Kitchens tend to have a number of higher amperage appliances so you don't want to use the rule of thumb which would be 8 per 20A circuit. One typical trick would be a separate 20A circuit for things like microwaves or toaster ovens and then stagger several circuits along back-splash areas so you can easily reach a separate circuit if you have a number of appliances in the same area. You should always have separate circuits for major appliances like refrigerators and dish washers.
According to the National Electrical Code book (NEC) each receptacle is calculated at 180 VA. A 20A circuit at 120V would be 2400 VA. Divide 2400 VA by 180 VA = 13.33 receptacles per 20a circuit (13 receptacles), but the above poster is correct in saying that the more circuits in a kitchen the better. The NEC requires at least two small appliance branch circuits in a kitchen.
19 - 20 amps is too much. 16 amps is the maximum safe load for a circuit protected by a 20 amp breaker. Of course, its all safe, since the breaker will trip to prevent an overload from starting a fire. But current above 16 amps will eventually (sometimes after several hours even) trip the breaker.
For example in a kitchen where there are lots of appliances you may have some dedicated outlets for the refrigerator, one for microwave, etc.
You may also have some general purpose outlets around the counter top and stagger them so that alternating outlets are from each of two different 20 A circuits.
For places like general purpose use in a living room or bedroom you may have 8 outlets on a circuit. As a rule of thumb I would never put more than 8.
A different opinion
In a home or other in a residential setting there are no limitations on the number of outlets that can be placed on a circuit. However such circuits should be laid out to cover no more than 500 square feet in area.
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As always, if you are in doubt about what to do, the best advice anyone should give you is to call a licensed electrician to advise what work is needed.
Before you do any work yourself,
on electrical circuits, equipment or appliances,
always use a test meter to ensure the circuit is, in fact, de-energized.
IF YOU ARE NOT ALREADY SURE YOU CAN DO THIS JOB
SAFELY AND COMPETENTLY
REFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
Outlets don't take up any amperage, just the things plugged into them, though, there may be rules by the local government as to the number of outlets.
Nominally 8 to 10 in a typical application for general residential use. If you know the loads that are planned take 80% of 20 amps = 16 amps and only install enough outlets to service your known loads.
I'm not disagreeing with the previous answer as good rule of thumb, but the NEC allows 13 receptacles on a 20 amp circuit in commercial or industrial installations. There is no limit in residential installations because it is simply an absurd consideration that you would have that many on a circuit.
8 to 10. Local norms may vary. If you have dedicated appliances you would only want a single appliance on a circuit.
The National Electrical Code considers each strap with 1, 2, or 3 receptacles on it (single, duplex, or triplex receptacle) at 180 VA.
120 volts x 20 amps = 2400 VA
2400 VA / 180 VA = 13.333 receptacles
You can install 13 receptacles on a 20 amp circuit.
Could you clarify the question please.
You can't just upgrade the breaker. Its calculated on wire size and other things. You'll have to run different wire if you want to up your amps.
AWG # 12
Yes. I know of no limits to how many regular receptacles (outlets) you can "piggy back" onto one GFCI receptacle. However, in commercial and industrial construction there are limits to how many receptacles can be placed on any one circuit. These limits in the United States and according to the NEC are: 10 receptacles on a 15 amp circuit and 13 receptacles on a 20 amp circuit.
Yes, you can use lower amperage outlets - the problem would come if you were trying to run a 20 amp appliance on a 15 amp circuit or plug a 20 amp appliance into a 15 amp outlet. It would be better, though, as some kitchen appliances could exceed 15 amps (toaster ovens, some coffee makers, electric griddles, etc.) could try to draw more than the 15 amps your outlets are designed for. Perhaps you could get some 20 amp outlets and use those 15's in a hallway or something less likely to have high amperage draw.
Rule of thumb is about 8 unless it is a dedicated circuit. The NEC has no requirements on the number of receptacles that can be on a circuit in a residential setting. The circuit should be layed out to only cover 500 sq. feet. A single room of 500 sq. feet, you could put as many receptacle as you want on one circuit.
Branch circuit loading In Canada the CEC states that there shall be not more than 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit. These outlets shall be considered to be rated at not less than 1 amp per outletWhere the connected load is known, the number of outlets shall be permitted to exceed 12, provided that the load current does not exceed 80% of the rating of the over current device protecting the circuit. For example on a 15 amp breaker, 15 x 80% = 12 amps, hence the standard of 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit.On a 20 amp breaker, 20 x 80% = 16 amps. So from a 20 amp breaker this allows 16 outlets on a 2-wire branch circuit as long as the outlets are not considered to be rated at less than 1 amp per outlet.The definition of an outlet is a point in the wiring installation at which current is taken to supply utilisation equipment. What this means is that if a light switch and a fixture outlet were on the same 2-wire branch circuit they would be subtracted from the maximum count of 12 receptacle outlets on the circuit which would leave 10.If the light fixture draws 3 amps plus the switch outlet, then the total circuit outlet count would be reduced to 8 receptacle outlets (12 – 3 – 1 = 8).On a standard specification home most electricians will wire one circuit per room, the outlet count usually never reaches the maximum of 12 outlets.
No, the six outlets are not amperage rated to be connected to a 20 amp circuit. A normal 15 amp receptacle can not be protected by a 20 amp breaker. Change the 20 amp breaker to a 15 amp breaker. This combination will pass code regulations. =============== In the United States, in a home, you can connect two hard-wired (not cord and plug connected) fans and six receptacles (outlets) to a single 20 amp circuit provided the 2 fans do not draw more than 10 amps together. If they are cord and plug connected, this limitation on the fans does not apply. In commercial and industrial installations, power to hard-wired equipment is provided on different circuits than receptacles.
Yes. I know of no limits to how many regular receptacles (outlets) you can "piggy back" onto one GFCI receptacle. However, in commercial and industrial construction there are limits to how many receptacles can be placed on any one circuit. These limits in the United States and according to the NEC are: 10 receptacles on a 15 amp circuit and 13 receptacles on a 20 amp circuit.
For a home, to calculate the amount of receptacle outlets on a 15 amp circuit, each receptacle outlet should be calculated as not drawing more than one amp each.
Yes, you can use lower amperage outlets - the problem would come if you were trying to run a 20 amp appliance on a 15 amp circuit or plug a 20 amp appliance into a 15 amp outlet. It would be better, though, as some kitchen appliances could exceed 15 amps (toaster ovens, some coffee makers, electric griddles, etc.) could try to draw more than the 15 amps your outlets are designed for. Perhaps you could get some 20 amp outlets and use those 15's in a hallway or something less likely to have high amperage draw.
Branch circuit loading In Canada the CEC states that there shall be not more than 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit. These outlets shall be considered to be rated at not less than 1 amp per outlet Where the connected load is known, the number of outlets shall be permitted to exceed 12, provided that the load current does not exceed 80% of the rating of the over current device protecting the circuit. For example on a 15 amp breaker, 15 x 80% = 12 amps, hence the standard of 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit. On a 20 amp breaker, 20 x 80% = 16 amps. So from a 20 amp breaker this allows 16 outlets on a 2-wire branch circuit as long as the outlets are not considered to be rated at less than 1 amp per outlet. The definition of an outlet is a point in the wiring installation at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment. What this means is that if a light switch and a fixture outlet were on the same 2-wire branch circuit they would be subtracted from the maximum count of 12 receptacle outlets on the circuit which would leave 10. If the light fixture draws 3 amps plus the switch outlet, then the total circuit outlet count would be reduced to 8 receptacle outlets (12 -- 3 -- 1 = 8). On a standard specification home most electricians will wire one circuit per room, the outlet count usually never reaches the maximum of 12 outlets.
ten lights per curcuitCircuit loadingIn Canada there shall be not more that 12 outlets on any 2 wire branch circuit. Such outlets shall be considered to be rated at not more that 1 amp per outlet. Where the connected load is known, the number of outlets may exceed 12 providing the load current does not exceed 80 % of the rating of the over current device protecting the circuit.
Rule of thumb is about 8 unless it is a dedicated circuit. The NEC has no requirements on the number of receptacles that can be on a circuit in a residential setting. The circuit should be layed out to only cover 500 sq. feet. A single room of 500 sq. feet, you could put as many receptacle as you want on one circuit.
Depends on what the outlets are controlling, size of the wire, and size of the breaker.
Branch circuit loading In Canada the CEC states that there shall be not more than 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit. These outlets shall be considered to be rated at not less than 1 amp per outletWhere the connected load is known, the number of outlets shall be permitted to exceed 12, provided that the load current does not exceed 80% of the rating of the over current device protecting the circuit. For example on a 15 amp breaker, 15 x 80% = 12 amps, hence the standard of 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit.On a 20 amp breaker, 20 x 80% = 16 amps. So from a 20 amp breaker this allows 16 outlets on a 2-wire branch circuit as long as the outlets are not considered to be rated at less than 1 amp per outlet.The definition of an outlet is a point in the wiring installation at which current is taken to supply utilisation equipment. What this means is that if a light switch and a fixture outlet were on the same 2-wire branch circuit they would be subtracted from the maximum count of 12 receptacle outlets on the circuit which would leave 10.If the light fixture draws 3 amps plus the switch outlet, then the total circuit outlet count would be reduced to 8 receptacle outlets (12 – 3 – 1 = 8).On a standard specification home most electricians will wire one circuit per room, the outlet count usually never reaches the maximum of 12 outlets.
Depends on the breaker. If the load at the outlets is unknown then the standard rules of 80% apply. You can only load a circuit 80% of it's maximum value. For instance, if you're connecting your GFCI outlets to a 15 amp breaker you can only have a maximum of 12 outlets. If it's a 20 Amp breaker then you're allowed up to 16 outlets and so on. In the US, you are limited to 13 receptacles on a 20 amp circuit and 10 receptacles on a 15 amp circuit in commercial or industrial installations. Any or all of these can be gfci-protected. You can install one gfci, the first one from the panel, and protect any or all the others from that one.
10 for a 15 amp circuit
No, the six outlets are not amperage rated to be connected to a 20 amp circuit. A normal 15 amp receptacle can not be protected by a 20 amp breaker. Change the 20 amp breaker to a 15 amp breaker. This combination will pass code regulations. =============== In the United States, in a home, you can connect two hard-wired (not cord and plug connected) fans and six receptacles (outlets) to a single 20 amp circuit provided the 2 fans do not draw more than 10 amps together. If they are cord and plug connected, this limitation on the fans does not apply. In commercial and industrial installations, power to hard-wired equipment is provided on different circuits than receptacles.
Watts = volts x amps x Power Factor. Assume a PF of one for a resistive load. Wall outlets in US are typically 120 volts. 240 / 120 = 2 amps. At 80 % rated load a typical 20 amp circuit souls handle 16 amps. Therefore, 8 wall outlets each with a single 240 watt device.