You lost me at "factor". On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 12:37 PM, Ben Scott <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Tue, Oct 18, 2011 at 12:15 PM, Stefan Jafs <[email protected]> > wrote: > > I guess the big unknown is the PF, I assumed 60% (based on Googeling), > the > > is a power supply, would it not be higher for a transformer load? > > To continue the water analogy, power factor is like a big reserve > tank right before the water tap. It can cause your water demand to be > out-of-sync with the apparent water usage (coming out of the tap). > You run the faucet for a bit, and the tank starts to drain, but the > supply pipe isn't touched. Then the tank starts to fill, pulling from > the supply pipe. Then you shut the faucet off, but the tank keeps > filling. > > Or so I'm given to understand; the actual mechanism behind power > factor is magic to me. I know a purely resistive load -- like a space > heater -- has a power factor of 1.0. "Inductive loads" are > "reactive", whatever that means. :) Apparently AC motors are > "inductive". Rectifiers -- like in an AC->DC power supply, such as in > a PC -- are also apparently "reactive". "Power factor correction" > helps turn equipment with a lower power factor into something with a > higher power factor. > > The numbers I usually see pulled out of the air for PC power supply > units are 0.6 PF for a standard PSU, and 0.9 PF for a PFC PSU. I have > no idea how much things vary in practice. > > -- Ben > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ > ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ > > --- > To manage subscriptions click here: > http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ > or send an email to [email protected] > with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin > > ~ Finally, powerful endpoint security that ISN'T a resource hog! ~ ~ <http://www.sunbeltsoftware.com/Business/VIPRE-Enterprise/> ~ --- To manage subscriptions click here: http://lyris.sunbelt-software.com/read/my_forums/ or send an email to [email protected] with the body: unsubscribe ntsysadmin
