How Many Amps Is 1.18 kW at 277V?

1.18 kW at 277V draws about 5 amps on an AC single-phase circuit at PF 0.85, typical for residential water heaters, dryers, ranges, EV chargers, and HVAC equipment. Actual current varies with equipment power factor and duty cycle.

1.18 kW at 277V, AC single-phase (PF 0.85)

5 Amps

1.18 kilowatts at 277V on AC single-phase ≈ 5 amps

DC (ideal baseline)4.25 A

Try: 1kW at 277V 1.5kW at 277V 0.75kW at 277V 0.5kW at 277V

Volts

Amps (AC single-phase, PF 0.85)

Formulas

DC: kW to Amps

I_(A) = 1000 × P_(kW) ÷ V_(V)

1000 × 1.18 ÷ 277 = 1,178 ÷ 277 = 4.25 A

AC Single Phase (PF = 0.85)

I_(A) = 1000 × P_(kW) ÷ (PF × V_(V))

1,178 ÷ (0.85 × 277) = 1,178 ÷ 235.45 = 5 A

Equipment & Circuit Sizing

Breaker Sizing

Breaker ratings are in amps, not watts, so the real install answer depends on the equipment nameplate FLA, whether the load is continuous (NEC 210.19(A) sizes the conductor and OCP at 125% of a continuous load, equivalently 80% of breaker rating), conductor ampacity and temperature rating, ambient and bundling derates, and any motor or HVAC provisions (NEC 430 / 440). At roughly 5A on AC single-phase at 277V, the load sits in the bracket between a 15A standard size (non-continuous) and the next size up that covers a continuous load under 210.19(A). The actual install pick depends on whether the load is continuous and the factors above; a conversion page can't pick a single "right" breaker from the amp draw alone.

Energy Cost

1.18 kW costs $0.20/hour at $0.17/kWh (rates last reviewed April 2026). See breakdown.

Power Factor Reference (AC single-phase)

How the line current for 1.18 kW at 277V changes with load power factor, on the same AC single-phase circuit basis the rest of the page uses. DC has no power factor; PF 1.0 represents resistive AC loads.

Load Type	PF	1.18 kW at 277V (AC single-phase)
Resistive (heaters, incandescent)	1	4.25 A
Fluorescent lamps	0.95	4.48 A
LED lighting	0.9	4.73 A
Synchronous motors	0.9	4.73 A
Typical mixed loads	0.85	5 A
Induction motors (full load)	0.8	5.32 A
Computers (without PFC)	0.65	6.54 A
Induction motors (no load)	0.35	12.15 A

AC Conversion Comparison

On DC, 1.18kW at 277V draws 4.25A. AC single-phase at PF 0.85 pulls 5A because reactive current is added on top of the real power.

Circuit Type	Formula	Result
DC	1,178 ÷ 277	4.25 A
AC Single Phase (PF 0.85)	1,178 ÷ (0.85 × 277)	5 A

Other kW Values at 277V

kW	AC 1-Phase PF 0.85	DC Amps PF 1.0 baseline
0.5 kW	2.12 A	1.81 A
0.75 kW	3.19 A	2.71 A
1 kW	4.25 A	3.61 A
1.5 kW	6.37 A	5.42 A
2 kW	8.49 A	7.22 A
2.5 kW	10.62 A	9.03 A
3 kW	12.74 A	10.83 A
3.5 kW	14.87 A	12.64 A
4 kW	16.99 A	14.44 A
5 kW	21.24 A	18.05 A
6 kW	25.48 A	21.66 A
7.5 kW	31.85 A	27.08 A
8 kW	33.98 A	28.88 A
10 kW	42.47 A	36.1 A
12 kW	50.97 A	43.32 A

Same kW, Other Voltages

Each destination page leads with the interpretation most common for that voltage, so the amps shown below use the same basis as the page you'd land on: single-phase for residential voltages, three-phase for commercial/industrial panel voltages, DC for low-voltage.

Related Calculations

bolt 1,178W to amps at 277V payments 1,178W running cost cable Wire size for 5A at 277V

Frequently Asked Questions

How many amps is 1.18 kW at 277V?expand_more

1.18 kW at 277V draws about 5 amps on an AC single-phase circuit at PF 0.85. Alternate cases at the same voltage: 4.25A on DC.

How many amps does a 1.18 kW EV charger draw at 277V?expand_more

277V is the line-to-neutral voltage of a 480V three-phase wye panel and is rare for EV charging directly. Most commercial Level 2 EVSE pulls from the 208V wye phase-to-phase instead, and anything requiring 480V-class input is almost always a DC fast charger, not an AC EVSE. Verify the equipment spec sheet before planning a 277V branch for charging.

How does power factor affect the amps for 1.18 kW at 277V?expand_more

On AC single-phase, current scales inversely with power factor. At PF 1.0 (pure resistive, like a heater), 1.18 kW at 277V draws 4.25A. At PF 0.80 (typical induction motor), the same real power draws 5.32A. The extra current is reactive and does no real work, but still flows through the wire and the breaker.

How much does 1.18 kW cost to run?expand_more

1.18 kW costs $0.20 per hour at $0.17/kWh (US residential average, last reviewed April 2026). At 8 hours/day that is $48.06 per month.

Is 1.18 kW single-phase or three-phase?expand_more

1.18 kW can be either. Residential loads up to about 5 kW (water heaters, dryers, EV chargers at 240V) are usually single-phase; commercial panels often serve the same load three-phase at 208V or 480V.

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.