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What is a Millivolt-Ampere Reactive (mVAR)?

A Millivolt-Ampere Reactive (mVAR) is a small unit used to measure reactive power.

Think of reactive power as the "helper" power in an electrical circuit. It doesn't do the actual work (like lighting a bulb), but it's essential for components like motors and transformers to function.

An mVAR is tiny: it's equal to one-thousandth of a single Volt-Ampere Reactive (VAR).

Why Does mVAR Matter for Your Power Factor?

In an AC circuit, you have two types of power. Real power (measured in milliwatts, mW) does the actual work, like spinning a motor. Reactive power (measured in mVAR) is the "non-working" power that builds magnetic and electric fields to help the motor spin.

The problem is that too much reactive power leads to a poor power factor. This is a sign of inefficiency—it means your system is drawing more total power than it's actually using for work.

Managing reactive power, even at the small mVAR scale, is key to improving energy efficiency and keeping voltage levels stable in sensitive electronics.

How mVAR Fits into the Power Triangle

The power triangle is a simple diagram that shows how these three types of power relate. Imagine a right-angle triangle:

• Real Power (mW): The base of the triangle (the "work-doer").
• Reactive Power (mVAR): The vertical side (the "helper").
• Apparent Power (mVA): The longest side, or hypotenuse (the "total power" supplied).

This relationship is shown by the formula (mVA)² = (mW)² + (mVAR)².

For engineers, the goal is to make the reactive power (mVAR) side as small as possible. This makes the total power (mVA) and the real power (mW) almost equal, which means the circuit is very efficient.

Where Is mVAR Used in Practical Applications?

You won't hear about mVAR when discussing a city's power grid (they use much larger units like kVAR or MVAR).

Instead, the Millivolt-Ampere Reactive is crucial for low-power electronics.

Engineers use mVAR measurements in labs when designing or testing individual components like:

• Capacitors
• Inductors
• Integrated circuits

Precise mVAR readings help them understand the "reactive properties" of these tiny parts, ensuring that a final product (like your smartphone or computer) runs as efficiently as possible.