Power Factor Correction
REDUCING POWER FACTOR COSTS
Are you on Maximum Demand Metering? Low Power Factor is expensive and inefficient. Many utility companies charge an additional fee if your Power Factor is lower than 0.95. Low Power Factor also reduces your electrical distribution system’s capacity by increasing current flow and causing voltage drops. Correct your Power Factor and you will reduce electric bills and enhance your electrical system’s capacity.
To understand Power Factor visualize a horse pulling a railroad car down a railroad track. Because the railroad ties are uneven, the horse must pull the car from the side of the track. The horse is pulling the railroad car at an angle to the direction of the car’s travel. The power required to move the car down the track is working (real) power. The effort of the horse is total (apparent) power. Because of the angle of the horse’s pull, not all of the horse’s effort is used to pull the car down the track. The car will not move sideways; therefore, the sideways pull of the horse is wasted effort or nonworking (reactive) power.
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