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Allowable Power Factor?

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  • 26-11-2014 11:31pm
    #1
    The Sponge
    Registered Users Posts: 65 ✭✭


    Can anyone advise on what is an allowable PF in Ireland

    I assume the optimum PF is .95 but my question is at what PF do the ESB start to penalize you for?

    Thanks in advance


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    #2
    SaveOurLyric
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,138 ✭✭✭SaveOurLyric


    The Sponge wrote: »
    Can anyone advise on what is an allowable PF in Ireland

    I assume the optimum PF is .95 but my question is at what PF do the ESB start to penalize you for?

    Thanks in advance

    Below .95 with Energia is charged afair.


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    #3
    braddun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,221 ✭✭✭braddun


    commercial or residential


    Active power is recorded on your normal electricity meter, and appears on your bill as general day and night units.

    Reactive power is also recorded by your normal meter, but will only affect you if you are a large industrial or commercial business user. This is because certain equipment common to industrial or other large businesses - such as motors or fluorescent lights (e.g. in an industrial premises) - need reactive power in order to operate.
    If the number of wattless units you use in a single billing period exceeds a limit of one-third of all your general units (both day and night), then a charge will applyAn overall power factor of 0.95 must be maintained in order to avoid wattless charges. If your consumption of wattless units increases above one-third of your general units per bill, the power factor will drop below 0.95, and the excess wattless units will incur a chargeYou should contact your electrical contractor to fit power factor correction equipment. This will reduce the amount of reactive power you consume and help to avoid wattless charges on your bills.


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    #4
    2011
    Moderators, Home & Garden Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,536 Mod ✭✭✭✭2011


    braddun wrote: »
    This is because certain equipment common to industrial or other large businesses - such as motors or fluorescent lights (e.g. in an industrial premises) - need reactive power in order to operate.

    Motors and fluorescent lighting do not "need" reactive power.
    It is the inductive component of these loads that contribute to poor power factor.
    Reactive power is a consequence of connecting these types of inductive loads to a circuit.
    Reactive power is also recorded by your normal meter,

    Reactive power is not recorded on standard domestic analogue domestic meters.


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