Home & workshop Conversions
230V power
Voltage
V
Current
A
Power factor
Resistive loads are 1; motors are 0.8–0.9Power 3,680 W
16 A × 230 V × 1
Kilowatts 3.68 kW
Apparent power 3.68 kVA
Horsepower 4.93 hp
16 A ≈ 3.68 kW · 13 A ≈ 3 kW
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320 × 100
At 230 volts, a 16 A circuit carries 3,680 W and a 10 A circuit 2,300 W. Going the other way, a 3,000 W appliance draws 13 A — which is why 3 kW is the practical ceiling for a plug-in device on a standard socket.
How to work out 230 V loads
1 Choose whether you know the current or the power.
2 Enter it along with the power factor.
3 Compare the result against the circuit protective device.
4 Keep continuous loads below 80% of the circuit rating.
The 230 V nominal figure is itself a compromise. European harmonisation set 230 V with a tolerance of +10%/−6%, which covers historic 220 V and 240 V systems without anyone changing their transformers — so a UK socket often measures nearer 240 V and a continental one nearer 225. For power calculations the nominal figure is fine, but for anything sensitive to voltage, such as heater output or filament life, the local reality is worth measuring.
Questions
3,680 W at unity power factor. Continuous loads should stay below about 80% of that.
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300 × 250
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INTERNAL SIGNAL ONLY · WE USE IT TO FIND TOOLS WORTH REBUILDING