Amps in your house in the US

[Nilking]

Ok, little OT but hopefully posted in the right forum.

I'm curious about how many amps people in the US have in their houses.
I bought i Hotspring Limelight Pulse and when I checked the manual on the US website it says that the heater is 4000 watts.
But my tub bought here in Sweden only has a 1500w heater(which I think is a little bit weak).
Been asking around why the heater is smaller here and got the answer that in Europe we generally only have 20-50 amps in our houses and in the US  you have around 150-200 amps. Huuuuge difference if true..
True or false?

[fdegree]

I just checked the breaker panel in my house.  The main breaker, for the entire panel, is a 200 amp breaker.  The house I lived in prior to this one was about 50 years old, and it had a main breaker rated at either 100 or 150 amps...I can't remember exactly.  So, based upon my situation, I would say the information that you were given is probably fairly accurate.

[wmccall]

My house has 100amp service which is considered the bottom end. In the summer I have to be careful what else is running if the tub is being used with the jets on, I have tripped the main breaker a few times.

[gwendland]

Older single family homes in the US typically had 100 AMP service installed.  Given the number and variety of electrical appliances common to US households, 200 AMP service is now commonly installed on the average relatively modern home constructions in the US...modern meaning post 1975 (just an approximation and I could be off by many years).  Cheaper or poorer quality construction may still install 100 AMP or 150 AMP service in the home.  I have no idea what is the "standard" electrical service installed in your country.

[Spatech_tuo]

... got the answer that in Europe we generally only have 20-50 amps in our houses and in the US  you have around 150-200 amps. Huuuuge difference if true..
True or false?

True except for older US homes.

When a US customer is thinking about getting a spa but they live in an old home they sometimes have to upgrade their service to accomodate the spa but the majority of spa owners are in homes that can handle the extra load.

[Nilking]

Looked at my electrical bill today, it says 16 amps.(Original was 20, the prevoius owner "downgraded" to 16 and saved 100 us $/year)
I'm no electrician but this seems crazy
What kind of devices do you have in your houses using 200 amps?  

(Now it's OT)
I live in a house built 1989. We have the "usual western" stuff at home such as couple of TV's (LCD'S), dishwasher, drier , washingmachine, a couple of laptops.. etc etc. AND the HS limelight pulse.
Wonder how 16 amps can handle all of this..? The Hotspring dealer here said that I should be ok upgrading the heater in it to 3000watts without changing the amps also. Now I'm confused.
And oh, we use 230 volts here, maybe that is the reason?

Edit: Forgot to mention, we've never tripped the breaker...

[mattNY]

As already stated, most older homes have a 100A service.  I upgraded to a 150, a lot of new homes will have a 200A service.  Some friends of mine just did a new build and got two, 200A services put in, for a total of 400A (!!).  That is unusual, but just giving the example.  They have electronics throughout their house - TVs, LCD displays on the wall for security camera and intercom control, hot tub, a large bathroom tub with heater, electric fireplaces, the list goes on.

[D.P. Roberts]

From what I've heard, many parts of Europe are 220V, whereas the average US house is 110V service. So, since Amps = Watts/Volts, doubling the voltage means you can double the wattage and the amperage stays the same. Or, in other words, a 50 amp service on 220V could handle the same wattage as a 100amp service on 110V.  I'm not an electrician, so I hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong.

[Tman122]

In the states the codes say you have to plan for everything running at the same time, example. Hot Tub requires 40 amps on a 50 amp circuit, I have a welder in my garage requires a 30 amp circuit but uses about 20 rarely, and more like 15. Elecrtic dryer 20 required but uses 10-15. Electric range requires 20. Each 15 or 20 amp elecrtical light or outlet circuit may only use 5-10 at a time but you have to have enough. Start adding it up if you have allot going on you can get close to 200. My house is 15 years old and has 300. It was heated by electricity and has 2-70's feeding an electric heat sub panel. I use gas forced air now though. So plenty for a tub sitting there.

[Vinny]

I think you're correct!

From what I've heard, many parts of Europe are 220V, whereas the average US house is 110V service. So, since Amps = Watts/Volts, doubling the voltage means you can double the wattage and the amperage stays the same. Or, in other words, a 50 amp service on 220V could handle the same wattage as a 100amp service on 110V.  I'm not an electrician, so I hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong.

[Nilking]

From what I've heard, many parts of Europe are 220V, whereas the average US house is 110V service. So, since Amps = Watts/Volts, doubling the voltage means you can double the wattage and the amperage stays the same. Or, in other words, a 50 amp service on 220V could handle the same wattage as a 100amp service on 110V.  I'm not an electrician, so I hope someone corrects me if I'm wrong.

Yep, we have 230V. But since I don't use electric heating I presume I don't need 100 or more amps in to the house.
But now I know, thanks for all the answers..
I'm going to upgrade my subscription anyway. I did tripped the breaker this weekend after a looooong soak. 

//Thomas

[Spiderman]

We've got 2 amps in our house.  My son has a Crate 10 Watt practice amp and I've got a Fender Frontman 212R 100 watt amp.  The Fender really cranks out some noise, let me tell you!

[D.P. Roberts]

We've got 2 amps in our house.  My son has a Crate 10 Watt practice amp and I've got a Fender Frontman 212R 100 watt amp.  The Fender really cranks out some noise, let me tell you!

Yeah, but do your amps go up to 11?

[Chas]

Yeah, but do your amps go up to 11?