Data reviewed: 24 October 2026 · Engineering Desk Tools · How we check calculations
Motor full load current chart (kW) – 230, 400, 415 and 690 V
Typical full load currents of standard three-phase 4-pole induction motors (IE2/IE3) at rated load. Use this table for kW motors in Europe, the Middle East, India and Asia. To find a motor's current from its shaft kW, efficiency and power factor, use the motor current calculator.
400/415 V values: Schneider Electric TeSys Type 2 coordination charts (direct-on-line, IE2/IE3/IE4 motors; 3.7 kW and 315 kW from the star-delta charts). 230 V and 690 V are calculated as I × 400 ÷ V. 1 HP = 0.746 kW; HP values are the usual equivalents.
Three-phase motor FLA chart (HP) – NEC Table 430.250
In the US and Canada, conductors, short-circuit protection and switches for a motor are sized from these table currents, not from the nameplate (NEC 430.6). The values are unchanged from the 1999 edition (Table 430-150) to the 2014 edition.
Source: NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, Table 430.250 (formerly 430-150). The listed voltages are motor nameplate voltages; the currents apply to systems of 110–120, 220–240, 440–480 and 550–600 V. Synchronous motors are not shown.
Single-phase motor full load current chart – NEC Table 430.248
Motor full load current formula
Three-phase: I = P ÷ (√3 × V × η × PF)
Single-phase: I = P ÷ (V × η × PF)
P is the rated output in watts (1 HP = 746 W), V the line voltage, η the efficiency and PF the power factor at full load. Example: a 15 kW IE3 4-pole motor at 400 V has an efficiency of about 92.1 % and a power factor of about 0.84, so I = 15,000 ÷ (1.732 × 400 × 0.921 × 0.84) ≈ 28 A. The chart lists 29 A, because it covers motors from many makers.
FLC, FLA and nameplate current
- Full load current (FLC): the standard table value above. Use it to size cables, fuses, breakers and switches.
- Full load amps (FLA) on the nameplate: the current of that particular motor. Use it to set the overload relay.
- Starting current: 6 to 8 times FLC for direct-on-line starting, and higher for IE3 and IE4 motors. Star-delta starting cuts it to about one third.
For the cable, enter the motor current in the cable size calculator (mm²) or the wire size calculator (AWG) to include length and voltage drop.
Motor current questions
What is the full load current of a 10 HP motor?
A 10 HP (7.5 kW) three-phase motor draws about 15.5 A at 400 or 415 V. In the US, NEC Table 430.250 lists 14 A at 460 V, 28 A at 230 V and 30.8 A at 208 V. Use the nameplate current to set the overload relay.
What is the full load current of a 15 HP motor?
A 15 HP (11 kW) three-phase motor draws about 22 A at 400/415 V. NEC Table 430.250 lists 21 A at 460 V and 42 A at 230 V.
What is the full load current of a 75 kW motor?
About 132 A at 400 or 415 V for a standard 4-pole motor, about 230 A at 230 V and about 77 A at 690 V.
What is the full load current of a 90 kW motor?
About 160 A at 400 or 415 V, and about 93 A at 690 V. A 90 kW motor is normally started star-delta or with a soft starter or drive to limit the starting current.
What is the full load current of a 2 HP single-phase motor at 230 V?
NEC Table 430.248 lists 12 A for a 2 HP single-phase motor at 230 V, 13.2 A at 208 V and 24 A at 115 V. A 12 A motor needs at least 14 AWG copper (125 % = 15 A).
What is the full load current of a 200 HP motor at 460 V?
NEC Table 430.250 lists 240 A for a 200 HP three-phase induction motor at 460 V, and 192 A at 575 V.
What is the difference between FLA and FLC?
FLC (full load current) is the table value from NEC 430.250 or a standard chart, used to size cables, fuses and breakers. FLA (full load amps) is the current stamped on the motor nameplate, used to set the overload relay. They are usually close but not identical.