5 amps to watts
5 amps is 600 watts at 120 volts and 1,200 watts at 240 volts, at a power factor of 1.
5 amps to watts at common voltages
| Voltage | Watts, W |
|---|---|
| 12 V DC | 60 |
| 24 V DC | 120 |
| 120 V | 600 |
| 240 V | 1,200 |
| 208 V three phase | 1,801 |
| 480 V three phase | 4,157 |
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 5 amps to watts
Watts = amps × volts, so 5 amps carries 600 watts on a 120 V circuit and 1,200 watts on a 240 V circuit. On a 12 V DC system, 5 amps is 60 watts. At a power factor of 0.8, 5 amps at 120 V delivers 480 W.
How much of a 15 or 20 amp circuit 5 amps uses
On a 120 V circuit, a 5 amp load uses 33% of a 15 amp circuit and 25% of a 20 amp circuit. A 5 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 5 amp continuous load needs a 15 amp circuit.
Nearby values
| Amps, A | 120 V, W | 240 V, W |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 120 | 240 |
| 5 | 600 | 1,200 |
| 10 | 1,200 | 2,400 |
| 15 | 1,800 | 3,600 |
| 20 | 2,400 | 4,800 |
| 30 | 3,600 | 7,200 |
Appliances that draw about 5 amps
Amps to watts calculator
1 for heaters and lights; motors and electronics 0.8–0.95
- Current
- 5 A
- Voltage
- 120 V
- Kilowatts
- 0.6 kW
How it is calculated
- Watts = 5 × 120 = 600