Experiment Number: Three
Experiment Name:Measurement of three-phase power with the 2-wattmeter method
Aim: To measure the Power drawn by a 3-phase resistive load using 2-wattmeter method
Theory:
Power consumed by a 3-phase balanced or unbalanced load (star connected) can be measured by
using 2 wattmeters properly connected in the circuit. A is an instrument with
a potential coil so arranged that its deflection is proportional to VI cos ∅, where V is the voltage
(rms value) applied across the potential coil, I is the current (rms value) passing through the current
coil, and ∅ is the angle between .̅ By inserting such a single phase wattmeter to measure the
average real power in each phase (with its current coil in series with one phase of the load and its
potential coil across the phase of the load), the total real power in a three phase system can be
determined by the sum of the wattmeter readings. However, in practice, this may not be possible
due to the nonaccessibility of either the neutral of the wye connection, or the individual phase of the
delta connection. Hence it is more desirable to have a method for measuring the total real power
drawn by a three phase load while we have access to only three line terminals.
In general m – phase power can be measured by means of m-1 wattmeters. The method is valid for
both balanced and unbalanced circuits with either the load or the source unbalanced.
Mathematically, the total power consumed,
Summation of the two wattmeter readings:
From Kirchhoff’s law, summation of currents at nodes N must be zero, i.e
Thus, we can rewrite:
Experiment No. 2 Second Stage Measurements Lab
Apparatus required:
i. Supply voltage V1, V2, V3 0-220 Vac Variable AC output
ii. One Ammeter Model: MASTECH (MS8221)
iii. One Voltmeter Analogue AC voltmeter
iv. 3 phase Resistances load
v. Two wattmeters Analogue wattmeter
Procedure:
1. Connect the circuit as shown in the diagram.
2. Connect V1, V2 and V3 as the supply voltage.
3. Connect the resistive load R1+R2+R3 in star connection.
4. Power on the supply and increase the voltage up to 130 V
5. Note down the reading in the table carefully.
6. Switch off the supply, then change the three phase load to R1+R2.
7. Open the supply and take readings.
8. Again switch off the supply, and change the load to just three phase R1, then switch on the
supply and take readings.
No. Voltage VL Current IL Power W1 Power W2 Load
(Volts) (Amp) (Watts) (Watts)
1 R1+R2+R3
2 R1+R2
3 R1
Result and conclusion
1- Calculate the total power for each case.
2- What method could be used to measure a three phase power in a 4 wire system?
3- What method could be used to measure a three phase power in delta connection?
4- For an inductive load, how power factor could be calculated from the two wattmeter
readings?
Experiment No. 2 Second Stage Measurements Lab
