The Importance of Doing a Load Study Before Increasing Electrical Load
Safe Electrical Upgrades for Homes and Businesses
By Atomica Electrical Solutions LLC.
When you plan to upgrade your electrical system—whether at home, in a commercial building, or an industrial facility—it’s essential to know how much electrical load your system can safely handle. Many property owners add new equipment, such as EV chargers, electric tankless water heaters and air-conditioning systems, without checking if the existing service has enough capacity.
At Atomica Electrical Solutions, a licensed electrical contractor in Florida, we help homeowners and businesses perform accurate load calculations using professional DataLogger equipment, ensuring every upgrade is safe, efficient, and code-compliant.
🔍 What Is a Load Study or Load Calculation?
A load study, also known as a load calculation, is the process of determining how much electrical load a system is currently using and whether it can safely support additional demand.
⚙️ How a DataLogger Load Study Works
A DataLogger is a monitoring device that records your building’s electrical consumption over a period of at least 30 days, with 15 minutes interval as recommended by NEC 220.87(A).
It captures the maximum demand (in amperes or kilowatts) during this time. Once the measurement period is complete, the highest recorded load is multiplied by 125% to determine the continuous load capacity your system can handle safely.
This gives you a precise understanding of your system’s real performance—not just an estimate.
⚠️ Why You Should Never Add Load Without a Load Study
Adding circuits or new equipment without verifying the available capacity can cause serious problems:
Overheated conductors: When wires carry more current than designed, they can overheat and damage insulation.
Panel overload: Adding too many circuits can cause the panel to exceed its rating, leading to dangerous heat buildup.
Fire hazards: Overloaded systems are a leading cause of electrical fires.
Equipment failure: Overcurrent can damage appliances, EV chargers, and other sensitive electronics.
Code violations: NEC and local electrical codes require verification of available capacity before adding new loads.
Even if everything seems to work fine, that doesn’t mean your system is safe or compliant.
💡 Common Questions About Load Studies
1. Why do I need a load study if my system is working fine?
Because your electrical system may already be operating near its limit. A load study ensures you have safe headroom before adding more load.
2. Can I install an EV charger without a load study?
Not safely. EV chargers typically draw 30–50 amps or more of continuou load. Without checking capacity, you could easily overload your main panel or service conductors.
3. How is a DataLogger study different from a regular load calculation?
A load calculation uses estimated values. A DataLogger study measures actual power usage, providing more accurate results for existing installations.
4. How long does a DataLogger load study take?
Typically 30 days, to capture your system’s real energy demand during normal operation.
5. Who can perform a load study?
A licensed electrical engineer or licensed electrical contractor, such as Atomica Electrical Solutions, has the proper tools, training, and experience to perform accurate and code-compliant load studies. Electrical engineer can interpret the data collected from the Data Logger during a load study to evaluate the real electrical demand of the installation.
🔧 Trust Atomica Electrical Solutions for Professional Load Studies
At Atomica Electrical Solutions, we use industry-approved DataLogger equipment to help you safely plan your electrical upgrades. Whether you’re:
Installing a new EV charger,
Upgrading HVAC systems,
Expanding your business equipment**, or
Modernizing your home electrical system**,
we’ll make sure your existing service can handle it safely and efficiently.
Protect your property, prevent electrical hazards, and stay compliant with the National Electrical Code.
Contact Atomica Electrical Solutions LLC
Email: info@atomicaelectricals.com
🌐 Website: www.atomicaelectricalsolutions.com
📍 Service Area: Miami-Dade, Broward, and surrounding Florida counties
💬 Professional. Reliable. Code-Compliant.
