Power and utility
Amperage
Amperage is the amount of electric current moving through a circuit, measured in amps. It sets how large breakers and wires must be.
Amps measure how much current moves through a wire. A breaker's amp rating is the most current its circuit should carry. The CPSC explains that a breaker should trip when overloading pushes current above the breaker's amperage rating. Wire has its own limit, called ampacity.
Amperage is not the same as voltage or wattage, though the three are linked. Matching breaker, wire and load is work for a licensed electrician. See why a breaker keeps tripping.
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