1. What is Wattage?

Wattage (power) is the rate at which electrical energy is transferred by an electric circuit. It's measured in watts (W) and represents how much energy a device consumes or produces per second.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the basic power formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Power in watts (W)
• \( V \) — Voltage in volts (V)
• \( I \) — Current in amperes (A)
• \( PF \) — Power factor (unitless, 0 to 1)

Explanation: For DC circuits or AC circuits with purely resistive loads, power factor is 1. For AC circuits with reactive components, power factor is less than 1.

3. Importance of Power Factor

Details: Power factor represents the ratio of real power (doing actual work) to apparent power (product of voltage and current). A low power factor indicates poor electrical efficiency.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips:

• For DC circuits, set power factor to 1
• For typical home appliances, power factor is usually between 0.8 and 0.95
• For motors or inductive loads, power factor can be as low as 0.5
• All values must be positive (voltage > 0, current > 0, 0 ≤ PF ≤ 1)

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between watts and volt-amps?
A: Watts measure real power, while volt-amps (VA) measure apparent power. They're equal when power factor is 1.

Q2: How do I find the current if I know wattage and voltage?
A: Rearrange the formula: \( I = P / (V \times PF) \)

Q3: What's a typical power factor for household devices?
A: Incandescent lights: 1.0, Computers: 0.6-0.7, Motors: 0.5-0.9, LED lights: 0.5-0.9

Q4: Why is power factor important?
A: Utilities may charge extra for low power factor because it increases current in power lines without delivering more useful power.

Q5: How can I improve power factor?
A: For inductive loads, add capacitors. For capacitive loads, add inductors. This is called power factor correction.