15 amps to watts
At 120 volts, 15 amps delivers 1,800 watts; at 240 volts, 3,600 watts (power factor 1).
15 amps to watts at common voltages
| Voltage | Watts, W |
|---|---|
| 12 V DC | 180 |
| 24 V DC | 360 |
| 120 V | 1,800 |
| 240 V | 3,600 |
| 208 V three phase | 5,404 |
| 480 V three phase | 12,471 |
The AC and three-phase rows assume a power factor of 1, as for heaters and incandescent lamps. Motors and electronics draw more current for the same watts.
How to convert 15 amps to watts
Watts = amps × volts, so 15 amps carries 1,800 watts on a 120 V circuit and 3,600 watts on a 240 V circuit. On a 12 V DC system, 15 amps is 180 watts. At a power factor of 0.8, 15 amps at 120 V delivers 1,440 W.
How much of a 15 or 20 amp circuit 15 amps uses
On a 120 V circuit, a 15 amp load uses 100% of a 15 amp circuit and 75% of a 20 amp circuit. A 15 amp load that runs for three hours or more should stay within 80% of the circuit rating: 12 A on a 15 amp circuit and 16 A on a 20 amp circuit. A 15 amp continuous load needs a 20 amp circuit.
The wire a 15 amp circuit needs, in copper and aluminum, is on the 15 amp wire size page.
Nearby values
| Amps, A | 120 V, W | 240 V, W |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | 600 | 1,200 |
| 10 | 1,200 | 2,400 |
| 15 | 1,800 | 3,600 |
| 20 | 2,400 | 4,800 |
| 30 | 3,600 | 7,200 |
| 50 | 6,000 | 12,000 |
Appliances that draw about 15 amps
Amps to watts calculator
1 for heaters and lights; motors and electronics 0.8–0.95
- Current
- 15 A
- Voltage
- 120 V
- Kilowatts
- 1.8 kW
How it is calculated
- Watts = 15 × 120 = 1,800