kVA to kW converter
Convert apparent power in VA and kVA to real power in watts and kilowatts, at the power factor you choose.
That's 2× as big as a portable generator, while a home's 100 A supply is 2.3× bigger.
What it means
How big a supply is that?
Watts, kilowatts and kvar depend on the power factor chosen above. Reference ratings are typical.
Every unit
Your power in every unit
Learn
Three things worth knowing
-
kW = kVA × power factor
A 10 kVA generator rated at 0.8 delivers 8 kW. At a power factor of 1, as with heaters and kettles, VA and watts are the same.
-
Why engineers draw a triangle
Real power (kW) and reactive power (kvar) meet at right angles; apparent power (kVA) is the hypotenuse. The angle between kW and kVA is the phase angle φ, and cos φ is the power factor.
-
A UPS has two ratings
A "1500 VA" UPS may only supply 900 W. Size it against both numbers; whichever runs out first is the limit.
Shortcuts
Popular apparent power conversions
Background
About apparent power
Generators, transformers and UPSs are rated in volt-amperes because what heats them is the current they carry, and that is set by volts × amps whatever the load does with it.
Only part of that is real power doing work, measured in watts. The fraction is the power factor: a heater uses all of it, a lightly loaded motor much less.