Guides

Background reading on the ideas behind the calculators: what the numbers mean and where the rules of thumb come from.

• kW vs kVA: Power Factor in Plain TermsWhy generators and transformers are rated in kVA while loads are rated in kW, what power factor really measures, and how to convert between them without mistakes.
• How to Size a Diesel Generator for Motor LoadsA practical method for sizing a diesel generator when motors are involved: running load, starting kVA, starting method, voltage dip and site derating.
• Voltage Drop: Why Long Cable Runs Need Bigger ConductorsHow resistance, reactance, temperature and length combine to cause voltage drop, why limits like 3 % and 5 % exist, and when to upsize a cable.