POWER · CALCULATOR

Power factor calculator

Free power factor calculator: get power factor from active power and apparent power. The formula and a worked example are shown; verify against the NEC.

Written by Chameera Sampath · Not yet reviewed by a licensed electrician. See the methodology.

US (NEC) only · NFPA 70 / NEC — locally adopted editionDefaults are US values. Verify the locally adopted NEC edition and project data.Official reference ↗

Project inputs

Measurements

Active power

Apparent power

kVA

Updates as inputs change. Unit changes preserve the same physical values.

THE MATH BEHIND THE ANSWER

Method & assumptions

PF = P / S

If P exceeds S the inputs are inconsistent. PF does not separate displacement and distortion.

Results do not check every aspect of an electrical installation. The calculators follow US (NEC) practice only; a regional preset changes defaults such as voltage and units, and no result certifies NEC compliance.

Sources and validation →

Worked example

Active power: 8 kW · Apparent power: 10 kVA

Power factor: 0.8

This example uses the stated inputs; results for the entered values appear above.

Explore the power branch →See the related electrical concepts →

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