Commercial electrical load calculations

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Even if you work with stamped drawings, you'll eventually need to do commercial load calculations in the
field or on a licensing exam. The NEC covers commercial calculations in Art. 220, but other articles also
apply. For example, you must know the definitions in Art. 100, be familiar with what Art. 210 says about
continuous loads, and understand the overcurrent protection requirements set forth in Art. 240.
Two items associated with this type of calculation repeatedly need clarification:
Voltage
The voltage to use for your calculations depends on the system design voltage. Thus when you calculate
branch-circuit, feeder, and service loads, you must use a nominal system voltage of 120V, 120/240V,
208Y/120V, 240V, 347V, 480Y/277V, 480V, 600Y/347V, or 600V unless otherwise specified (220.2) (Fig.1).
Rounding
Refer to 200.2(B) to end the rounding mystery. When the ampere calculation exceeds a whole number by
0,5 or more, round up to the next whole number. If the extra is 0,49 or less, round down to the next whole
number. For, example, round 29,5 A up to 30 A, but round 29,45 A down to 29 A.
Specific loads. Art. 220 doesn't cover all specific loads. For example, you'll find motors in Art. 430 and air
conditioners in Art. 440. To know if you should look in another Article, use the NEC index.

Fig. 1. Dont make the mistake of using actual field measurements of system voltage in your calculations. Unless specified
otherwise, loads shall be computed using the nominal system voltage such as 120V, 120/240V, 208Y/120V, 240V, 347V,
480Y/277V, 480V, 600Y/347V or 600V.

Art. 220 has specific requirements for most loads, including the following:
Dryers. Size the branch-circuit conductors and overcurrent protection device for commercial dryers to the
appliance nameplate rating. Calculate the feeder demand load for dryers at 100% of the appliance rating. If
the dryers run continuously, you must size the conductor and protection device at 125% of the load
[210.19(A), 215.3, and 230.42]. Table 220.18 demand factors don't apply to commercial dryers.
Let's apply what we've just learned. What size branch-circuit conductor and overcurrent protection does the
NEC require for a 7kW dryer rated 240 V when the dryer is in a multi-family dwelling laundry room (Fig.2)?
I=PE
7000 W 240 V = 29 A
The ampacity of the conductor and overcurrent device must be at least 29A (240.4). Per Table 310.16, a 10
AWG conductor at 60C is rated 30 A. Therefore, you must use a 30A breaker with a 10 AWG conductor.

Fig. 2 When determining proper branch-circuit protection and conductor size for a commercial clothes dryer, you must use a
demand load of 100%. The reduced demand factors for multiple dryers (Table 220.18) dont apply in a commercial setting.

Electric heat [424.3(B)]. Size branch-circuit conductors and the overcurrent protection device for electric
heating to not less than 125% of the total heating load, including blower motors. Calculate the feeder/service
demand load for electric heating equipment at 100% of the total heating load.
Kitchen equipment. Size branch-circuit conductors and overcurrent protection for commercial kitchen
equipment per the appliance nameplate rating.
To determine the service demand load for commercial kitchen equipment that has thermostatic control or
intermittent use, apply the demand factors from Table 220.20 to the total connected kitchen equipment load.
The feeder or service demand load can't be less than the sum of the two largest appliance loads. The
demand factors of Table 220.20 don't apply to space-heating, ventilating, or air-conditioning equipment.
Laundry equipment. Size these circuits to the appliance nameplate rating. You can assume a laundry circuit
isn't a continuous load and that commercial laundry circuits are rated 1500 VA unless noted otherwise in
the project drawings or exam question.
Lighting. The NEC requires a minimum load per square foot for general lighting, depending on the type of
occupancy [Table 220.3(A)]. For the guestrooms of hotels, motels, hospitals, and storage warehouses, you
can apply the general lighting demand factors of Table 220.11 to the general lighting load.
Assume the general lighting load for commercial occupancies other than guestrooms of motels, hotels,
hospitals, and storage warehouses is continuous. Calculate it at 125% of the general lighting load listed in
Table 220.3(A).
Receptacles. You don't do all receptacle load calculations the same way. The NEC has separate
requirements, depending on the application.
Multi-outlet receptacle assembly. For service calculations, consider every 5 feet (or less) of multi-outlet
receptacle assembly to be 180 VA. When you can reasonably expect a multi-outlet receptacle assembly to
power several appliances simultaneously, consider each foot (or less) as 180 VA for service calculations.
Normally, a multi-outlet receptacle assembly isn't a continuous load [220.3(B)(8)].
Receptacle VA load. The minimum load for each commercial or industrial general-use receptacle outlet is
180 VA per strap [220.3(B)(9)]. Normally, receptacles aren't continuous loads.
Number of receptacles permitted on a circuit. The maximum number of receptacle outlets permitted on a
commercial or industrial circuit depends on the circuit ampacity. To calculate that number, divide the VA
rating of the circuit by 180 VA for each receptacle strap.

Fig. 3. The minimum load for each commercial general-use receptacle outlet is 180VA per strap. In this example, the 15 A,
120 V breaker could accommodate 1800 VA of load (120 V x 15 A = 1800 VA). Therefore, you could install a total of 10
receptacles on this circuit.

Let's work a sample problem. How many receptacle outlets are permitted on a 15 A, 120 V circuit (Fig. 3)?
Total circuit VA load for a 15 A circuit:
120 V 15 A = 1800 VA
Number of receptacles per circuit:
1800 VA 180 VA = 10 receptacles
Receptacle sizing. The NEC permits 15 A circuits in commercial and industrial occupancies, but some local
codes require a minimum 20 A rating (310.5).
Receptacle service demand load. In other than dwelling units, you can add to the lighting loads
receptacle loads computed at not more than 180VA per outlet per 220.3(B)(9). You can also add fixed multioutlet assemblies computed per 220.3(B)(8). Both of these must adhere to the demand factors given in
Table 220.11 or in Table 220.13.
Bank and office general lighting and receptacles. Calculate the receptacle demand load at 180 VA for each
receptacle strap [220.3(B)(9)] if the number of receptacles is known, or 1VA for each square foot if the
number of receptacles is unknown [Table 220.3(A) Note b].
Signs. The NEC requires each commercial occupancy that's accessible to pedestrians to have at least one
20A branch circuit for a sign [600.5(A)]. The load for the required exterior signs or outline lighting must be at
least 1,200VA [220.3(B)(6)]. A sign outlet is a continuous load. You must size the feeder load at 125% of the
continuous load [215.2(A)(1) and 230.42].
The following question will allow you to practice what we've just covered. What's the demand load for one
electric sign?
1200 VA 1,25=1500 VA
Neutral calculations. The neutral load is the maximum unbalanced demand load between the grounded
(neutral) conductor and any one ungrounded (hot) conductor as determined by the calculations in Art.
220, Part B. This means you don't consider line-to-line loads when sizing the grounded (neutral) conductor.
What about load reduction? That depends on certain factors, which we'll look at next.
Reduction over 200 A. You can reduce the feeder/service net computed load for 3-wire, single-phase or 4wire, 3-phase systems that supply linear loads for that portion of the unbalanced load over 200 A, by a
multiplier of 70%.
To see how this would work for an actual installation, determine the neutral demand load for a balanced
400A, 3-wire, 120/240 V feeder.
Total neutral load for 400 A service:
First 200 A at 100%: 200 A 1,00 = 200 A

Remainder at 70%: 200 A 0,70 = 140 A

Total demand load: 200 A 140 A = 340 A
Reduction not permitted. You can't reduce the neutral demand load for 3-wire, single-phase, 208Y/120V or
480Y/277V circuits that consist of two line wires and the common conductor (neutral) of a 4-wire, 3-phase
wye system. This is because the common (neutral) conductor of a 3-wire circuit connected to a 4-wire, 3phase wye system carries about the same current as the phase conductors [310.15(B)(4)(b)].

Fig. 4 Sizing the grounded (neutral) conductor can be tricky. Just remember that you cant reduce the neutral demand load
for 3-wire, single-phase, 208Y/120V or 480Y/277V circuits that consist of two line wires and the common conductor (neutral)
of a 4-wire, 3-phase system.

As proof of this theory, see the example in Fig. 4.

In addition, you can't reduce the neutral demand load for nonlinear loads supplied from a 3-phase, 4-wire,
wye-connected system, because they produce triplen harmonic currents that add on the neutral conductor.
This situation can require the neutral conductor to be larger than the ungrounded conductor load (220.22
FPN 2).
Knowing the correct way to do commercial load calculations makes you more valuable because you can
play a key role in the field design, inspection, and implementation process. It's one more skill that helps you
do the job right the first time.