Ladder

Reactive power — the ladder

One essay so far against this idea. A ladder is the distinct arguments that stand against one idea, and this one has room to grow.
  1. 0500500100010001500150020002000real power (watts)reactive power (volt-amperes reactive)1636 W1285 var2080 VAreal power1636 Wreactive power1285 varapparent power2080 VApower factor0.7864angle38.15°line current9.04 A…doing work7.11 Athe load230 V20 Ω50 mHsolved, then checked — three routes to Qonly 0.79 of the current works

    The current that does no work

    A solved network has been reporting its own real power on every page of this collection, as the second of the two checks each answer passes before it is drawn. What that check discards is the imaginary half — the power that flows out to a reactance and back again, does nothing, and is still carried by the cable, still heats the transformer, and is still on the bill.

    rung 1 · power

All ladders