.96 Lagging to unity (1.00). If your Power Factor drops to below 0.95 Lagging, then your electricity supplier can penalise you in the form of a reactive power charge, this is because you are taking excessive power in the form of kVAR, which could be used as kW next door, so in effect you are wasting this power.