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Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals PDF

This document discusses basic electrical power fundamentals including load reference tables for motors, lighting, and heating loads. It covers voltage, current, kilowatts, and kilovolt-amps. Key points include: - Motors, lighting, and heating equipment have different load characteristics and ratings in kilowatts and kilovolt-amps. - Voltage is the electrical pressure needed to force current through a load. Common system voltages are 120/240V single phase and 120/208V, 120/240V, and 277/480V three phase. - Current is measured in amps and depends on the voltage and load power rating in kilowatts or kilovolt-amps. -

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Anthony Mucci
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160 views6 pages

Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals PDF

This document discusses basic electrical power fundamentals including load reference tables for motors, lighting, and heating loads. It covers voltage, current, kilowatts, and kilovolt-amps. Key points include: - Motors, lighting, and heating equipment have different load characteristics and ratings in kilowatts and kilovolt-amps. - Voltage is the electrical pressure needed to force current through a load. Common system voltages are 120/240V single phase and 120/208V, 120/240V, and 277/480V three phase. - Current is measured in amps and depends on the voltage and load power rating in kilowatts or kilovolt-amps. -

Uploaded by

Anthony Mucci
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals

LOAD REFERENCE
Kilowatts Kilovolt amps Power Factor PF
Motors KW KVA

USE NEC 430-148 KW < KVA .6-.95


and 430-150 to find
current for given HP

Indancescant Lighting

USE actual wattage KW = KVA 1.0

Fluorescent Lighting

USE 50VA per 4 foot KW < KVA .95


F40 T12 Tube

Metal Discharge Lamps

Mercury, Metal Halide, HPS KW < KVA .8-.95


Use actual input KVA
or current from manufacturers data

Heating

Resistance Heat - Stoves KW = KVA 1.0


toasters, unit heaters,
base board heat use
actual wattage

Basic Electrical Fundamentals Voltage, current kilowatts, kilovolt amps.

1. Voltage - the electrical pressure needed to force current through any load.

Units - Volts, V: Measured line to line or line to neutral with a


voltmeter.

Nominal System Voltage Actual System Voltage (use for calculations)

Single Phase

120/240 volts, 1 phase 115/230 volts =.115/.230 KV

Single phase transformer

6/14/02 Chapter 2: Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals 1/6


120/208 volts 3 phase 115/200 volts = .115/.200 KV
120/240 volts 3 phase 115/230 volts = .115/.230 KV
277/480 volts 3 phase 265/460 volts = .265/.460 KV

115/200V WYE SYSTEM, “Y”

______________________________________________________________________________________

Wild Leg-

208 volts to neutral

Do not use L2 to neutral for


1 pole breakers, will supply
208 volts. Only L1 and L3 can
be used for 115 volts.

115/230 V, 3 phase DELTA SYSTEM, Y

6/14/02 Chapter 2: Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals 2/6


265V / 460 V, 3 Phase, WYE, Y

2. Current (I) Current is the flow of electrons through a load, the units are ampers or amps. Current is measured
inductively with a clamp-on ammeter.

Single Phase

Current ( I ) = (Kilovolt Amps) = KVA


Kilovolts KV

Example: Load = Unit heater 5 KW, 230V 1 phase. Since unit heater is resistive, power factor is 1 so
KW = PF (KVA)

PF = 1 KW = KVA

I = KVA = 5KW 21.7 Amp


KV .23 KV

Example: 5-4 tube 4’ fluorescent fixtures. Find current, ( I ) at 115 VAC. F40T12 Lamp.

Fluorescent fixture loading per lamp = 50 VA


( 5 fixtures ) ( 4 lamps/fixture) ( 50VA/ Lamp) = 1000 VA = 1.0 KVA

I = KVA = 1.0 KVA = 8.69 Amp


KV .115KVA

Example: 4 KW water Heater 230V, 1 phase find I

PF = 1

I = KVA = KW = KVA I= KW
KV KV

I = 4 KW = 17.39 Amp.
.23KV

6/14/02 Chapter 2: Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals 3/6


Example: 50 KW electric furnace, 230V, 1 phase
find I PF = 1 KW = KVA

I = KVA = 50KW 217.3 Amp.


KV .23KV
Example: 5 HP motor 230V, 1 phase; find I

Use NEC 430-148, 5 HP@230V, I=28Amp

Example: 1/2 HP motor, 115V, find I

Use NEC 430-148 l/2 HP = 9.8A

Three Phase Current

Current (I) = Kilovolt Amps = KVA


Kilovolts √3 KV √3

Example: Unit Heater 5 KW, 230V, 3 phase find I

Heater PF = 1 KW = KVA

I = KW = 5KW = 12.55 Amp


KV 3 .23KV √3

Example: Motor 20 HP, 208V,3 phase ,find I

USE NEC 430-150 @ 230V = 20 HP, I = 54 Amp

See note at bottom of table for 200 volt motors

Increase current 10% S0:

I = 1.10(54 Amp) = 61.1 Amp.

Example: Electric furnace 50 KW, 208 V, 3 phase

I = KVA = KW = (P.F.=1.0) = 50KW = 144.3Amp


.20KV√3

Example: Motor 10 HP, 460V, 3 phase, find I

NEC 430-150, 10 HP @ 460V, 3 phase I = 14 Amp

3. KW, KVA

KW is real consumed power turned into heat, and is the product of volts x current x power factor.

KVA is apparent power, is always greater than or equal to KW and is the product of volts x amps 1
phase, volts x amps x , √3, 3 phase.

USE KVA for calculations unless load is resistive , (ie. unit heaters, furnaces) then KVA = KW.

6/14/02 Chapter 2: Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals 4/6


KVA is larger than KW because loads are inductive such as motors, discharge lighting, reactors and
more current is required to keep the magnetic field energized than is -turned into heat (KW).

Inductive devices or loads such , . as tansformers and motors having power factor less than 1 . 0 are
generally rated in KVA.

Resistive devices or loads such as heaters, incandescent lamps are rated in KW.

Power triangle

Cos θ = Power factor = KW


KVA

KVA are used to size panel boards and wires not KW.

Add KVA up algebraically, this will be a conservative answer because KVA's are not all in phase.

Single Phase KW, KVA

KW = I (KV)(P.F.); KVA =1(KV)

Example : KVA = I(KV)

Given I = 30A, KV = .23 P.F. = .8 find KW, KVA

KW = (30 Amp)(.23 KV)(.8 P.F.) = 5.52 KW


KVA = (30 Amp)(.23 KV) = 6.9 KVA

Example: Unit Heater I = 34A, V = .23 KV


find KW Unit Heater P.F. = 1.0

KW = I(KV)(P.F.) = (34A)(.23 KV)(1.0 P.F.)=7.82KW

KVA = I(KV) = (34A)(.23 KV) = 7.82 KW

KVA = KW for resistive loads

Example: Motor 2 HP, 230V find KW, KVA

NEC 430-148 2 HP = 12A

P.F. from motor table .80 page 6- 5

KW = I(KV)(P.F.) = (12A)(.23KV)(.80 P.F.) = 2.20 KW

KVA = I(KV) = (12A)(.23 KV) = 2.76 KVA

Three Phase KW, KVA

KW = I(KV)(√3)(P.F.)

6/14/02 Chapter 2: Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals 5/6


KVA = I(KV)( √3)

Example Motor 15 HP, 230V, 3 phase find KW, , KVA,

NEC 430-150, 15 HP, 230V, I = 21A ..

P.F. .868 from Table 1 Motor starting data page 6-5

KVA = I(KV) √3 = (21A)(.23KV) √3 = 8.36 KVA

KW = I(KV)( √3)(P.F.)=(21A)(.23KV)(√3)(.868P.F.) = 7.2 KW

Example: Unit Heater I = 56A; 230V 3 phase P.F. = 1

KVA = I(KV)(√ 3) = (56A)(.23KV)( √ 3) = 22.3 KVA

KW = I(KVA)( √3 )(P.F.) =(56A)(.23KV)( √3)(1.OP.F.)= 22.3

22.3 KVA = 22.3 KW because P.F. = 1

6/14/02 Chapter 2: Basic Electrical Power Fundamentals 6/6

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