COLLEGE OF SAINT BENILDE – SCHOOL OF DESIGN AND THE ARTS

COMPUTATION FOR THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF POINTS PER CIRCUIT

REFERENCE: Philippine Electrical Code

LIGHTING POINTS:
Constants:
Industry Standard Wiring for Lighting = 3.5mm2 Copper Wire (or AWG # 12)
Considered Ampacity of 3.5mm2 Cu Wire = 15 Amperes **
Supply Voltage in the Philippines = 220V
Allowable (Optimal) Ampacity of Conductor to be utilized in circuits as per the Philippine Electrical Code =
80%

Therefore:
Optimal Ampacity = 80% of Conductor Ampacity = (15A x 0.80)
Optimal Ampacity = 12A
Voltage x Optimal Ampacity of Conductor = Allowable Wattage
Allowable Wattage = (220 V) x (12 A) = 2640 W

Assuming that each light point/receptacle will be allocated with at most 100 Watts, we can say that:

Maximum Number of Points = Allowable Wattage/Wattage per Point

= 2640 W/100 W
= 26.40 or 26 Points (or a safer number would be 24 Points)
CONVENIENCE OUTLET POINTS:
Constants:
Industry Standard Wiring for Lighting = 3.5mm2 Copper Wire (or AWG # 12)
Considered Ampacity of 3.5mm2 Cu Wire = 15 Amperes **
Supply Voltage in the Philippines = 220V
Allowable (Optimal) Ampacity of Conductor to be utilized in circuits as per the Philippine Electrical Code =
80%

Therefore:
Optimal Ampacity = 80% of Conductor Ampacity = (15A x 0.80)
Optimal Ampacity = 12A
Voltage x Optimal Ampacity of Conductor = Allowable Wattage
Allowable Wattage = (220 V) x (12 A) = 2640 W

Assuming that each convenience outlet point will be allocated with at most 300 Watts, we can say that:

Maximum Number of Points = Allowable Wattage/Wattage per Point

= 2640 W/300 W
= 8.8 or roughly 9 Points

** Allowable Ampacity of circuit was correlated with the limit set by the Overcurrent protection
(circuit breakers).

Prepared by:
Arch. Gino Bjorn A. Abrera

Sources:
1. Philippine Electrical Code of 2009
2. Allowable Ampacities of Insulated Conductors by National Electrical Code of the United States of America
(http://www.usawire-cable.com/pdfs/NEC%20AMPACITIES.pdf)