Home > Solar Forum >
What is the difference between KW and KVA in solar…
Equipment
What is the difference between KW and KVA in solar inverters?
👤 Sanjay Kapoor from Faridabad👁 77 views💬 1 answers
kvakwinverter sizingpower factor
I am getting quotes for a 5kW system, but one vendor quoted a '5kVA' inverter and another quoted a '5kW' inverter. Is there a difference, or are they the same thing?
💬 1 Answer
👤 Electrical Engineer from Delhi
There is a difference. kW (Kilowatts) is 'real power' that your appliances consume. kVA (Kilovolt-Amperes) is 'apparent power' which includes reactive power. The relationship is kW = kVA × Power Factor. Most modern solar inverters have a power factor close to 1 (or 0.99), so a 5kVA inverter is practically equal to a 4.95kW inverter. However, in cheaper off-grid inverters with a power factor of 0.8, a 5kVA inverter can only support a 4kW load.