1. What is Motor Power Consumption?

The power consumption of an electric motor in a three-phase system is calculated using voltage, current, and power factor. This helps in sizing solar systems and understanding energy requirements.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the three-phase power formula:

Where:

• \( P \) — Power in watts
• \( V \) — Line voltage in volts
• \( I \) — Current in amps
• \( PF \) — Power factor (unitless, between 0 and 1)

Explanation: The √3 factor accounts for the phase difference in three-phase systems. Power factor represents the ratio of real power to apparent power.

3. Importance of Power Calculation

Details: Accurate power calculation is essential for sizing solar inverters, determining battery storage requirements, and estimating energy production needs.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter line-to-line voltage in volts, current in amps, and power factor (typically 0.8-0.95 for motors). All values must be positive numbers.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What is power factor?
A: Power factor is the ratio of real power (doing work) to apparent power (total power in system). It ranges from 0 to 1, with higher being better.

Q2: Why use √3 in the calculation?
A: In three-phase systems, √3 accounts for the 120° phase difference between phases when calculating total power.

Q3: What's a typical power factor for motors?
A: Induction motors typically have 0.8-0.9 PF at full load, lower at partial loads. Synchronous motors can achieve 1.0 PF.

Q4: How does this affect solar system design?
A: The calculated power helps determine inverter size, battery capacity, and solar array requirements to run the motor.

Q5: Is this formula different for single-phase?
A: Yes, single-phase power is simply P = V × I × PF (without the √3 factor).