How Many Amps Does a 1 HP single-phase Motor Draw at 120V?

Q: What is 1 HP in watts?

1 HP equals 746 watts of mechanical output (1 HP = 746 W). The electrical input at the terminals is higher because no motor is 100% efficient: at 85% efficiency the input is about 877.65 W.

At 120V, 1 horsepower equals roughly 8.6 amps of running current on a single-phase circuit. One HP is 746 watts of mechanical output, but motors are not 100% efficient, so the electrical draw is higher. Applying V × Eff × PF: 746W ÷ (120 × 0.85 × 0.85) = 746 ÷ 86.7 = 8.6 A.

Where you'll find 1 HP motors: garage door openers, small pool pumps, benchtop tools.

1 HP single-phase motor at 120V

8.6 Amps running

Calculated running current at the motor terminals at the assumed 85% efficiency and PF 0.85. This is a conversion from the nameplate horsepower using those assumptions, not a measured value; a real meter reading depends on the motor's actual nameplate efficiency, loading, temperature, and motor design.

NEC Table 430.248 FLC (code sizing base)16 A

Conductor min ampacity (NEC 430.22, 125% of FLC)20 A

Electrical input (HP × 746 ÷ efficiency)877.65 W

Try: 1HP at 120V 3/4HP at 120V 1/2HP at 120V 1.5HP at 120V

Volts

Motor Type

Running Amps (meter)

8.6

NEC Table 430.248 FLC (code sizing)

Use the running amps for metering and energy calculations. For branch-circuit sizing, AC motors use the NEC Table 430.248 / 430.250 full-load current under NEC 430.6(A)(1); DC motors use the motor nameplate full-load current under NEC 430.6(A)(3), with Table 430.247 as the reference. Three-phase current is shown per line on a balanced circuit.

Formula (single-phase)

I_(A) = (HP × 746) ÷ (V × Eff × PF)

(1 × 746) ÷ (120 × 0.85 × 0.85) = 746 ÷ 86.7 = 8.6 A

Convert HP to watts: 1 × 746 = 746W
Denominator: 120 × 0.85 × 0.85 = 86.7
Result: 746 ÷ 86.7 = 8.6 amps

NEC Reference Values

This section lists the Code reference numbers a motor branch circuit is sized from. Final conductor, breaker, disconnect, and overload selection is an install decision a licensed electrician makes against the motor nameplate, the actual install conditions, and the applicable NEC articles, not a decision a conversion page can make for you.

NEC Sizing Base: NEC Table 430.248 FLC

Per NEC 430.6(A)(1), motor branch-circuit conductors, switches, and overcurrent protection are sized from the values in Table 430.248 (single-phase) or Table 430.250 (three-phase), not from the motor nameplate and not from a calculated full-load amps. For a 1 HP single-phase motor at 120V, the table value is 16 A (the 115V column covers 110-120V systems under 430.6(A)(1)).

The 8.6 A shown in the hero is the calculated running current at 85% efficiency and PF 0.85. This is a conversion from the nameplate horsepower under those assumptions, not a measured value; a real meter reading depends on the motor's actual efficiency, loading, temperature, and design. Use this figure for energy and metering estimates, and use 16 A as the reference FLC when an electrician walks through NEC 430 against the nameplate.

NEC 430.22 Conductor Rule (reference formula)

NEC 430.22 requires motor branch-circuit conductor ampacity of at least 125% of the Code sizing FLC. As a reference calculation against the NEC Table 430.248 value: 16 × 1.25 = 20 A. The selected conductor is taken from NEC Table 310.16 at the applicable termination temperature column, with ambient, bundling, and cable-type adjustments applied by the installer. Motor branch-circuit conductors are exempt from the 240.4(D) small-conductor rule via 240.4(G).

NEC 430.52 Overcurrent Protection (code caps)

NEC Table 430.52(C)(1) gives the maximum rating for motor short-circuit and ground-fault protection as a percentage of the Code sizing FLC. The percentage depends on the device type:

Device Type	Maximum % of Table FLC (430.52(C)(1))
Non-time-delay fuse	300%
Dual-element (time-delay) fuse	175%
Inverse-time circuit breaker	250%
Instantaneous-trip circuit breaker	800%

These percentages are maximum caps, not install picks. A real circuit applies the percentage against the Code sizing FLC for the specific device type, rounds up to a standard size per 430.52(C)(1)(a), and is verified against the motor nameplate and the install conditions by the installer. The elevated percentages exist so short-circuit protection does not nuisance-trip on locked-rotor startup inrush.

Locked Rotor (Startup) Current

During the first 2-5 seconds of startup, a squirrel-cage induction motor typically draws 5 to 7 times the NEC Table 430.248 FLC of 16 A (roughly 80 to 112 A). This is why the 430.52(C)(1) percentages above are so much higher than running current: the short-circuit/ground-fault protective device has to ride through locked-rotor inrush without tripping. Actual LRA is set by the motor's NEMA code letter on the nameplate and should be checked there for a real install.

Current	Amps	Duration
Calculated running current (meter)	8.6 A	Continuous at full load
NEC Table 430.248 FLC (Code reference)	16 A	Sizing base, not metered
Locked rotor (typical, 5-7×)	80-112 A	2-5 seconds

Operating Cost

Motor mechanical output is 746 W (1 HP × 746). Electrical input at the terminals is higher because no motor is 100% efficient: 746 ÷ 0.85 = 877.65 W. At $0.17/kWh, running cost is $0.15/hour or $35.81/month at 8 hours/day. Full breakdown at 877.65 W.

Amps by Motor Efficiency (single-phase)

Motor efficiency directly affects amp draw. A more efficient motor draws less current for the same HP output. Values below are the calculated single-phase running current at 120V and PF 0.85:

Efficiency	Amps at 120V	Watts Consumed	Waste Heat
75%	9.75 A	994.67 W	248.67 W
80%	9.14 A	932.5 W	186.5 W
85%	8.6 A	877.65 W	131.65 W
90%	8.13 A	828.89 W	82.89 W
95%	7.7 A	785.26 W	39.26 W

Other HP Values at 120V (single-phase)

Running current is the calculated single-phase draw at 85% efficiency and 0.85 PF (a conversion from HP under those assumptions, not a measured value). NEC Table FLC is the value from NEC Table 430.248 used for branch-circuit conductor and OCP sizing under NEC 430.6(A)(1). LRA is estimated at 5-7× the NEC table FLC; rows outside the table show n/a because there is no code-authoritative LRA basis for that HP/voltage/phase combination. Row links open each result page in single-phase mode.

HP	Running Amps (calculated)	NEC Table 430.248 FLC	LRA Estimate (5-7× FLC)
1/8 HP	1.08 A	off-table	n/a
1/6 HP	1.43 A	4.4 A	22-30.8 A
1/4 HP	2.15 A	5.8 A	29-40.6 A
1/3 HP	2.87 A	7.2 A	36-50.4 A
1/2 HP	4.3 A	9.8 A	49-68.6 A
3/4 HP	6.45 A	13.8 A	69-96.6 A
1 HP	8.6 A	16 A	80-112 A
1.5 HP	12.91 A	20 A	100-140 A
2 HP	17.21 A	24 A	120-168 A
3 HP	25.81 A	34 A	170-238 A
5 HP	43.02 A	56 A	280-392 A
7.5 HP	64.53 A	80 A	400-560 A
10 HP	86.04 A	100 A	500-700 A
15 HP	129.07 A	off-table	n/a
20 HP	172.09 A	off-table	n/a
25 HP	215.11 A	off-table	n/a
30 HP	258.13 A	off-table	n/a
40 HP	344.18 A	off-table	n/a
50 HP	430.22 A	off-table	n/a
75 HP	645.33 A	off-table	n/a

Same HP, Other Voltages (single-phase)

speed 1 HP at 208V = 4.96A speed 1 HP at 220V = 4.69A speed 1 HP at 230V = 4.49A speed 1 HP at 240V = 4.3A speed 1 HP at 400V = 2.58A speed 1 HP at 480V = 2.15A

Related Calculations

bolt 878W electrical input to amps at 120V payments 878W running cost cable Wire size for 20A (NEC 430.22 minimum: 125% of 16A NEC Table 430.248 FLC)

Frequently Asked Questions

How many amps does a 1 HP single-phase motor draw at 120V?expand_more

At the terminals, a 1 HP single-phase motor at 120V draws about 8.6 amps at 85% efficiency and 0.85 power factor. For NEC branch-circuit sizing use the NEC Table 430.248 full-load current instead: 16 A.

What branch-circuit context does a 1 HP single-phase motor at 120V typically sit in?expand_more

At 120V single-phase, this is in US residential-receptacle territory (NEMA 5-15 or 5-20), but motor branch circuits are not general-purpose outlets. Motor conductors and OCP are sized per NEC 430.22 and 430.52(C)(1) against the NEC Table 430.248 FLC, with the 240.4(G) exemption from the small-conductor rule. Whether this specific motor sits on a shared receptacle, a dedicated 15/20A circuit, or a motor-rated disconnect is an install decision your electrician makes from the nameplate, startup current, and duty cycle, not from a calculated amp figure.

What does NEC 430.52(C)(1) say about OCP for a 1 HP single-phase motor?expand_more

NEC Table 430.52(C)(1) gives the maximum OCP rating as a percentage of the NEC Table 430.248 FLC. The ceilings by device type are 300% for non-time-delay fuses, 175% for dual-element (time-delay) fuses, 250% for inverse-time circuit breakers, and 800% for instantaneous-trip breakers. These percentages are ceilings, not starting points, and 250% is not a blanket motor rule. The actual max for a specific install comes from picking the device type, applying the matching percentage to the 16 A NEC Table 430.248 FLC, rounding up to a standard size per 430.52(C)(1)(a), and verifying against the motor startup profile.

What is 1 HP in watts?expand_more

1 HP equals 746 watts of mechanical output (1 HP = 746 W). The electrical input at the terminals is higher because no motor is 100% efficient: at 85% efficiency the input is about 877.65 W.

What is locked rotor amps for a 1 HP single-phase motor?expand_more

Locked-rotor (startup) current typically runs 5-7 times the NEC Table 430.248 FLC for a squirrel-cage induction motor: 80-112 A for 2-5 seconds. The exact value depends on the NEMA code letter stamped on the motor nameplate.

This calculator provides estimates for reference purposes only. Always consult a licensed electrician and verify compliance with the National Electrical Code (NEC) and local electrical codes before performing any electrical work.