ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for

Buildings
Prof. Rubén Flores Flores
Load Characteristics
 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Objectives

• Determine the estimated demand load for a given branch circuit, feeder or service
• Apply demand factors to account for load diversity
• Understand the NEC minimum load requirements
• Determine the demand load for household appliances
• Determine service entrance ampacity requirements

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Recinto de Bayamón
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MINIMUM ESTIMATED DEMAND LOAD

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Overview
• An accurate estimate of the demand load on a particular branch circuit, feeder or service is
necessary to determine the required rating of these circuits.
• The actual number of branch circuit of feeders is also based on an estimate of the total
demand load. Branch circuit and feeder design will be discussed later
• NEC Article 220 - Branch-Circuit, Feeder, and Service Load Calculations
– Discusses the required rules for determine the minimum estimated demand load for branch circuits,
feeders and services.
– The basic rule is to have a rating sufficient to supply the demand load to be served.
– The demand load on a circuit is equal to the minimum estimated load as determined by applying NEC
minimums, or the actual load, whichever is greater.
– Design of the system will be based on the greater of the two.
– The NEC does provides information to determine the minimum estimated loads, but the designer
must exercise caution not to underestimate the load to be served.
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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Overview
• The NEC provides information to determine the minimum estimated loads, but the
designer must exercise caution not to underestimate the load to be served.
– For example, the quantity and location of receptacles and lighting fixtures will vary depending
on the nature of the occupancy
• A restaurant will generally have decorative fixtures to create a certain “ambiance”
• On the other hand, an office may require only functional lighting to provide certain level of illumination
– It is evident that the load will be related to the type of occupancy

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

NEC Article 220 - Branch-Circuit, Feeder, and Service Load Calculations

• This article provides requirements for calculating

branch-circuit, feeder, and service loads.
– Part I provides general requirements for calculation
methods.
– Part II provides calculation methods for branch-circuit loads.
– Parts III and IV provide calculation methods for feeder and
service loads.
– Part V provides calculation methods for farm loads.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

General lighting load

• The general lighting load that shall be applied to a particular occupancy

is based on
– Certain unit load per square foot of floor space. This value is expressed in terms of
volt-ampere per square foot (VA/ft2)
– This value depends on the type of occupancy. The total minimum estimated
lighting load can be determine by multiplying the unit load by the total square foot
area of the occupancy
– The unit loads for various occupancies are shown in Table 220.12 of the NEC
• If the type of occupancy you are designing is not listed, the load is determined based on the
actual connected equipment.
• Only the habitable areas of the dwelling units are used in the square-footage determination.
– Unfinished basements, garages, porches are not considered habitable areas
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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

General lighting load

• The footnotes of Table 220.12 require some explanation

– Although this table applied to general lighting loads, the load from general-purpose receptacles outlets
in habitable areas of dwelling units, hotel is permitted to be included with the general lighting loads for
purpose of load estimation since many of these outlets have connected table or floor lamps. The load
from these are included in the unit lighting load of the Table 220.12
• Also, for office buildings and banks, an additional load of 1VA/ft2 shall be included of the actual
number of general-purpose receptacles is unknown.
– In many office-type occupancies, the final furniture layout is not known. The office space may consists
of a large open area initially, with final layout of furniture and partitions to occur as the space is leased.

rflores@bayamon.inter.edu
Recinto de Bayamón
UNIVERSIDAD ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
INTER AMERICANA
DE PUERTO RICO Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

rflores@bayamon.inter.edu
 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 1

• Determine the estimated lighting load for an office area that measures 50 ft X 100 ft.
The office contains 20 fluorescent lighting fixtures, each having a ballast input of 277
V, 0.7 A

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Dedicated branch circuit loads

• The NEC requires that certain branch circuits in dwelling units be provided for
receptacle outlets only. The connection of lighting outlets to these dedicated branch
circuits is prohibited
– Included in these required branch circuits are a minimum of two 20 A branch circuits to supply
the small-appliance loads in the kitchen areas and one 20 A branch circuit to supply the
laundry equipment
– NEC code 220.52 requires the computed loading on these dedicated branch circuits to be 1500
VA per circuit.
– Note that this load is in addition to the unit VA/ft2 for general lighting

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

General-purpose receptacle loads

• NEC code 220.14(L) requires that other outlets not covered in 220.14(A) through (K) shall be calculated based on
180 volt-amperes per outlet. You must check 220.14 code to determine the appropriate load unit.
– 220.14(A): Specific Appliances or Loads.
– 220.14(B): Electric Dryers and Electric Cooking Appliances in Dwellings and Household Cooking Appliances
Used in Instructional Programs
– 220.14(C): Motor Outlets
– 220.14(D): Luminaries
– 220.14(E): Heavy-Duty lampholders
– 220.14(F): Sign and Outline Lighting
– 220.14(G): Show Windows
– 220.14(H): Fixed Multioutlet Assemblies
– 220.14(I): Receptacle Outlets
– 220.14(J): Dwelling Occupancies
– 220.14(K): Banks and Office Buildings
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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

General-purpose receptacle loads

• Bear in mind that the NEC minimum is 180 VA per receptacle.

• You can always exceed the minimum requirements, for example
– A dedicated branch circuit supplying two duplex receptacle of a workshop area of a residence.
• A typical circular saw rated at 11 A @ 115 V would have a load of 1265 VA
– Use common sense when estimating loads on a circuit where you suspect large loads might be
connected.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Other loads

• In addition to lighting and receptacle loads, there are other loads that will be present
– Electric heating, electric hot water tanks, motors, etc.
• For non-motor-operated appliances, the VA rating as calculated from the actual
current and voltage ratings of the device is used as the load
• Motor loads are also calculated based on the full load current of the motor with 25%
added to allow for slight overload.
– According to 220.14(C) motor outlets shall be calculated in accordance with the requirements
in 430.22, 430.24, and 440.6
• Tables 430.247, 430.248, 430.249, 430.250
• In addition, for feeders or branch-circuits supplying multiple motor loads, 25% of the
load of the largest motor in the group must be added to the total motor load.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 2

• Determine the estimated demand load expressed in A and in VA for the following
individual motors. Each of these motors is supplied by a dedicated branch circuit
– 1/3 hp, 115 V, single phase
– 2 hp, 230 V, single phase
– 40 hp, 460 V, three-phase
– 20 hp, 200 V, three-phase

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 3

• Determine the estimated demand load and load current for a 25 kW, 230 V, single-
phase electric furnace containing a resistive heating element.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 4

• A motor control center supplies the following three-phase motor loads: 20 hp, 40 hp
and 60 hp @ 460 V each. The motor control center is supplied by a 480 V feeder.
Determine the estimate demand load on the feeder.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Household electric cooking equipment

• Household cooking equipment

– Free-standing electric ranges
– Counter-mounted cooktops
– Wall-mounted electric ovens
• Free-standing electric ranges are supplied
from a single branch circuit
• It is recommended to supply counter-
mounted cooktops and wall-mounted
ovens with different branch circuits, but
it is permitted to supplied both with the
same branch circuit.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Household electric cooking equipment

• In free-standing electric range, the branch circuit rating may be determined based on
the estimated demand
• Ratings for branch circuit supplying counter-mounted tops or wall-mounted oven
must be based on the ratings of individual units
• The demand load for household electric cooking appliances is taken from Table
220.55 (NEC 220.55)
– For electric ranges individually rated at not over 12 kW, the estimated load may be determined
from column C
– If the range has rating over 12 kW, but not exceeding 27 kW, the demand from column C must
be increase by 5% for each kW in excess of 12 kW

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Recinto de Bayamón
UNIVERSIDAD ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
INTER AMERICANA
DE PUERTO RICO Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

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Recinto de Bayamón
UNIVERSIDAD ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
INTER AMERICANA
DE PUERTO RICO Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

21

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Recinto de Bayamón
UNIVERSIDAD ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
INTER AMERICANA
DE PUERTO RICO Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 5

• Determine the estimated branch circuit demand load for the following household
electric cooking equipment
– 10 kW range
– 15 kW range
– 19 kW range
– 6 kW cooktop
– 8 kW oven

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 6

• Determine the estimated demand load for a branch circuit supplying both a counter-
mounted cooktop unit having a rating of 7 kW and a wall-mounted oven rated at 8
kW.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Electric clothes dryers

• NEC 220.54 requires that the demand load for electric household clothes dryers be
computed as being equal to 5000 W or the nameplate rating, whichever is larger, for
each dryer served.

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 Recinto de Bayamón ELEN 4355: Electrical System Design for Buildings
UNIVERSIDAD

INTER AMERICANA Prof. Rubén Flores-Flores

DE PUERTO RICO

Example 7

• Determine the estimated demand load for the following household dryers:
– 3.5 kW
– 7 kW

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End of Lecture
Questions?

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