What is reactive in the unit VAR?

[asdf1]

what is "reactive" in the unit VAR?

what is "reactive" in the unit VAR?

 

[Astronuc]

Reactive refers to the complex part of voltage or current.

It is a bit confusing for most to think in terms of "imaginary", but one way to think of it is "phantom" power.

See this discussion with respect to real, reactive and apparent power -
http://www.allaboutcircuits.com/vol_2/chpt_11/2.html

 

[asdf1]

thank you very much! :)

 

[dlgoff]

I think you can think of it, in power transmission terms, as power being sent back to the source due to an unmatched system. Thus reducing the transmission efficiency. In the power industry, one measures Vars with transducers much like Watt transducers with some phase shifting.

Regards

 

[asdf1]

thank you again! :)