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From: hood@homxa.UUCP (Ron Hood)
Newsgroups: net.consumers,net.analog
Subject: Re: power meters
Message-ID: <844@homxa.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 26-Mar-85 10:46:28 EST
Article-I.D.: homxa.844
Posted: Tue Mar 26 10:46:28 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 2-Apr-85 20:03:17 EST
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Xref: linus net.consumers:1484 net.analog:219

Actually, power is the vector product of voltage and current.
A third variable is required in the cases where the voltage and
current are not in phase, giving the following formula:

	Power = Volts X Amps X Power Factor

For most household loads (lights, heaters, small motors) the power
factor is 1 and can be ingnored.

This brings up a question.  Do the meters used by the power companies
measure the total power used (volts X amps X power factor X time) or
just the total voltamps used (volts X amps X time)?  It seems I remember
something about devices which "fool" the power company meters into
reading less power than was actually used.  If the meters are based
on voltamps rather than power, all it would take is a large inductor
to shift the power factor and reduce your power bill.  Hmmmmmmm.

			Ron