1. What is 3-Phase Power Calculation?

The 3-phase power calculation determines the real power (in kilowatts) in a three-phase electrical system. It accounts for the voltage, current, and power factor to provide an accurate measurement of the actual power being used.

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)
• \( \sqrt{3} \) — Constant for 3-phase systems (≈1.732)

Explanation: The formula calculates real power by accounting for both the magnitude and phase relationship between voltage and current in AC systems.

3. Importance of Power Factor

Details: Power factor represents the ratio of real power to apparent power. A lower power factor indicates more reactive power in the system, which increases current without performing useful work.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter line-to-line voltage in volts, current in amperes, and power factor (0 to 1). Typical power factors are 0.8-0.95 for industrial loads. All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between line-to-line and line-to-neutral voltage?
A: In 3-phase systems, line-to-line voltage is √3 times the line-to-neutral voltage (e.g., 480V vs 277V).

Q2: Why use √3 in the calculation?
A: The √3 factor accounts for the 120° phase difference between the three phases in a balanced system.

Q3: What's a typical power factor value?
A: Resistive loads have PF=1, motors typically 0.8-0.9, and heavily inductive loads can be 0.6 or lower.

Q4: How does this differ from single-phase calculation?
A: Single-phase uses PF × V × I / 1000 without the √3 factor.

Q5: Can I use this for DC systems?
A: No, DC power is simply V × I / 1000 (PF is always 1 in DC).