What is the total load required by the NEC® for four appliance branch circuits plus a laundry branch circuit?

To determine the total load required by the NEC® for four appliance branch circuits plus a laundry branch circuit, we need to consider the standard calculations outlined in the National Electrical Code.

The NEC specifies that for appliance branch circuits, you typically account for a minimum of 1,500 VA for the first circuit and 1,200 VA for each additional circuit. For four appliance branch circuits, the calculation would be:

• 1,500 VA for the first appliance branch circuit

• 1,200 VA for each of the remaining three circuits, which totals 3,600 VA (1,200 VA × 3).

Adding these together gives:

1,500 VA + 3,600 VA = 5,100 VA.

Next, for the laundry branch circuit, the NEC specifies a load of 1,500 VA. Therefore, when we add the laundry circuit to the total load from the appliance branch circuits, we get:

5,100 VA + 1,500 VA = 6,600 VA.

However, in calculating total branch circuit demand, the NEC allows for a demand factor to be applied, particularly when combining circuits. The demand factor for household cooking appliances allows us to reduce the total calculated load slightly, reflecting that not