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alkizmo
join:2007-06-25
Pierrefonds, QC

alkizmo to Hall

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to Hall

Re: Is this calculator accurate? Amp demand for residence

said by Draiman:

Anything that uses power can be expensive to use under the right conditions. More windows open is like using the radio in your car.

I think he was joking (I hope)
Windows open on a PC uses no extra power. I like to think of it as joking that he's losing heat by leaving windows open
said by Mr Matt:

I solved the problem by replacing the meter can with a 200 amp unit with two sets of load lugs. I added another outdoor enclosure with 100 amp breaker and an additional 100 amp load center inside the house. I moved the water heater, washer, dryer and AC to the new load center. The problem was solved.

I hope this was done by an electrician who checked that your service lines were rated for 200A. In my case, the service lines are only good up to 125A.
said by Mr Matt:

I wood recommend determining if it would make financial sense in the long run to replace some electric appliances with gas fueled appliances. My electric dryer draws 5.6 KW. If your water heater is electric it can draw up to 6 KW. Consider replacing it with a NG fueled unit. Look at the long term cost. Does electric or NG cost more per BTU. Your gas and electric supplier can supply you with cost comparisons. Make sure you also factor in efficiency.

My water heater is NG as well. If I had an electric water heater, I'd definitively need an upgrade to at least 150A.
said by Hall:

You may have said this already, but are you tripping breakers ?

As I have said before, no I am not "tripping" (popping) the main fuses.
However the situation I've mentionned where multiple heavy loads are active is very new. My in-laws arrived from China two weeks ago.

Look at it this way:

There are only a couple of electrical appliances that operate the same regardless of how many adults are in the house (AC, lights, TV/PC, fridge, washer/dryer and dish washer come to mind)

Those are the potential unattended loads (For the 120V I will only add them to the total at 50%):

20A Dryer
10A (120V) Washing machine
20A AC(with blower)
5A (120V) dishwasher (Averaged 5A motor only & 15A heating element)
4A (120v) fridge
3A (120V) TV/PC
2A (120V) lights (Mostly CFLs but a few halogens)
-------
52A total of stuff that usually won't all run at the same time, but COULD.

With only my wife and I, we'd potentially use 35A (Range @ 25A + ONE 120V 10A appliance). So 35A + 52A we have 87A potential simulatenous load. That's a good buffer for LRA surges.

We now have 4 adults potentially using 55A (range @ 25A + 3x 10A appliances on the same leg). So 55A + 52A = 107A (Purely coincidental that I reached the result of the calculator).

Of course, again, this requires that all unattended loads be running at the same time. A fridge doesn't run non stop, the washing machine is mostly around 2AM (start delay). However the washer/dryer are MORE likely to be running (As there is twice as much laundry to do).

To summarize my point: Our electricity load has increased significantly, but it has only been 2 weeks. It's not enough time to say that we've experienced a moment where we were all attending heavy load appliances at the same time that unattended loads synchronized to run simultaneously (And survived).
Bob4
Account deleted
join:2012-07-22
New Jersey

Bob4

Member

nm