AV Power Consumption Calculator

Every piece of audio/video equipment draws power. When you are setting up a live event, broadcast studio, or portable production, you need to know how much total power your gear requires and how many circuits to request from the venue. Getting this wrong means tripped breakers, lost signals, and unhappy clients.

How to calculate AV power requirements

Add up the wattage of every device that will be powered. Divide by the mains voltage to get total amperage. Then apply the 80% rule: never load a circuit beyond 80% of its rated capacity for continuous loads. A 20A circuit at 120V can safely deliver 1,920W (20A x 120V x 0.8).

Common AV equipment power draw

• Cameras — mirrorless cameras draw 10-20W, cinema cameras 40-80W, PTZ cameras 20-30W.
• Video switchers — small switchers (ATEM Mini) use 15-20W, larger production switchers 50-200W.
• Monitors — small field monitors use 10-15W, reference monitors 40-60W, large displays 80-150W.
• Lighting — LED panels range from 25W (small) to 150W+ (Fresnel), much less than legacy tungsten fixtures.
• Audio — small mixers use 15-20W, 32-channel consoles 60-100W, powered speakers 200-2000W each.
• Networking — managed switches 10-30W, PoE switches 60-250W depending on port count.

Voltage differences worldwide

The US and Japan use 100-120V mains, while most of Europe, the UK, and Australia use 220-240V. Higher voltage means lower amperage for the same wattage — so a 1200W rig draws 10A at 120V but only 5.2A at 230V. This calculator lets you switch between voltage standards.

The 80% circuit rule

The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires that continuous loads do not exceed 80% of a circuit's rating. In practice, this means a 15A circuit provides 12A (1,440W at 120V) and a 20A circuit provides 16A (1,920W at 120V). Always plan for headroom.

Organise your gear setup with H2R Gear

H2R Gear lets you diagram your full equipment setup including power, video, and audio connections. Plan your rig before you arrive on site and share it with your crew.