What Are Causes of a Low Power Factor?

We’ve talked about Power Factor Correction for a few years now. We’ve also spent a great deal of time discussing a solution, but not enough about what may cause it in the first place.

There are several factors that can contribute to a low power factor in an electrical system:

  • Inductive Loads:  A big culprit is inductive loads. These are motors, transformers, and fluorescent lights that use magnetic fields to operate.  The magnetic field requires a current draw that’s out of phase with the voltage, resulting in a lagging current and low power factor.
  • Light Load on the System:  Even without inductive loads, a low power load on the system can cause a low power factor.  When the system isn’t under heavy use, the voltage can rise. This rise in voltage leads to an increase in magnetizing current for any inductive loads that are still operating, which worsens the power factor.
  • Harmonic Currents:  Non-linear loads like variable speed drives and certain types of computers can introduce harmonic currents into the system.  These distortions can decrease the overall power factor.
  • Three-Phase Imbalance:  In three-phase power systems, uneven distribution of loads across the phases can lead to a low power factor. This can be caused by problems with the wiring or unequal power demands on different branches of the circuit.

Without some PFC unit installed in your system, the chances of having a Power Factor of 99%+ are very remote; there are too many moving parts for an “out-of-the-box” installation to accomplish this. The questions to ask beyond the causes are:

  • How far below 99% (or 0.9) is our facility Power Factor?
  • Are we being assessed a PF Penalty by our electric utility?
  • Do we have motors, fans, etc. that seem to be burning out sooner than they should?
  • Are there other obvious (or even subtle) symptoms?

Chances are your Energy Bills are higher than they need to be (EFFECT) because of a correctable condition (CAUSE).

If you suspect a low power factor might be an issue, don’t hesitate!  Contact Energy Efficiency Group to begin the conversation. 

 

About Energy Efficiency Group:
Energy Efficiency Group is a Power Factor Correction company based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Though we are based in Cincinnati, we have a national (and limited international) reach. We partner with manufacturing, industrial, warehouse, offices, schools, processing facilities, as well as hotels, resorts, theme parks, zoos, etc. Any facility with that features “a lot of moving parts” is a potential candidate to focus on sustainability efforts.  Even if your facility installed 100% energy efficient components- most of these are not manufactured by the same companies and not designed to “work together.” Meanwhile, they may be energy efficient on their own, as a whole they may be working against each other causing inefficiencies. Energy Efficiency Group is partnered with Indianapolis-based Global Energy Solutions Group (GESG) which holds multiple US patents on Power Factor Correction equipment. 

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