Amperage is an electrical specification that describes the current within an electrical system. Amperage is often used to denote the overall power of a device. For example, vacuum cleaners and audio amplifiers are marketed with references to the amperage they require. In some cases, it is advantageous to know the kilowatt requirements of electrical devices based on their amperage. This helps owners determine power usage costs and whether or not the electrical circuit the device is plugged into will be adequate.
Instructions
-
-
1
Determine the voltage at which the amps are moving through the system. Voltage information on electrical devices is found on their electrical information labels.
-
2
Multiply the amperage of the device by its required voltage. This calculation yields the instantaneous kilowatt requirement.
-
-
3
Multiply the instantaneous kilowatt requirement by the number of hours that the kilowatt usage will be maintained. This yields the number of kilowatt hours, which is the standard unit of kilowatt usage, for that period of time.