Electrical Load Calculator

Roughly estimate your home's electrical load before adding a big appliance, EV charger, or solar. Compare the result to your panel's capacity.

Appliances in this home:
General lighting (3W/sq ft)
6,000 W
Major appliances
24,300 W
Estimated total load
33,330 VA
≈ 30,300 W
Panel capacity (200A @ 240V)
48,000 VA
Load at 69% of capacity (healthy)

How It Works

This simplified load estimate adds a general lighting load (3 watts per sq ft, per NEC 220.12) to the nameplate wattage of your selected major appliances, then compares the total (in VA) to your panel's capacity.

Calculation Explanation

Example: 2,000 sq ft home with range, dryer, water heater, dishwasher, fridge, AC, and laundry → 6,000W general + ~18,600W appliances ≈ 27,000 VA. A 200A panel supplies 48,000 VA — about 56% loaded.

Adding an EV charger? Check what it needs with the Breaker Size Calculator and how much it draws with the Amps to Watts Calculator.

Typical Appliance Loads

ApplianceTypical Watts
Electric range / oven8,000
Electric dryer5,500
Water heater (electric)4,500
Dishwasher1,200
Microwave1,000
Refrigerator600
Central AC (3.5 ton)3,500
EV charger (Level 2)9,600
Washer / laundry1,200
Space heater (portable)1,500
Sump pump800
Well pump1,500

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All Electrical CalculatorsBreaker Size CalculatorWire Size Calculator

Frequently Asked Questions