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Watts are used in many different fields of engineering but are most often used in an electrical context.
In electrical terms:
Power in Watts = voltage x current Units of measurement: voltage – volts, current – amps,
If a machine uses a 20 volt power supply and draws 5 amps of current:
power in watts = voltage x current power in watts = 20 x 5 power = 100 watts
‘in watts’ is usually left out of the equation to become:
power = voltage x current.
power = voltage x current power = 20 x 5 power = 100 watts
If a machine uses a 100 volt power supply and draws 10 amps of current:
power = voltage x current power = 100 x 10 power = 1000 watts
Wattage
It is common to refer to the power rating as ‘wattage’:
A 100 watt bulb – ‘the bulb wattage is 100 watts’. A 60 watt bulb – ‘the bulb wattage is 60 watts’.
A bulb wattage rating is not a measure of the amount of light given off; the wattage is a measure of the electrical power a bulb consumes. The more power a bulb consumes the more light it gives off (the bulb is brighter).
Links
Links – Domestic Electrics & Central Heating Advice
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This web page provides a definition and explanation of the term ‘watt’.
What is a Watt?
A ‘watt’ is a unit of power – watts are the rate at which work is done. |
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Watts |
