Electrical Power

Electrical appliances transform energy. The power of an electrical appliance is the rate at which
it transforms energy.

Power is defined as the rate of energy transfer. It is measured in watts (W) with 1 watt being
equal to 1 joule per second.

Example

An electric heater connected to the 230V mains supply draws a current of 4A. Calculate the
power of the electric heater?

Potential Difference = V = 230V

Current = I = 4A
Power = P =?

Using P = V x I
P = 230 x 4 = 920W
Most electrical appliances have their power and the potential difference of the connecting
supply printed on them. With this information we can calculate the required current and the
rating of the fuse required.

Example Fuse Rating.

An electric kettle has a 2500W on a 230V main supply. What fuse should be fitted in the plug?

Power = P = 2500W
Potential Difference = V = 230V
Current = I =?

Using P = V x I

Thus,
I=P/V
I = 2500 / 230 = 10.87A

Therefore a 13A fuse should be fitted.

Remember: Fuse values are only available in 3A, 5A and 13A values

The energy transferred by an electrical appliance can be determined from the relationship

Energy transferred (joules, J) = Power (watts, W) x Time (seconds, s)

Therefore, if an electric bulb with a power of 60W is on for 10 minutes the energy transferred
as heat and light can be calculated as follows;

Power = P = 60W
Time = t = 10 min. = 10 x 60 = 600s

Energy transferred = 60 x 600 = 36000J = 36kJ

The Electricity Bill

Kilowatt-hours (kWh) are the unit of energy used when calculating the cost of electricity. It is
calculated using the equation;

Energy transferred (kilowatt hour, kWh) = Power (kilowatts, kW) x Time (hours, h)

Remember a kilowatt is 1000 watts (kilo = 1000)

Example Cost of using an electric iron

A 1500W electric iron is used for 30 minutes. What is the cost of electricity if the unit price is
9.5p per kW h?

Power of electric iron = P = 1500W = 1500/1000 = 1.5kW

Time = t = 30min = 30/60 = 0.5 h

Energy transferred = power x time = 1.5 x 0.5 = 0.75 kW h

Cost = 0.75 x 9.5 = 7.125p

Example Cost from electricity bill

Calculate the units used and the cost from the electricity bill below?

Units used = current reading previous reading = 8459 7711 = 748

Cost = units used x unit price = 748 x 9.2 = 6881.6p

Divide the cost by 100 to convert to pounds = 6881.6/100 = 68.816 = 68.82