Amping a 120v/240v Panel

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adamscb

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When taking amp readings off of each leg in a 120v/240v panel, do you add the two legs together? Or take an average of some kind?
 
adamscb said:
When taking amp readings off of each leg in a 120v/240v panel, do you add the two legs together? Or take an average of some kind?
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If you want to know how much power is being used (and do not care about power factor) you take each reading and multiply it by 120, then add. Or add first and then multiply by 120. Or you can take the average and multiply by 240. In all cases the answer will be the same.

If you want to know if you are overloading the panel, you look at each leg separately.
A 200A panel can safely handle 200A (non-continuous) on each leg. You do not add or average for this purpose.
 
adamscb said:
The purpose is to answer the question of how many amps the panel is drawing.
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Yet still I will ask for what purpose.

If it is for just curiosity's sake than sure just put the clamp around each and there you go.

On the other hand if you are trying to determine if you have capacity to add more load and are under the NEC you need to follow the routes found in 220.87
 
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