Breaker Sizing Calculator for Louisiana
NEC 2020 breaker sizing math for EV charger installers working in Louisiana.
Every EVSE branch in Louisiana is treated as a continuous load per NEC 2020 Article 625 — the OCPD must be sized at 125% of the EVSE's listed maximum draw.
Worked example for Louisiana
A 60 A continuous EV load requires a breaker rated 75 A (60 × 1.25 = 75.0 A, rounded up to the next standard size). The conductor downstream must carry that 75 A after Louisiana's 0.88× ampacity correction.
Code & Utilities
EV installations in Louisiana are governed by the 2020 National Electrical Code, in force since 2022. That includes Article 625 (Electric Vehicle Power Transfer System) requirements: 125% continuous-load sizing on EVSE branch circuits, GFCI protection at outdoor receptacles, and provisions for energy management systems on shared circuits.
In Louisiana, you'll most often interconnect with Entergy Louisiana, Cleco Power, SWEPCO Louisiana. Each has its own service-upgrade timeline, EV rebate availability, and metering rules — confirm them before quoting commercial work.
Climate & Ampacity
In Louisiana, the 95°F summer ambient drives a 0.88× 75°C ampacity correction. Bake this into every Level 2 and DCFC conductor pick before you commit to a wire size. Because the correction is below 0.9, conductors that "look fine" on a 30°C ampacity table will not carry their nameplate current here — always derate explicitly.
Louisiana takeaway
Use a 100%-rated breaker only when the panel and breaker are both listed for 100% continuous duty — otherwise the 125% rule applies. Louisiana inspectors enforce this rigorously on Article 625 work.