Hi Mark, I'll weave some comments---
> I've always understood poor power factor to be a problem because the > generator and distribution system needs to carry higher currents to deliver > the same energy into a poor load. That's a problem because the power > companies either suffer higher resistive (and financial) losses in their > systems, or they need to use heavier distribution wiring and thicker wires > in their transformers and generators (increasing the infrastructure costs). Actually BOTH, not *either/or*. > To offset these costs they financially discourage anyone from using poor > power factor loads. Well, to put it a better way, they encourage higher PF by customer-installed PF correction capacitors or other means. > It's the same in a generator set. The difference between the 1,000 Watt/ > 1250 KVA rating is that with a bad load up to 250 Watts are wasted in > resistive losses in the generator windings, requiring a bit more torque from > the engine to provide the extra 250 Watts and some extra energy to further > cool the generator. Well, close. The 1,000 watts supplied to the load loads the generator to 100%. The generator winding wire size and other design parameters allow the generator to supply 1250 VA. That extra current does not load the driving engine since it is not real power, only reactive power. There is a small amount of extra resistive loss in the windings caused by the extra reactive current flowing in them, but it is nowhere near 250 watts. Laryn K8TVZ
