How Many Amps Does a 5 HP three-phase Motor Draw at 120V?

5 HP three-phase motor at 120V draws 24.84 amps per line. Three-phase power is the standard for commercial and industrial motors because it delivers more mechanical output per amp of wire. The amp draw depends on voltage, motor efficiency, and power factor.

Typical 5 HP motor applications: small air compressors, dust collectors, shop tools (120V is unusual above 2 HP).

5 HP three-phase motor at 120V

24.84 Amps per line running

Calculated running current at the motor terminals at the assumed 85% efficiency and PF 0.85, per line on a balanced three-phase circuit. 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 430.250 FLCoff-table (see nameplate)

Electrical input (HP × 746 ÷ efficiency)4,388.24 W

Try: 5HP at 120V (3Φ) 3HP at 120V (3Φ) 7.5HP at 120V (3Φ) 2HP at 120V (3Φ)

Volts

Motor Type

Running Amps (per line)

24.84

NEC Table 430.250 FLC (code sizing)

off-table

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 (three-phase)

I_(A) = (HP × 746) ÷ (√3 × V_L-L × Eff × PF)

(5 × 746) ÷ (√3 × 120 × 0.85 × 0.85) = 3,730 ÷ 150.17 = 24.84 A per line

Convert HP to watts: 5 × 746 = 3,730W
Denominator: √3 × 120 × 0.85 × 0.85 = 1.73 × 120 × 0.85 × 0.85 = 150.17
Result: 3,730 ÷ 150.17 = 24.84 amps per line

Three-phase current is per line on a balanced circuit. Voltage is line-to-line; the √3 factor comes from the three-phase vector geometry, not a round-trip doubling.

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.

Off-Table: No Code-Anchored Sizing

This combination is off-table because 120V is not a listed three-phase voltage in NEC Table 430.250. The table lists three-phase motors at 200V, 208V, 230V, 460V, and 575V, three-phase power is not typically distributed at 120V, 240V single-leg, 277V, or 400V in the United States. 5 HP is a listed horsepower, but not at this voltage.

Because there is no table FLC to anchor the NEC 430.22 conductor and 430.52(C)(1) OCP math, this page deliberately does not show branch-circuit sizing values for this variant. Multiplying the 24.84 A calculated running current by 125% or 250% would produce numbers that look authoritative but are not what the code requires.

What to do instead:

Use one of the voltages NEC Table 430.250 actually lists for 5 HP three-phase: 5 HP at 208V 3Φ, 5 HP at 230V 3Φ, 5 HP at 480V 3Φ, 5 HP at 575V 3Φ.
If this motor is actually single-phase, 5 HP single-phase at 120V is in NEC Table 430.248 with an FLC of 56 A.
Pull the motor nameplate FLC and have a licensed electrician apply the 430.22 (conductor) and 430.52(C)(1) (OCP) rules against that number. NEC 430.6(A)(1) Exception permits using the next-higher listed HP where the motor rating is between table values; your inspector may also accept nameplate-based sizing for unusual HP ratings.

Operating Cost

Motor mechanical output is 3,730 W (5 HP × 746). Electrical input at the terminals is higher because no motor is 100% efficient: 3,730 ÷ 0.85 = 4,388.24 W. At $0.17/kWh, running cost is $0.75/hour or $179.04/month at 8 hours/day. Full breakdown at 4,388.24 W.

Amps by Motor Efficiency (three-phase)

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

Efficiency	Amps at 120V (per line)	Watts Consumed	Waste Heat
75%	28.15 A	4,973.33 W	1,243.33 W
80%	26.39 A	4,662.5 W	932.5 W
85%	24.84 A	4,388.24 W	658.24 W
90%	23.46 A	4,144.44 W	414.44 W
95%	22.22 A	3,926.32 W	196.32 W

Other HP Values at 120V (three-phase)

Running current is the calculated three-phase draw per line 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 430.250 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 three-phase mode.

HP	Running Amps (calculated)	NEC Table 430.250 FLC	LRA Estimate (5-7× FLC)
1/8 HP	0.621 A	off-table	n/a
1/6 HP	0.8281 A	off-table	n/a
1/4 HP	1.24 A	off-table	n/a
1/3 HP	1.66 A	off-table	n/a
1/2 HP	2.48 A	off-table	n/a
3/4 HP	3.73 A	off-table	n/a
1 HP	4.97 A	off-table	n/a
1.5 HP	7.45 A	off-table	n/a
2 HP	9.94 A	off-table	n/a
3 HP	14.9 A	off-table	n/a
5 HP	24.84 A	off-table	n/a
7.5 HP	37.26 A	off-table	n/a
10 HP	49.68 A	off-table	n/a
15 HP	74.52 A	off-table	n/a
20 HP	99.35 A	off-table	n/a
25 HP	124.19 A	off-table	n/a
30 HP	149.03 A	off-table	n/a
40 HP	198.71 A	off-table	n/a
50 HP	248.39 A	off-table	n/a
75 HP	372.58 A	off-table	n/a

Same HP, Other Voltages (three-phase)

speed 5 HP at 208V = 14.33A per line speed 5 HP at 220V = 13.55A per line speed 5 HP at 230V = 12.96A per line speed 5 HP at 240V = 12.42A per line speed 5 HP at 400V = 7.45A per line speed 5 HP at 480V = 6.21A per line

Related Calculations

bolt 4,388W electrical input to amps at 120V payments 4,388W running cost

Frequently Asked Questions

How many amps does a 5 HP three-phase motor draw at 120V?expand_more

At the terminals, a 5 HP three-phase motor at 120V draws about 24.84 amps per line at 85% efficiency and 0.85 power factor. This specific HP and voltage combination is outside NEC Table 430.250, so NEC branch-circuit sizing must come from the motor nameplate and a licensed electrician, not from the calculated value above.

What branch-circuit context does a 5 HP three-phase motor at 120V typically sit in?expand_more

Three-phase motor branches are not served from residential receptacles in the US. Three-phase power is distributed to commercial and industrial services, and a 5 HP three-phase motor at 120V needs a dedicated three-phase branch circuit sized by an electrician per NEC 430.22 (conductors) and 430.52(C)(1) (short-circuit / ground-fault protection), against the motor nameplate and install conditions.

How does NEC 430.22 size conductors for a 5 HP three-phase motor?expand_more

NEC 430.22 sizes branch-circuit conductors at 125% of the table full-load current, but this HP/voltage combination is not listed in NEC Table 430.250. The correct input for the 430.22 formula here is the motor nameplate FLC, applied by a licensed electrician.

What does NEC 430.52(C)(1) say about OCP for a 5 HP three-phase motor?expand_more

NEC Table 430.52(C)(1) percentages apply to the table full-load current, and this combination is not listed in NEC Table 430.250. The input for the 430.52(C)(1) math here is the motor nameplate FLC, applied by a licensed electrician with the device-type percentage that matches the install (175% dual-element fuse, 250% inverse-time breaker, 300% non-time-delay fuse, 800% instantaneous-trip breaker).

How much does a 5 HP motor cost to run?expand_more

Operating cost is based on electrical input, not mechanical HP output. At 85% efficiency, a 5 HP motor draws about 4,388.24 W at the terminals. At $0.17/kWh (US residential average, last reviewed April 2026), that is $0.75/hour or $179.04/month at 8 hours/day.

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.