What factor should be applied when calculating non-continuous loads for receptacles?

To determine the appropriate factor for calculating non-continuous loads for receptacles, it's important to understand how non-continuous loads differ from continuous loads. Non-continuous loads are those that do not operate for three hours or more at a time.

The factor of 0.75 is applied to non-continuous loads when calculating their demand to account for the diversity and usage patterns of receptacles in a system. This means that, rather than assuming that the total capacity of all receptacles will be drawn at the same time, the 0.75 factor allows for an approximation that typically less than 75% of the receptacles will be in use simultaneously. This reflects real-world scenarios where not all receptacles are utilized to their maximum capacity at the same time, which can result in lower actual demand than the total rating suggests.

In contrast, the other options do not accurately reflect how non-continuous loads should be assessed according to standard practices. Using a factor of 1.0 would imply that the full load capacity should be considered, which does not account for the diversity of usage. A lower factor like 0.5 may overly underestimate the load demand, and applying a factor of 1.25 would be inappropriate