Calculating Total Current Draw for a Heat Pump on a 240v Power Line

[niko]

a heat pump is connected to a 240v, 60hz power line. the compressor has a current draw of 34 amperes when operating. the compressor has a power factor of 70%. the back up strip heat is rated at 10kw. what is the total current draw that will occur if the strip heat comes on while the compressor is operating

 

[TVP45]

Break the compressor current into real and reactive parts. Calculate the current of the strip heater (real). Add the real parts. Total = square root (real^2 + reactive^2)

 

[m2003]

To calculate the total current draw in this scenario, we need to first determine the power consumption of the compressor and the backup strip heat. We can do this by using the formula P=IV, where P is power in watts, I is current in amperes, and V is voltage.

For the compressor, we know that the current draw is 34 amperes and the power factor is 70%. This means that the actual power consumption is 34 amperes x 240 volts x 0.70 = 5712 watts.

For the backup strip heat, we know that it is rated at 10kw (kilowatts), which is equivalent to 10,000 watts.

Therefore, the total power consumption when both the compressor and backup strip heat are operating is 5712 watts + 10,000 watts = 15,712 watts.

To calculate the total current draw, we can use the same formula as before, but this time solving for I (current). This gives us I=P/V, where I is current in amperes, P is power in watts, and V is voltage.

Plugging in our values, we get I=15,712 watts / 240 volts = 65.47 amperes.

Therefore, the total current draw when both the compressor and backup strip heat are operating is approximately 65.47 amperes. This information can be used to ensure that the power line can safely handle the load and to make any necessary adjustments to the electrical system.