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Power Factor measures how effectively electrical power is used on a single piece of equipment like a motor or a commercial building. This means that if the power factor is poor, it can result in wasted energy and, in some cases, extra charges from the electricity supplier.

To understand power factor you need to understand the 3 above elements, and what better way to explain it than with a beer?

The beer analogy is commonly used to describe the power factor as it is easier to understand. The more beer the better value for money in the glass. The more foam the less value for the money, no one wants a foamy pint🤔

There are many products out there that provide key information to calculate power factor. The equipment used needs to be able to monitor and test the following...

The PEL 104 is an amazing piece of kit which automatically calculates the PF by measuring the phase difference between voltage and current waveforms. This eliminates the need for manual calculations, ensuring quick and accurate PF monitoring.

Importance of a good Power Factor

Bills

Often commercial and industrial electricity invoices will likely see charges and information for the amount of kW, kWh's, kVA's and kVArh's used. Some will also have reactive power charges.

Extra Charge

The suppliers charge more for poor power factor as it causes several issues for the grid such as an increase in demand on the grid due to more current flow.

Issues

Cables are designed to only be able to take a certain amount of current before failure and with unexpected current being drawn due to poor power factor, this can cause cable damage. This is one reason why they penalise for poor power factor, it can be looked at like a fine.

What's a good Power Factor

1.0: Perfect Power Factor

A good power factor is generally considered to be close to 1, or unity (1.0)

0.95-1.0: Ideal Power Factor

0.95-1.0: High or Unity Power Factor, this is ideal. It means that the system is very efficient, with very little wasted energy.

0.8-0.95: Acceptable Power Factor

Many utility companies consider this acceptable, although there may be some energy inefficiency due to reactive power.

0-0.8: Low Power Factor

Indicates significant inefficiencies in the system, usually due to a high amount of reactive power.

How to Improve your Power Factor

There are many ways power factor can be improved, but some of the most common ones are the following

PF Correction Capacitors: These can be installed to offset reactive power, bringing the power factor closer to 1.

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Q1: What percentage of UK electricians anticipate an increase in job security in 2023?

1. 33%
2. 14%
3. 11%
4. 25%

Q2: In which UK city are electricians most likely to be recruited in 2023?

1. Birmingham
2. Cardiff
3. Nottingham
4. London

Q3: What is the predicted rise in the number of completed apprenticeships needed to address the UK's electrician skills gap?

1. 10%
2. 25%
3. 34%
4. 50%

Q4: What percentage of UK electricians are female?

1. 3%
2. 5%
3. 7%
4. 10%

Q5: What is the percentage of electricians aged 50 or over?

1. 18%
2. 24%
3. 33%
4. 45%

Answers:

Q1: C) 11% - Millennials (aged 25-34) are the most optimistic about job security

Q2: B) Cardiff - 29% of companies in Cardiff anticipate hiring in 2024 onwards

Q3: C) 34%

Q4: A) 3% - As of 2023, approximately 3% of electricians in the UK are women

Q5: C) 33% - One-third of UK electricians are aged 50 or over, leading to concerns about a shortage as they retire

All statistics were gathered from Electrical Direct, Office for National Statistics & Professional Electrician

Meet Jimbo The Electrician

If you are free and have no jobs booked on November 7th and looking for something to do, check out the Professional Electrician Elex Show at Sandown Park. It's a great spot to check out the best electrical products and techniques, plus it's the perfect place to get up to speed on all the latest rules and regulations.

The Co-Founder of Watts Up (James/Jimbo) will be there at the Navitas Stand, pop by and say hello!