Change in a load's Power Factor

[vluciani]

Point of use Power Factor measurement is becoming more prevalent. Other than checking on the health of the equipment's PFC circuitry, does a change in the measured Power Factor over time indicate anything as to the health of the load? I could imagine it would for industrial loads such as motors and compressors, but what about switch mode power supplies powering electronic devices?

 

[Jraef]

Point of use Power Factor measurement is becoming more prevalent. Other than checking on the health of the equipment's PFC circuitry, does a change in the measured Power Factor over time indicate anything as to the health of the load? I could imagine it would for industrial loads such as motors and compressors, but what about switch mode power supplies powering electronic devices?

Power factor always changes with loading. On something like an SMPS, the power factor is more from distortion than it is from displacement, but the distortion varies based on the current flow through the SMPS, so it's difficult to ascertain any possible impending failure mode from it unless you monitor a know load across time and see the PF change significantly in comparison.