Festival Lighting Power Load Calculator
Quick answer: Add fixtures with their wattage and count. Get total amps, recommended breaker, and per-phase distribution.
Calculate the total power draw of a festival lighting rig — fixture by fixture — and the required service size with NEC 80% continuous-load rule applied. Built for tour managers, lighting designers, and festival production crews planning power distribution.
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Last reviewed: April 2026Report an error
Fixtures (name × watts × count)
Quick:
Recommended Service
60 A breaker
Total: 16,080 W = 47 A on 208V 3-phase. Recommended 60A breaker (NEC 80% rule).
Total Watts
16,080 W
Total Amps
47 A
Breaker
60 A
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The Formula
P_total = Σ(P_fixture × N) ; I = P_total / (V × √3 × PF for 3-phase) ; Service = I / 0.80
- P_fixture = Watts per fixture (from spec sheet)
- PF = Power factor (LED ~0.95, magnetic ballast ~0.85)
- V = Service voltage (120, 208, 240, 277, 480)
- 0.80 = NEC 80% continuous-load rule
Source: NEC 2023 Article 210.20 ↗
How to Use This Festival Power Calculator
- 1Add each fixture: name, watts per fixture, and count.
- 2Pick service voltage (208V 3-phase is standard for festivals).
- 3Set power factor (LED ~0.95, arc/discharge ~0.85).
- 4Read total amps and recommended breaker size.
Frequently Asked Questions
- A mid-size festival main stage might pull 400-800A on 208V 3-phase. A small club rig might be 100-200A. Headlining tours can hit 1500A+ with multiple LED walls and large lighting.
- Power factor is the ratio of real power (watts) to apparent power (volt-amps). LED fixtures with switching power supplies are near 1.0 (efficient). Older arc/discharge fixtures with magnetic ballasts run 0.8-0.9 — meaning more amps drawn than the wattage suggests.
- 3-phase 208V is industry standard because it splits the load across three legs, cutting current per leg by 1.73x. Single-phase 240V is used for smaller rigs (<10,000W). Generators almost always output 3-phase for events.
- Take peak amps from this calculator, multiply watts by 1.25, and pick a generator with continuous output above that. Always have headroom — generators derate at high temperatures and altitudes.
- Many fixtures (especially older tungsten or arc) have 3-5x inrush at turn-on for ~100ms. Modern LED fixtures with soft-start are negligible. For old racks, use a phased turn-on sequence to avoid breaker trips.
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