WIRING REQUIREMENTS FOR HOUSEHOLD CIRCUITS

Each appliance listed in Table C2.4 needs an individual circuit. Protect each
appliance with a delay-type fuse or breaker of the size stated by the manufacturer. In the
absence of manufacturer recommendation use the size stated in Table C2.4. The
delay-type fuses and breakers withstand momentary starting loads and yet protect against
overloads and short circuits. Ampere rating of delay-type breakers or fuses for appliances
should not be more than 25-percent greater than the appliance rating. For example, if a
permanently installed waste-disposer motor is rated at 8 amperes, the delay-type breaker
or fuse should not be over 10 amperes; 8 plus 1/4 of 8.
Many high-speed electric clothes dryers require range-type outlets. All appliances on
120 volts are to have three-wire grounding-type outlets. Those on 240 volts have a
separate ground wire.
Estimated Electrical Power Requirements
The following are estimated electrical power requirements for
various equipment. For specific design applications be sure to consult the literature from
the manufacturer for the specific equipment. This is especially important when installing
large equipment.
The average kilowatt-hours per month shown in the tables may be used in estimating
the costs of operation for the equipment shown. The kilowatt-hours per month when
multiplied by the electric cost per kilowatt-hour will give the monthly cost of operating the
equipment.

Table C2.3:

Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the Farm

Household Equipment

Approx. Size
(watts)

Air conditioner,
window unit
Baby bottle warmer
Blanket, automatic
Bottle sterilizer
Broiler
Can opener
Clock
Clothes dryer
Clippers

3/4 - 1-1/2 ton

50 - 350
50 - 200
500
1,300 - 1,600
50 - 75
1 - 10
4,000 - 6,000
40 - 60

Average
kwhr. per mo.
200-500
1-4
15
15
12
1/2
1-4
30 - 90

Table C2.3: Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the Farm (continued)
Household Equipment

Approx. Size
(watts)

Coffee maker
Coffee percolator
Corn popper
Curling iron

600 - 1,000
300 - 600
460 - 650
10 - 20

Dehumidifier
Dishwasher

300 - 500
1/8 - 1/4 HP

Electrocuter, insect
Electronic oven

5 - 250
3,000 - 7,000

4 - 12
100

Fan, attic
Fan, 8"-16"
Food blender
Foot warmer
Floor polisher
Freezer, food, 5 - 30 cu. ft.
Freezer, ice cream
Fryer, cooker
Furnace, electric control
Furnace, oil burner
Furnace, blower
Furnace, stoker

1/6 - 3/4 HP
35 - 210
200 - 300
50 - 100
200 - 400
300 - 800
50 - 300
1,000 - 1,500
10 - 30
100 - 300
500 - 700
250 - 600

60 - 90
4 - 10
1/2
1
1
30 - 125
1/2
5
10
25 - 40
25 - 100
3 - 60

Garbage disposal equipment

Griddle
Grill

1/4 - 1/3 HP
450 - 1,100
650 - 1,300

Hair dryer
Heat lamp
Heater, portable
Heating pad
Hot plate
House heating
Humidifier

200 - 1,200
125 - 200
660 - 2,000
25 - 150
500 - 1,650
8,000 - 15,000
500

Iron, hand

600 - 1,500

Average
kwhr. per mo.
3 - 10
3 - 10
1
1/2
50
30

3
5
5
1/2 - 6
2
15 - 30
1
7 - 30
1,000 - 2,500
5 - 15
6 10

Table C2.3:Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the Farm (continued)
Approx. Size
Average
Household Equipment
(watts)
kwhr. per mo.
Ironer
Knife sharpener
Lighting
Mixer, food
Movie projector

1,000 - 3,000

8 - 15

125
5 - 300
50 - 200
300 - 1,000

1/4
10 - 40
1
1

Radio, table
Range
Record player
Refrigerator
Refrigerator-freezer
Refrigerator, no-frost
Roaster

40 - 100
8,500 - 16,000
75 - 100
200 - 300
250 - 600
300 - 400
1,000 - 1,600

5 - 10
100 - 150
1-5
25 - 40
75
90
10 - 40

Sauce pan
Sewing machine
Shaver
Skillet
Sunlamp

300 - 1,400
30 - 100
12
1,000 - 1,350
100 - 500

2 - 10
1/2 - 2
1/10
5 - 20
3

Television
Toaster

200 - 350
500 - 1,100

Vaporizer

200 - 500

Waffle iron
Washer, automatic
Washer, conventional
Water heater
Water pump (shallow)
Water pump (deep)
Barn Equipment

550 - 1,300
300 - 700
100 - 400
1,200 - 7,000
1/2 HP
1/3 - 1 HP
Approx. Size (HP or watts)

Barn cleaner

2 - 5 HP

Corn, ear crushing

Corn, ear shelling

1 - 5 HP
1/4 - 2 HP

15 - 30
3-5
2-5
1-2
3-8
2-4
200 - 300
5 - 20
10 - 60
Estimated kwhr.
per unit
1/2 - 1 per cow/mo.
5 per ton
1 per 300 lbs.

Table C2.3: Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the (continued)
Barn Equipment
Approx. Size
Estimated kwhr.
(Hp or watts)
per unit
Electric fence

7 - 10 W

Ensilage blowing
Feed grinding
Feed mixing

3-5
1 - 7-1/2
1/2 - 1

Barn Equipment (cont.)

(HP or watts)

Grain cleaning
Milking, portable
Milking, pipeline

1/4 - 1/2
1/4 - 1/2
1/2 - 3

Sheep shearing
Silo unloader
Silage conveyor
Stock tank heater

fractional
3 - 7-1/2 HP
1 - 3 HP
200 - 1,500 W

Yard lights

100 - 500 W

Ventilation

1/6 - 1/3 HP

Milkhouse Equipment

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

Milk cooling

1/2 - 5 HP

Space heater

1,000 - 3,000

Ventilating fan
Water heater

fractional
1,000 - 5,000

7 per mo.
1/2 per ton
1/2 - 1-1/2 per ton
1 per 500 lbs.

per unit
1 per 100 Bu.
1-1/2 per cow/mo.
2-1/2 per cow/mo.
1-1/2 per 100
1 - 5 per ton
1 - 4 per ton
up to 200/mo.
per mo.
per 20 cows
Estimated kwhr.
per unit
3/4 - 1-1/2 per
100 lbs. milk
800 per year
10 - 25 per mo.
1 per 4 gal.

Table C2.3 Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the Farm (Continued)
Poultry Equipment

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

Automatic feeder

1/4 - 1/2 HP

Brooder

200 - 1,000 W

Burglar alarm

10 - 60 W

2 per mo.

Debeaker

200 - 500 W

1 per 3 hr.

Egg Candler

50 - 100 W

1 per 15 hr.

Egg cleaning or washing

fractional HP

Egg cooling

1/6 - 1 HP

Poultry Equipment

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

Estimated kwhr.
per unit
10 - 30 per mo.
1/2 - 1-1/2 per
chick per season

1 per 2,000 eggs

1-1/4 per case
Estimated kwhr.
per unit

Night lighting

40 - 60 W

10 per mo. per

100 birds

Ventilating fan

50 - 300 W

1/2 - 1-1/2 per day

day per 1,000 birds

Water warming

50 - 700 W

varies widely

Table C2.3 Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the Farm (Continued)
Swine Equipment

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

Estimated kwhr.
per unit

Brooding

100 - 300 W

35 per brooding
period per litter

50 - 300 W

1/2 - 1-1/2 per day

per 50 hogs

Ventilating fan
Water warming

Farm Shop Equipment

unit

50 - 1,000 W

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

30 per brooding
period per litter

Estimated kwhr.
per

Air compressor
Arc welding

1/4 - 1 HP
37-1/2

1 per 3 hr.
100 per year

Battery charging

600 - 750 W

2 per battery

Concrete mixing

1/2 - 2 HP

1 cu. yard

Drill press

1/6 - 1 HP

1/2 per hr.

Fan, 10"

35 - 55 W

Grinding, emery wheel

1/4 - 1/3 HP

1 per 20 hr.
5 per mo.

Table C2.3 Approximate Power Requirements for Equipment Used on the Farm (Continued)

Farm Shop Equipment

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

Estimated kwhr.
per unit

Heater, portable
Heater, engine

1,000 - 3,000 W
100 - 300 W

10 per mo.
1 per 5 hr.

Lathe
Lighting

1/4 - 1 HP
50 - 250 W

1 per 3 hr.
4 per mo.

Sawing, circular 8"-10"

Sawing, jig
Soldering, iron

1/3 - 1/2 HP
1/4 - 1/3 HP
60 - 500 W

1/2 per hr.

1 per 3 hr.
1 per 5 hr.

Miscellaneous

Approx. Size
(HP or watts)

Estimated kwhr.
per unit

Farm motors
Insect trap (black light lamp)

1/2 - 5 HP
25 - 40 W

1 per HP per hr.

1/3 per night

Irrigating

1 HP up

1 per HP per hr.

25 W per sq. ft.

2.5 per 100 sq.ft.

Snow melting: heating

cable imbedded
in concrete
Soil heating, hotbed

400 W

Wood sawing

1 - 5 HP

Section Break (Next Page)

1 per day/season
2 per cord

Table C2.4: Electrical Power and Wiring Requirements for Household Appliances on Individual Circuits
Circuit
Probable
Outlet Ampere
Number of
Appliances on
Voltage
AWG Wire Size
Wattage
Rating
Wires
Individual Circuits
Required
(AWG)
(watts)
(amperes)
(numbers)
(volts)
Clothes dryer
6000
240
30
3 + Grnd
*
Washer
500
120
20
2 + Grnd
12
Water heater
5000
240
30
2 + Grnd
10
Range
10000
240
50 60
3 + Grnd
*
Separate oven
5000
240
30
3 + Grnd
8
Surface units
5000
240
30
3 + Grnd
8
Dishwasher
1500
120
20
2 + Grnd
12
Waste disposer
800
120
20
2 + Grnd
12
Freezer
600
120
20
2 + Grnd
12
Air conditioner (room)
1500
120
20
2 + Grnd
12
Air conditioner
5000
250
50
2 + Grnd
*
(central)
Furnace unit
700
120
20
2 + Grnd
12
Electric heater
1800
120 - 240
20
2 + Grnd
*

OverloadProtection
Device Size
(amperes)
**
20
30
**
30
30
20
**
**
**
**
**
**

* Wire size varies, see table C2.11 for wire sizes

** Size varies with appliance, use manufacturers recommended size or a minimum of 25-percent larger than the appliance
electric current rating.

Table C2.5: Electrical Power Requirements of Some Household Appliances Which

Do Not Need Individual Circuits

Appliance

Watts

Appliance

Coffee maker

700Lighting, fixed
Lighting, portable

Watts

Deep fat fryer

Dehumidifier

300

1,200
1,200
1,350
Mixer

Electric blanket

160

Phonograph

75

Fan: portable
kitchen exhaust
300
attic
Frying pan
Floor lamp, single
Floor lamp, 3-way
Floor polisher

100
100

Radio
Refrigerator

100

Garage door opener

Grill
Iron
Ironer

345
1,100
200
300
200
125
800
1,000
1,650

Roaster

1,650

Sewing machine
Steam iron
Sump pump
Sun lamp

75
1,000
300
500

Table lamp
Television
Toaster

100
350
1,000

Vacuum cleaner
Juice extractor

120

650

300
Waffle iron

1,000