120 Watts to Amps

120 watts is 1.00 amps at 120 V or 0.50 amps at 240 V. See the circuit guidance and formula.

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Formula

Amps = Watts ÷ Volts (A = W / V) — for DC and purely resistive AC loads. For reactive AC loads divide by (Volts × Power Factor); PF ≈ 1 for heaters and incandescent bulbs, 0.6–0.9 for motors and electronics

Examples

InputResult
120 W at 120 V1.00 A
120 W at 240 V0.50 A
120 W at 12 V10.00 A

Frequently Asked Questions

How many amps is 120 watts?

1.00 amps at 120 V, or 0.50 amps at 240 V. At 12 V (car/RV) it draws 10.00 A.

Will 120 watts trip a 15-amp breaker?

No — a 15 A / 120 V circuit supplies up to 1800 W, so 120 W leaves 1680 W of headroom (80% continuous-load rule: keep it under 1440 W).

What about power factor?

For AC loads with motors or electronics, real amps = watts ÷ (volts × PF). A 1500 W motor at PF 0.8 on 120 V draws 1500 ÷ 96 = 15.6 A, not 12.5 A.

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