Small (for fractional horsepower motors) power factor correction devices

 

Folks -

Are there easily built or commercially available power factor
correction devices?

Ideally, I would like something that could be just "plugged in serial"
to a small motor and improve it substantially from the .25 power factor
shown on my Kill-A-Watt device.

Suggestions please.

Thanks
Phil

 



and just how much energy are you losing due to uncorrected PowerFactor,
as opposed to what it will cost to add the AC Capacitors to correct
the PowerFactor on those small motors?............

 


You wrote:

The issue that I am trying to address is the excess current flow
required by the low power factor.

I have limited current carrying capacity to the installation in
question.

Are you implying it is a "non-issue"?

Or, do you have a suggestion on how to do the power correction?

 

philkryder wrote:


So are these not connected to normal power?

As I understand it, power factor relates more to the phase of the
current than its RMS or peak values.

Current will flow through the capacitors you add, too.


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My understanding is that by placing the capacitors "close" to the
inductive load, that the current will flow in and out of the capacitor
to balance the inductive load.
Thus, if the PF correction capacitor is properly sized, the current
flow through the circuit to the inductive load will be reduced.
Do you agree?


CJT wrote: