Most people don’t worry too much about all of the technical requirements of their appliances, but amp usage will have a significant impact on your electricity bill – and the type of circuit that you need to operate it safely.
With that in mind, how many amps does a washing machine use?
The number of amps that used by a washing machine varies, but it is typically between 10 and 15 amps.
Read on to get the details you need to know about washing machine amps.
How Can I Tell The Number Of Amps My Washing Machine Uses?
Not every washing machine has the same power requirements and usage – some will use more amps than others.
You can easily find out how many amps your machine uses by looking at the manual or finding the technical specifications online.
It should be listed under “Electrical Requirements”, “Power”, or “Minimum Circuit Requirements”.
What Does Washing Machine Amp Usage Mean?
The number of amps used by a washer is basically referring to how much electricity is continuously flowing through the appliance while it is powered.
It is sort of like the amount of water flowing through a hose.
When this number is higher, it means that more continuous power is required to run the appliance, so it will use more energy.
Volts, on the other hand, are a measure of how strong the flow of electricity is. You can think of it as the pressure of the water flowing through a hose.
Combined, amps and volts give you watts, which is the overall rate at which power is flowing into your appliance. Wattage per hour is generally how your energy usage will be calculated.
- Amps: Flow of electricity
- Volts: Required force of electricity flow
- Watts: Amps X Volts = Watts. The amount of energy used.
Does Higher Amps Mean More Energy Usage?
When you’re talking about energy consumption, and how much it will actually cost to run your washing machine, amps are certainly important.
The higher the amps (combined with the volts) the higher the wattage. The higher the wattage is, the more power the appliance is using while it is switched on.
What Is Minimum Circuit Rating?
If you see this phrase while looking at the information about your washing machine, what does it actually mean, and is it important?
This rating is the number of amps that the manufacturing company states are required on your circuit to ensure that you are not overloading it.
Basically, it’s how many amps the machine is going to use. If your circuit is not able to supply enough, then it will probably pop the circuit breaker.
Most homes in the US have a 100 or 200-amp service. This means that you can run multiple appliances, up to a combined amp usage of 100 or 200 – depending on what your service is.
The minimum circuit rating is unlikely to be a problem unless you have a specific circuit for laundry (or a very old home) that runs a 30-amp service. In that case, you might not be able to run multiple large appliances on that circuit at the same time.
Conclusion: How Many Amps Does A Washing Machine Use?
So, how many amps does a washing machine use? It is typically between 10 and 15, though each machine can be slightly different.
It is certainly worth checking the amps on your own washing machine, or any that you intend to buy. Your electrical circuit can probably handle it, but it’s worth making sure, and it’s also an indicator of how much energy the machine is going to use while it is running.