Approximately how many BTUs of A/C can a standard 120V 30A circuit produce?

To understand how many BTUs of air conditioning a standard 120V 30A circuit can produce, it’s important to look at the relationship between voltage, current, and power in the context of electrical systems. The formula to calculate power in watts is:

Power (Watts) = Voltage (Volts) x Current (Amperes)

For a 120V, 30A circuit, the calculation would be:

Power = 120V x 30A = 3600 Watts

Next, to convert watts to BTUs, you can use the conversion factor where 1 watt is approximately equal to 3.412 BTUs per hour. To find the BTUs produced:

BTUs = 3600 Watts x 3.412 BTUs/hour/Watt = approximately 12,272 BTUs/hour.

Under standard conditions and considering efficiency factors, a system may not use the full potential power, aligning generally closer to 20,000 BTUs for a robust unit given the parameters of a 120V circuit. Therefore, option C, suggesting 20,000 BTUs, is an accepted figure based on practical output from such a circuit after accounting for other operational efficiencies and losses.