Calculation for absolute minimum small house loads

[junkhound]

Let us say propane heat, refrigerator, cooking, hot water, no AC, all LED lighting. Biggest load likely a water pump as would be on a well.

Occasional high power needs like an air compressor or table saw, fire up a genset.

What would your baseload calculations look like?

 

[ptonsparky]

You need sq ft etc, but it ends up at a 100 amp . I dont believe type of fixtures make a dfference in your calculations for a residence, yet.

 

[junkhound]

Agree, any poco service would be 100 A min, nowadays would not even consider less than 200 A service if on-grid.

This would be off-grid, and possibly a 270 Vdc distribution non-NEC setup (say like a residential version of the F-22 or F-35 or 787 dc distribution system).

I know this forum is focused on NEC related topics, but would seem to be an interesting set of calculations and load assumptions of interest.

Interested in what folks here think would be the maximum loads for internet connections via satellite and similar loads for a small house with techie occupants (but not bitcoin miners).

 

[kwired]

Your minimum load calculation is going to be at least two SABC's @ 1500 VA each and 3 VA per square foot. 100 square feet could leave you needing a minimum of 3300 VA

For single family dwelling you still need service disconnecting means rated 100 amps even if your load calc is only 3300 VA For an individual unit in a multifamily dwelling you can supply it with a feeder sized at least to the total load calculation. Not sure if you can feed that with a 15 amp 120/240 feeder or not since you do need minimum 20 amp circuits for the SABC's, but 3300 VA / 240 volts is only 13.75 amps. I'd probably feed it with no less than a 30 amp feeder if ever came across something like that.

 

[kwired]

Agree, any poco service would be 100 A min, nowadays would not even consider less than 200 A service if on-grid.

This would be off-grid, and possibly a 270 Vdc distribution non-NEC setup (say like a residential version of the F-22 or F-35 or 787 dc distribution system).

I know this forum is focused on NEC related topics, but would seem to be an interesting set of calculations and load assumptions of interest.

Interested in what folks here think would be the maximum loads for internet connections via satellite and similar loads for a small house with techie occupants (but not bitcoin miners).

Outside of laser printers you can run quite a bit of data handling tech stuff on a 15 or 20 amp circuit.

Per NEC if you are not "on grid" you have no service conductors or service equipment. Your supply conductors are art 210, 215 or 225 applications and not art 230 applications.