AC Wattage Calculator
Calculate AC power consumption for single-phase and three-phase electrical systems
Calculate AC Wattage
Select the type of AC current system
RMS voltage
RMS current through the load
Power factor ranges from 0 to 1 (default: 0.95 for efficient systems)
Power Calculation Results
Formula used: P = PF × I × V
Input values: V = 0.0 V, I = 0.000 A, PF = 0.95
Power factor angle: θ = 18.2°
Power Factor Analysis
Example Calculations
Single-Phase AC Motor
Voltage: 120 V (residential AC)
Current: 15 A
Power Factor: 0.8 (typical for motors)
Calculation: P = 0.8 × 15 × 120 = 1,440 W
Three-Phase Industrial Load
Line-to-line voltage: 480 V
Current: 25 A
Power Factor: 0.9
Calculation: P = √3 × 0.9 × 25 × 480 = 18,708 W
AC Power System Types
Single Phase
P = PF × I × V
Residential and small commercial
Three Phase L-L
P = √3 × PF × I × V
Industrial applications
Three Phase L-N
P = 3 × PF × I × V
Line-to-neutral systems
Power Factor Guide
Unity (PF = 1.0)
Perfect efficiency, resistive loads
Leading (PF > 0)
Capacitive loads, current leads voltage
Lagging (PF > 0)
Inductive loads, current lags voltage
Poor (PF < 0.7)
High reactive power, inefficient
Understanding AC Wattage and Power
What is AC Wattage?
AC wattage (or active power) is the actual power consumed by electrical devices in an alternating current circuit. Unlike DC power, AC power involves complex relationships between voltage, current, and phase angles due to reactive components.
Types of AC Power
- •Active Power (P): Real power consumed (Watts)
- •Reactive Power (Q): Power stored/returned (VAR)
- •Apparent Power (S): Total power from source (VA)
Power Factor Importance
Power factor (PF) represents the efficiency of power usage in AC circuits. It's the ratio of active power to apparent power, indicating how much of the supplied power is actually used for productive work.
Power Triangle Relationship
S² = P² + Q²
PF = P / S = cos(θ)
Q = S × sin(θ)
Applications: Motor sizing, electrical billing, power system design, energy efficiency analysis