Determine the safe operating current for an electric motor at full load.
Nameplate Data
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Enter motor ratings to determine the Full Load Amps
About this calculator
Overview
Full Load Amperage (FLA) is the amount of current an electric motor draws when it is delivering its full rated horsepower at the specified voltage. It is the primary metric for sizing protectors and wiring.
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Pro Tips
Standard three-phase motors in North America typically run at 208V, 230V, or 480V.
The efficiency (η) and power factor (PF) are usually found on the motor's metal nameplate.
Typical power factors for fully loaded motors range from 0.75 to 0.90.
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Fun Facts
"The Locked Rotor Amperage (LRA) is the massive surge of current when a motor first starts, often 6 times higher than the FLA."
"Running a motor on a voltage lower than its rating will cause the FLA to increase, which can lead to overheating."
"The National Electrical Code (NEC) provides tables of FLA values that are used as a fallback if the nameplate is missing."
