Equipment Loads 1

[StephenT]

In an effort to update my company's equipment load approximations used for commercial design, I have come across very little information on the web. From what I have found, our current approximations are very high, sometimes even double. The best information I found was a study by Dr. Paul Komar issued in the December 1997 ASHRAE journal. If anyone can confirm the loads used, or direct me to a better source, I would greatly appreciate it. The following is a summary of what Dr. Komar published based on an approximation of active and inactive time.

Device/Active power consumption(watts)/Standby power consumption(watts)/Active time(%)/average power(watts)

computer and monitor/150W/always active/100%/150W
printer/250W/80W/20%/114W
copier/220W/190W/20%/196W
fax/175W/35W/20%/63W
refrigerator/120W/always active/100%/120W
microwave/1500W/0W/5%/75W

 

[Bhandari]

HI,

You may find the following website useful:

http://enduse.lbl.gov/

MS

 

[Goorah]

Another thing you might want to do is to conduct an audit an actually record device nameplate data. I've done this on a number of occassions when published data was limited and/or dated. This might allow you to compare the actual installation to published data. If so, I'd be interested in the results!

 

[Goorah]

The other thing I did recently on a current kitchen project, where a design firm specializing in kitchens had selected all the equipment was to request spec sheets on all the equipment. They were more than glad to oblige and sent me a "book" of all these CURRENT spec sheets.: ovens, toasters, dishwashers, steam tables, microwaves, heat tables, stoves, meat slicers, mixers, etc.

I've also asked for specs from the computer (IS) department managers on PCs, printers, plotters, fascimilie machines,copiers, etc.

All this "mundane" information is not always available in one specific spot; and the technologies are constantly being updated.

 

[StephenT]

Bhandari,
Thank you, I've just started thumbing through the website and it appears to be very useful.

Goorah,
Are the specs provided the nameplate rating of the devices or are they the actual power consumption?

 

[Goorah]

Great site, Bhandari! I've bookmarked it.

Thanks,

 

[Goorah]

Steve: nameplate data is governed by UL and requirements probably vary depending on the type of appliance. You probably should go to their site and ask them.

I've been using the power consumption as listed on nameplates; or computing it based on VA info. Could be wrong; but I'm more comfprtable with that than just assuming some published data is correct. If I see a correlation between published data and actual nameplates, then I feel better.