What is the minimum service demand for each dryer in an eight-unit apartment complex if each apartment has a 4.5 kW single-phase 120/208 volt dryer?

To find the minimum service demand for each dryer in an eight-unit apartment complex with 4.5 kW dryers, it is important to understand how to calculate the total demand based on the number of units and the individual dryer rating.

In residential settings, the National Electrical Code (NEC) allows for demand factors when sizing service, particularly for certain appliances like dryers. For a typical multifamily dwelling, the NEC provides demand factors that recognize that not all appliances will be used at their full capacity simultaneously.

With 8 units and each having a dryer rated at 4.5 kW, if one were to simply multiply the number of dryers by the wattage, that would initially give 36 kW (8 units x 4.5 kW). However, due to the application of demand factors, the actual demand can be lower.

The NEC typically allows for a calculation of 75% demand for the first two dryers in a multifamily dwelling and 50% for the rest. However, for this specific scenario, as is often calculated in practice, assuming that not all dryers will be used at full capacity at the same time leads to a total adjusted demand of 27 kW.

This understanding of how to apply