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A 15 amp breaker will trip at 15 amps at an ambient temperature of 40 degree C. If the ambient temperature is higher the breaker will trip before 15 amps and if the ambient temperature is lower the breaker will trip after 15 amps.

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14y ago

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It usually takes more than 15 amps to trip a 15 amp breaker, as breakers are designed to protect against overcurrents. However, factors like ambient temperature, length of wiring, and type of load can affect this. It is recommended to consult the manufacturer's specifications for the exact values.

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9mo ago
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Depends upon the voltage, since P = I x E. If we were to assume 120 volts (typical in USA and a few other countries), and design load of 80 percent, you could safely supply 0.8 x 15 x 120 or 1440 watts. Of course, the wiring would also need to support 15 Amps or more.

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12y ago
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Breakers do not limit Watts they limit Amps. When I device is connected to that circuit and draws more than 15 amps the breaker will trip to prevent overheating of the conductors and a possible fire.

However if you do some basic simple math and multiply the 15 amps by the voltage applied to the circuit you could come up with a maximum wattage that will be present.

Therefore assuming you are working with 120V: 15Amps x 120V = 1800 Watts of power.

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The electrical code states that circuit conductors can only be loaded to 80% of their capacity. So the maximum legal wattage load on a 15 amp breaker is 1800 x 80% = 1440 watts.

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12y ago
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It will take 8 ohms or less at 120 volts. At 240 volts it will take 16 ohms or less.

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15y ago
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The trip point on a 15 amp breaker is 15 amps. So a load that draws a current over 15 amps will trip the breaker.

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13y ago
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Q: How many amps does it take to trip a 15 amp breaker?
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How many amps doe it take to trip a 20 amp breaker?

A 20 amp breaker will trip if the current exceeds 20 amps for an extended period of time. It is designed to protect the circuit from overheating and causing a fire hazard. So, it would take more than 20 amps to trip a 20 amp breaker.


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How many volts can you draw off of a 15amp breaker?

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I have a 15 amp tool hooked up to a 15 amp breaker- This trips the breaker even with nothing else running- There is also a GFCI outlet on the same circuit- Is the breaker or GFCI bad?

It is likely that the 15 amp tool is drawing more current than the breaker can handle, causing it to trip. The GFCI outlet might not be the issue here unless there is a ground fault causing it to trip. Consider using the tool on a circuit with a higher amperage breaker to prevent tripping.


How much current does it take to trip a 30 amp automotive circuit breaker?

In a typical US automobile, a 30 amp fuse will sustain a constant load of 360 watts. Fuses and circuit breakers perform on an "I squared t" rule. For example, a 30 amp fuse will not blow on 31 amps for a very long time. A 20 amp breaker can take anywhere from 10 minutes to two hours to trip on 25 amps. We simply dumb it down so that laymen and technicians need not make mistakes. Power on seven 100 watt light bulbs simultaneously. That means a circuit suddenly provides 50 amps. 50 amps does not trip a 15 amp or 20 amp breaker, again, due to the "I squared t" rule. A 50 amps load only exists for tens of milliseconds. Not long enough. A 30 amp continuous appliance will not trip a 30 amp breaker. But a safety margin means limiting 30 amp appliances to 26 amps or less. Meanwhile, an 18 gauge lamp cord wire typically rated for 10 amps will actually conduct up to 50 amps continuously. Again, that wire is oversized for other safety reasons. And to keep it simple. These concepts apply to fuses vehicles and structures.