1. What is AC Voltage?

AC voltage is the potential difference in an alternating current circuit. Unlike DC voltage, AC voltage varies sinusoidally with time. The effective voltage (RMS) is what this calculator determines based on power, current, and power factor.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the AC voltage formula:

Where:

• \( V_{ac} \) — AC voltage (volts)
• \( P \) — Real power (watts)
• \( I \) — Current (amps)
• \( \cos\phi \) — Power factor (0 to 1)

Explanation: The formula shows that AC voltage is directly proportional to power and inversely proportional to both current and power factor.

3. Importance of Power Factor

Details: Power factor represents the ratio of real power to apparent power. A lower power factor means more current is required to deliver the same amount of real power, resulting in higher voltage requirements.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter power in watts, current in amps, and power factor (between 0 and 1). All values must be positive numbers. For purely resistive loads, power factor is 1.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's the difference between AC and DC voltage?
A: AC voltage periodically reverses direction while DC voltage remains constant. AC is used for power distribution while DC is used in electronics.

Q2: Why does power factor affect voltage?
A: Lower power factor means more reactive power is present, requiring higher voltage to deliver the same real power at a given current.

Q3: What's a typical power factor value?
A: Residential areas typically have 0.95-1.0, while industrial motors might have 0.8-0.9. Power factors below 0.8 are considered poor.

Q4: Can this calculator be used for three-phase systems?
A: No, this calculates single-phase AC voltage. Three-phase requires a different formula accounting for phase relationships.

Q5: How accurate is this calculation?
A: It's mathematically precise for ideal conditions. Real-world measurements may vary due to harmonics, waveform distortion, and measurement errors.