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Unread 03-20-2004, 05:09 AM   #16
lolito_fr
Cooling Savant
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: France
Posts: 291
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Quote:
you mutlipy the wattage (VxA) by 0.707
to get the true watt.
Oh well, dunno who this might interest, but anyway...
IIRC, 0.707 is the ratio between peak and RMS voltage.

The ratio between VA and W is the Cos(Phi) or Power factor. This varies between 0 and 1 depending on how inductive or resistive the load is.

purely resistive load (eg heater?), Cos(Phi)=1 so W=VA.
purely inductive load (ideal coil), Cos(Phi)=0, so W=0 (!)

Ok, here's another nice little link, with colourful sine curves etc.
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