When electricity flows through an AC circuit, not all of the power generated is used with 100% efficiency. To fully understand what a kVA is, you first need to understand the different types of power in an electrical system, what’s known as “apparent power,” “real power,” and “reactive power.” Apparent PowerĪpparent power is the sum of the power flowing within an electrical circuit. In a direct current electrical circuit, the kVA and kW values are equal since the voltage and load are static, and the energy only flows in one direction.
In an alternating current circuit, the kVA or ‘apparent power’ is different from the ‘real power’ (expressed as watts or kilowatts), which goes into the circuit to perform its tasks.
Kva to watts calculator how to#
For more, check out how to convert watts to amps. It’s measured as the product of the voltage, which represents electrical pressure, and the amperes (electrical current). It’s a unit of measurement used to refer to electricity in the form of “apparent power” in an alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) electrical circuit. When written out, the formula will look something like this:Īs an example, let's find the apparent power in kVA of a 2,000-watt circuit with a power factor of 0.8: To convert watts to kVA you have to divide the watts by 1,000 times the power factor. PF = Watts ÷ VA How to Convert Watts to kVA The power factor (PF) of an electrical system can be calculated using the following formula: It's important to be aware of this because in most cases, a poor power factor will leave you with a higher electricity bill. Have a look at our watts to kWh calculator to find out more. This is measured by how much energy is converted to do the work and how much dissipates due to resistance.īear in mind that watts aren’t the same as kilowatt hours, but you can convert one to the other. For example, a good power factor is 0.8 or higher.īy determining the ratio of real power to apparent power within an electrical system, the power factor acts as a tool to measure the overall efficiency of the circuit.
It takes the form of a number between 0 and 1.
The power factor of an electrical system refers to the ratio of watts/kilowatts to kVA, of real power to apparent power (we discuss these terms below).
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