If a store lighting load is 14,000 VA (continuous), what VA must be used for circuit calculation?

In electrical calculations, when dealing with continuous loads, there are specific considerations to ensure that the circuits can handle the demands over time without overheating or being overloaded. According to the NEC (National Electrical Code), continuous loads are defined as loads that are expected to run for three hours or more.

For continuous loads, the NEC requires that the circuit be calculated using 125% of the load. To determine the proper VA for a circuit calculation in this scenario, you should multiply the continuous load by 1.25.

If the store lighting load is 14,000 VA, the calculation would be:

14,000 VA × 1.25 = 17,500 VA.

This result represents the minimum VA required to safely accommodate the continuous lighting load over time. Therefore, in this case, the correct value to use for circuit calculation is 17,500 VA, which reflects the need to consider possible load increases and ensure the circuit's thermal performance.

Therefore, selecting 17,500 VA is consistent with the safety and performance guidelines mandated by the NEC for continuous lighting loads. This ensures that systems are designed to operate safely under expected conditions without risk of failure.