Load Calculations ― Part 1

Based on the 2020 National Electrical Code.

Article 220 of the 2020 National Electrical Code (NEC) contains the requirements for calculating
demand loads for branch circuits, feeders, and services. Table 220.3 lists references for branch-
circuit calculations for specific equipment in Chapter 4.

Calculate your branch-circuit, feeder, and service loads using nominal system voltages, (e.g.,
120V, 120/240V, 120/208V, 240V, 277/480V, 480V) unless other voltages are specified [Sec.
220.5(A)].

What if you do a calculation and get a fraction of an amp? You can round the answer to the
nearest whole number, with decimal fractions smaller than 0.50 dropped [Sec. 220.5(B)].

Calculate the floor area from the outside dimensions of the building, dwelling unit, or other area
involved [Sec. 220.11]. For dwelling units, the calculated floor area does not include open
porches, garages, or unused or unfinished spaces not adaptable for future use.

Lighting Load for Non-Dwelling Occupancies

The general lighting load specified in Table 220.12 for non-dwelling occupancies and the floor
area determined per Sec. 220.11 must be used to calculate the minimum lighting load [Sec.
220.12(A)]. When using the unit loads in Table 220.12 for calculating the minimum lighting load
for a specified occupancy, never add the 125% multiplier for a continuous load [Note 1 to Table
220.12].

Where the building is designed and constructed to comply with an energy code adopted by the
local authority, you can calculate the lighting load using the unit values specified in the energy
code [Sec. 220.12(B)]. In order to do so, however, these conditions must be met:

(1) A power monitoring system provides continuous information about the total general
lighting load of the building.

(2) The power monitoring system is set with alarm values to alert the building owner or
manager if the lighting load exceeds the values set by the energy code. Automatic
means are allowed to reduce the connected load.

(3) The demand factors specified in Sec. 220.42 are not applied to the general lighting
load.

(4) The continuous load multiplier of 125% is applied.

What to do with some occupancies might be confusing. The Notes to Table 220.12 provide
some clarity with this list:

a. Armories and auditoriums are considered gymnasium-type occupancies.

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 b. Lodge rooms are like hotels
and motels.

c. Industrial commercial loft

buildings are considered
manufacturing-type occupancies.

d. Banks are office-type

occupancies.

e. Garages — commercial
(storage) are considered parking
garage occupancies.

f. Clubs are considered

restaurant occupancies.

g. Barber shops and beauty parlors are considered retail occupancies.

h. Stores are considered retail occupancies.

Other Loads in Occupancies

You’ll find requirements for various types of loads in Sec. 220.14(A) through (M). Following are
some highlights from that section:

(D) Calculate the branch-circuit VA load for luminaires based on the maximum VA rating
of the luminaires.

(F) Each commercial occupancy accessible to pedestrians must have at least one 20A
sign outlet [Sec. 600.5(A)] with a minimum branch-circuit load of 1,200VA or the actual
VA if larger.

(G) The branch-circuit VA load for show-window lighting must be calculated per (1) or
(2):

(1) 180VA for each show-window lighting outlet per Sec. 220.14(L).

(2) 200VA for each linear foot of show window [Sec. 220.43].

(H) Fixed multioutlet assemblies in commercial occupancies must be calculated per (1)
or (2):

(1) If appliances are unlikely to be used simultaneously, each 5 ft or fraction of 5 ft of

multioutlet assembly is considered 180VA (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Each 5 ft or fraction of 5 ft of multioutlet assembly is considered 180VA.

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(2) If appliances are likely to be used simultaneously, each 1 ft or fraction of a ft of
multioutlet assembly is considered 180VA.

(I) In commercial occupancies, each 15A or 20A, 125V general-use receptacle outlet is
considered 180VA per mounting strap for each, except as covered in Sec. 210.14(J)
and (K), as shown in Fig. 2.

Fig. 2. Each 15A or 20A, 125V general-use

receptacle outlet is considered as 180VA per
mounting strap (yoke).

(J) In one-family, two-family, and multifamily

dwellings, the minimum unit load is 3VA per
sq ft. The lighting and receptacle outlets
specified in Sec. 220.14(J)(1), (J)(2), and
(J)(3) are included in the 3VA per sq ft.

(1) General-use receptacle outlets of 20A rating or less, including receptacles

connected to the bathroom or garage circuits in accordance with 210.11(C)(3) and
210.11(C)(4).

(2) Receptacle outlets specified in Sec. 210.52(E) and (G) for outdoor, garage, and
basements.

(3) Lighting outlets specified in Sec. 210.70.

No additional load calculations are required for such outlets. Determine the minimum
lighting load by using the 3VA per sq ft unit load and the floor area as determined in
Sec. 220.11.

There is no VA load for 15A and 20A, 125V general-use receptacle outlets because the
loads for those devices are part of the 3VA per sq foot for general lighting contained in
Table Sec. 220.14(J) for dwelling units.

Although there is no limit on the number of receptacles on dwelling unit general-purpose

branch circuits, the Code does require a minimum number of circuits for general-
purpose receptacle and lighting outlets [Sec. 210.11(A)]. Also, the receptacle and
lighting loads must be evenly distributed among the appropriate number of circuits [Sec.
210.11(B)].

(K) The calculated load for receptacle outlets in office buildings is based on the larger
calculation of (1) or (2).

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(1) The receptacle outlet load at 180VA per receptacle yoke [Sec. 220.14(I)] after all
demand factors have been applied.

(2) The receptacle outlet load at 1VA per sq ft.

Let’s run through an example problem to show you how this works.

Question: What is the calculated receptacle load for an 18,000-sq-ft office space with
one hundred sixty 15A, 125V receptacles (Fig. 3)?

Fig. 3. Example calculations for

determining the general receptacle
load at an office building.

Solution: The first calculation is

based on Sec. 220.14(K)(1) and Sec.
220.14(I).

160 Receptacles × 180VA =

28,800VA

First 10,000VA at 100% = 10,000VA × 100% = 10,000VA

Remainder at 50% = 18,800VA × 50% = 9,400VA

Receptacle Calculated Demand Load = 19,400VA

The second calculation is based on Sec. 220.14(K)(2).

18,000 × 1VA per sq ft = 18,000VA

Answer: Using the larger of the two results, the answer is 19,400VA.

(L) 180VA for each receptacle and lighting outlet not covered in (A) through (K).

(M) In guest rooms or guest suites of hotels and motels, the lighting and receptacle
outlets specified in Sec. 220.14(M)(1), (M)(2), and (M)(3) are included in the 1.70VA per
sq ft unit load in Table 220.12:

(1) General-use receptacle outlets of 20A rating or less, including receptacles

connected to the bathroom or garage circuits per 210.11(C)(3) and 210.11(C)(4).

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(2) Receptacle outlets specified in Sec. 210.52(E)(3) for balconies, decks, and porches.

(3) Lighting outlets specified in Sec. 210.70.

No additional load calculations are required for such outlets. The minimum lighting load
is to be determined using the 1.70VA per sq ft unit load and the floor area as
determined in Sec. 220.11.

Maximum Loads

Where a circuit supplies only a motor, the conductor and the overcurrent protection are
sized per Art. 430 [Sec. 220.18(A)]. Where a circuit supplies only air-conditioning
equipment, Art. 440 applies.

Branch circuits that supply inductive and LED driver lighting loads must be sized to the
ampere rating of the luminaire, not to the wattage of the lamps. [Sec. 220.18(B)].

You can apply demand factors to range loads, per Table 220.55 [Sec. 220.18(C)].

Eliminating Errors

The rules for lighting load calculations vary by occupancy type. Remember that any
given area served by a branch circuit can be a different kind of occupancy from the
building in which it’s located (for example, a gym within a police station).

Review your completed calculations to ensure you have included the applicable
demand factors and continuous load multipliers. Omissions here are responsible for
most branch-circuit calculation errors.

Load Calculations ― Part 2

Part 1 of this two-part series taught you how to calculate branch-circuit loads. Now let's review
how to perform feeder and service load calculations.

Before performing feeder and service load calculations, characterize the loads and determine
where demand factors apply. For example, not all luminaires are expected to be on at the same
time. Therefore, you can apply demand factors to the general lighting load per Table 220.42.
These demand factors do not apply to the calculated load of feeders or services supplying areas
where the entire lighting is likely to be used at once, such as ballrooms or dining rooms.

For dwelling units, the demand factors of Table 220.42 apply to the two small-appliance circuits
of 1,500VA [Sec. 220.52(A)] and a laundry circuit of 1,500VA [Sec. 220.52(B)]. Include these as
part of the general lighting load calculation, along with the required lighting and general-use
receptacle load of 3VA per sq ft [Sec. 220.14(J)].

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Remember to subtract 3,000VA from 120,000VA when using Table 220.42, since the 35%
applies only to the 3,001VA to 120,000VA range.

Non-dwelling unit receptacles

To determine the load for general-purpose receptacle outlets [Sec. 220.14(I)] and fixed
multioutlet assemblies [Sec. 220.14(H)]:

• Add the receptacle and fixed multioutlet assembly VA load to the general lighting load [Table
220.12] and adjust this value by the demand factors in Table 220.42, or

• Apply a 50% demand factor to that portion of the receptacle and fixed multioutlet receptacle
loads that exceed 10kVA [Sec. 220.44].

Let’s run through an example problem to clarify the calculation steps.

Question: What is the demand load for 150 general-purpose receptacles and 100 ft of fixed
multioutlet assembly in a commercial occupancy? The appliances powered by the multioutlet
assembly are not used simultaneously (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. This example shows how to

calculate the demand load for a non-
dwelling building.

Solution: Step 1: Determine the total

connected load.

Receptacle load = 150 receptacles ×

180VA = 27,000VA [Sec. 220.14(I)]

Multioutlet load = 100 ft ÷ 5 ft = 20

Multioutlet load = 20 sections ×

180VA = 3,600VA [Sec. 220.14(H)]

Step 2: Apply the Table 220.44

demand factors.

Total connected load = 30,600VA

First 10,000VA at 100% = 10,000VA × 100% = 10,000VA

Remainder at 50% = 20,600VA × 50% = 10,300VA

Answer: Total receptacle calculated load = 20,300VA

Motors and appliances in dwelling units

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Calculate the feeder conductor for motor loads per Sec. 430.24. Conductors supplying motors
and other load(s) must have an ampacity of at least the sum of each of the following:

(1) 125% of the full-load current rating of the highest rated motor.

(2) Sum of the full-load current ratings of all the other motors in the group.

(3) 100% of the non-continuous nonmotor load(s).

(4) 125% of the continuous nonmotor load(s).

Small-appliance and laundry circuits in dwelling units

Calculate the loads for each of these 20A circuits as follows:

• Small-appliance circuit covered by Sec. 210.11(C)(1) is 1,500VA; you can apply the general
lighting demand factors in Table 220.42 [Sec. 220.52(A)].

• Laundry circuit covered by Sec. 210.11(C)(2) is 1,500VA; you can apply the general lighting
demand factors in Table 220.42 [Sec. 220.52(B)].

Appliance loads in dwelling units

You can apply a demand factor of 75% to the total connected load of four or more appliances
rated ¼ hp or greater, or 500W or greater, that are fastened in place [Sec. 220.53].

Do not apply this demand factor to:

(1) Household electric cooking equipment fastened in place [Sec. 220.55].

(2) Clothes dryers [Sec. 220.54].

(3) Space-heating equipment [Sec. 220.51].

(4) Air-conditioning (A/C) equipment [Sec. 220.50].

The service/feeder load for electric clothes dryers must be at least 5,000W (5,000VA) or the
nameplate rating of the equipment if more than 5,000W (5,000VA). For load calculations in this
section, kVA is the same a kW and VA is the same as W [Sec. 220.54].

Household electric clothes dryers in dwelling units

When a building contains five or more clothes dryers, you can apply the demand factors in
Table 220.54 to the total connected dryer load.

Household electric appliances in dwelling units

For household cooking appliances rated over 1.75kW, you can calculate the feeder/service
demand load per the demand factors of Table 220.55.

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The four notes to Table 220.55 may affect your calculations. For example, Note 1 describes one
set of criteria for which you must raise the maximum demand in Column C by 5% for each
additional kilowatt rating and Note 2 describes another. Note 4 provides both a “permissible”
and a “must.”

Commercial kitchen equipment

You can use Table 220.56 to calculate the demand load for thermostat-controlled or
intermittently used commercial kitchen equipment [Sec. 220.56]. The kitchen equipment
feeder/service calculated load must be at least the sum of the two largest kitchen equipment
loads.

Table 220.56 demand factors do not apply to space-heating, ventilating, or A/C equipment.

Non-coincident loads
If it is unlikely that two or more loads will be used simultaneously, use only the largest load for
load calculations [Sec. 220.60]. Where a motor is part of the non-coincident load and is not the
largest non-coincident load, use 125% of the motor load if it is the largest motor (Fig. 2).

Fig. 2. Where a motor is part of the noncoincident load and is not the largest of the
noncoincident loads, 125% of the motor load must be used in the calculation if it is the
largest motor.

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Neutral load
The neutral load for feeders or services is based on the maximum calculated load between the
neutral conductor and any one-phase conductor [Sec. 220.61(A)]. Line-to-line loads are not
considered in the calculation.

Permitted reductions include:

• Cooking loads and dryers. The feeder/service neutral load for household electric ranges, wall-
mounted ovens, or counter-mounted cooking units can be calculated at 70% of the cooking
equipment demand load as determined per Table 220.55 [Sec. 220.61(B)(1)]. You can apply the
same reduction to dryers, per Table 220.54 [Sec. 220.61(B)(1)].

• Over 200A neutral. The feeder/service calculated neutral load for a 3-wire, single-phase or 4-
wire, 3-phase system can be calculated at 70% for that portion of the unbalanced load over
200A [Sec. 220.61(B)(2)]. See Annex D, Example D4(a) Multifamily Dwelling.

Prohibited reductions include:

• 3-wire circuits from 4-wire, wye-connected systems [Sec. 220.61(C)(1), as shown in Fig. 3.

• Nonlinear loads [Sec. 220.61(C)(2)].

Fig. 3. Pay careful attention to prohibited reductions when calculating loads.

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Optional load calculation, dwellings
If the load for a dwelling unit is at least 100A, you can calculate the service load by adding the
calculated general load [Sec. 220.82(B)] to the calculated HVAC load [Sec. 220.82(C)].

Some rules for calculating the general load include:

• Determine the neutral load per 220.61.

• The demand load must be at least 100% of the first 10kVA, plus 40% of the remainder kVA for
the following loads:

Base the general load on 3VA per sq ft for general lighting and general-use receptacles.

Add 1,500VA for each 20A small-appliance circuit as required by Sec. 210.11(C)(1)(a) with at
least two circuits per dwelling unit, and 1,500VA for each 20A laundry circuit as required by Sec.
210.11(C)(2).

Let’s run through an example problem now to clarify this procedure.

Question: Using the optional calculation method, what size service is required for a 1,500-sq-ft
dwelling unit containing the following loads?

Dishwasher (1,200VA)

Garbage disposal (900VA)

Cooktop (6,000VA)

Oven (3,000VA)

Clothes dryer (4,000VA)

Water heater (4,500VA)

Heat-pump compressor rated 28A at 240V, with supplemental electric heat having a rating of
7kW.

Solution: Step 1: Determine the total feeder/service calculated load.

(1) Lighting, receptacles, and appliance calculated load:

Small appliance: 1,500VA × 2 = 3,000VA

Laundry: 1,500VA × 1 = 1,500VA

General lighting: 1,500 sq ft × 3VA/sq ft = 4,500VA

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Dishwasher: 1,200VA × 1 = 1,200VA

Garbage disposal: 900VA × 1 = 900VA

Cooktop: 6,000VA × 1 = 6,000VA

Oven: 3,000VA × 1 = 3,000VA

Dryer: 4,000VA × 1 = 4,000VA

Water heater: 4,500VA × 1 = 4,500VA

Total calculated load = 28,600VA

First 10,000VA at 100%. Remainder at 40% = 18,600VA × 40% = 7,440VA

Demand load = 17,440VA [Sec. 220.82(B)]

(2) Largest of A/C or heat [Sec. 220.82(C)]

Heat pump compressor at 100%: 240V × 28A = 6,720VA

Supplemental heat at 65% = 7,000VA × 65% = 4,550VA

Demand load = 11,270VA [Sec. 220.82(C)]

Total demand load [Sec. 220.82(B) and (C)] = 17,440VA + 11,270VA = 28,710VA

Step 2: Determine the service size in amperes.

I = volt-ampere ÷ volts = 28,710VA ÷ 240V = 120A

The minimum size service would be 125A. [Sec. 240.6(A)]

You would do something similar for a multifamily building, per Sec. 220.84, but what if you have
only two units supplied by a single feeder? Where the standard calculated load per Art. 220 Part
III exceeds that for three identical units calculated per Sec. 220.84, you can use the lesser of
the two calculated loads.

Take a load off

Improper application of demand factors can result in a costly overbuild on the one hand or a
dangerous underbuild on the other. One helpful tip for avoiding this error is to annotate your
calculations with the Table reference at each place where you use a Table. Then, when you
review your calculations, double-check that you used the correct Table and the correct value
from it.

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