What is the power factor?
What is the power factor? LED lighting offers many advantages over traditional lamps: it consumes less energy, lasts longer and does not contain potentially harmful gases. Despite the considerable benefits, LED lamps can also have disadvantages. A lamp with a low power factor can generate pollution and deteriorate the electrical system of our homes or offices. The power factor of a light source indicates how much energy is redirected to our electrical network and is calculated by dividing the apparent power with the active one. For example, the power factor of an incandescent bulb is 1, so the apparent power and the active power are balanced. However, sometimes the power factor of the LED lighting products can be less than 1, for example, 0.3, where the apparent power is higher than the active one since the energy absorbed by a LED lamp is greater than that required by the lamp. Therefore part of the power is sent back to the electricity grid, generating reactive current, one of t...