Why Worry About Power Factor?
In an industrial setting, you can reduce your electrical bill by cutting power factor surcharges from the power company. You’ll be able to put more true load on your branch circuit, since reduced reactive load currents will flow through your circuit-breaker junction box. Efficiency-sapping voltage drops in your branch circuits may also be reduced. Finally, you might be required to worry about power factor by government regulations. European countries require power factor correction for power supplies rated over 75 W (IEC 555) and limit the harmonic distortion a power supply can inject into the mains though IEC/EN61000 3 2. These regulations require controlling the input current distortion up to the 40th harmonic of the line frequency. Combating Low Power Factor Fixed-speed ac induction motors connected directly to the mains voltage look primarily inductive from the perspective of the power plant and distribution grid. To combat the inefficiency this causes (and the corresponding surcha
