MrWizard wrote:
"So the watts are 120 volts * 13.5 * 0.7PF = 1134 watts. BUT. The generator has to supply the total volt-ampers or 1600 VA"
You are right that roof to a/c uses a lot of power
But your numbers are low
120*13.5= 1620 . 1620/0.7 =2314va
A poor pf means it uses more power not less
It uses 2314 va to do 1620w of work
Nameplate volts times nameplate amps yields volt-amperes on a less than 1 PF load. So.
120 * 13.5 = 1620 VA and not watts. To get watts, which is always less than VA when the PF is < 1.0, multiply by the power factor of 0.7. As I did. 1620 * 0.7 = 1134 watts.
John
