Eyes usually glaze over when electricians speak about power factor of an AC electric power system. Power factor is vitally important to you because:
The electricity networks are requiring that all electrical installations have a power factor of at least 0.95. You may have your power supply withdrawn by your Network Supplier if your milking shed or pump shed does not meet this standard. This performance standard is set by government legislation. Last year Network Waitaki had an overall xxxx of 0.82. This implies that there are lots and lots of electrical installations with low power factor correction. Could you be one of them?
If you have a low power factor correction you will be paying for more electricity than what you actually consume. In an electric power system, a load with a low power factor draws more current than a load with a high power factor for the same amount of useful power transferred. The higher currents increase the energy lost in the distribution system, and require larger wires and other equipment. Because of the costs of larger equipment and wasted energy, electricity suppliers will usually charge a higher cost to industrial or commercial customers where there is a low power factor. For example if an electrical installation had a p.f. of 0.5 then your electricity costs are going to be 100% greater than what they need be.
Calect can install metering in your electrical systems to measure the difference between “real” power and “apparent” power and then install power factor correction devices to counteract the distortion and raise the power factor.