200 A Service Panel, max power

[Mike V.]

For a typical single phase, residential, "200 amp", 120/240V service; if 200 amps were actually being used in the house, would this equal 48,000W or 24,000W? (assuming pf of 1).

 

[charlie b]

48000. The voltage of 240 is driving the current. Welcome to the forum.

 

[Mike V.]

Thanks Charlie. So a 200 Amp panel could have, say 20, 120V, 20A circuits or 10, 240V, 20A circiuts, or some combination, mathetically.

 

[charlie b]

Not true. A circuit's rating is determined by the rating of the breakers, not by the actual connected load. But the limit of what you can put on a panel is determined by the connected load, with any allowable demand factors applied. You calculate the load without ever knowing, or caring about, the rating of the breakers. Breaker selection is a design decision that comes later in the process. You can put 42 circuits, each rated 20 amps, on a 100 amp panel, provided that the total calculated load does not exceed 100 amps.