1. What is 3 Phase Power Consumption?

The 3-phase power consumption calculation measures the energy used in a three-phase electrical system. It accounts for voltage, current, power factor, and time to determine total kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the 3-phase power formula:

Where:

• \( V \) — Line-to-line voltage (volts)
• \( I \) — Current (amperes)
• \( PF \) — Power factor (unitless, 0 to 1)
• \( h \) — Time in hours
• \( \sqrt{3} \) — Constant for 3-phase systems (≈1.732)

Explanation: The formula calculates real power consumption by accounting for the phase relationship in 3-phase systems and the power factor which represents efficiency.

3. Importance of Power Factor

Details: Power factor (PF) represents the ratio of real power to apparent power. A PF of 1 means all power is effectively used, while lower values indicate inefficiency. Industrial systems typically aim for PF ≥ 0.95.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips:

• Measure line-to-line voltage (typically 208V, 240V, 480V in industrial settings)
• Use current measurements from all three phases if available (average them)
• Typical power factors: 0.8-0.95 for motors, 1.0 for resistive loads
• For accurate billing, use actual operating hours

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Why use √3 in the calculation?
A: √3 accounts for the 120° phase difference between the three phases in a balanced system.

Q2: How does this differ from single-phase calculation?
A: Single-phase uses V×I×PF×h/1000 without the √3 factor.

Q3: What if my system is unbalanced?
A: For unbalanced loads, calculate each phase separately and sum the results.

Q4: How can I improve my power factor?
A: Install power factor correction capacitors or use synchronous motors.

Q5: What's typical energy consumption for industrial equipment?
A: Large motors (10-100HP) may consume 10-100kWh per hour of operation at full load.