answersLogoWhite

0

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.

User Avatar

Wiki User

13y ago

What else can I help you with?

Continue Learning about Natural Sciences

What is the problem when you add 2 additional outlets to an existing circuit and they show 60 volts no breaker trips?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.First understand, a circuit breaker doesn't trip on low (60) voltage. It trips on overcurrent, or too many amps being drawn by the circuit.A 60 volt reading in a 120 volt circuit is a typical "backfeeding" reading. You have something miswired. You may have tied into another circuit on the same phase. Go back and disconnect the feed to your 2 additional outlets. Check voltage on the last outlet on the original circuit. If you've got 120 volt, turn the circuit off, then wire in the first new outlet. Do not tie into any other wires other than the wire you ran from the last outlet in the original circuit. Turn the circuit back on and check voltage. You should have 110-120 volt. Then add the second additional outlet as per the above. Do not tie the neutral into any other wire than the one from the original circuit. This should clear your low voltage problem.


How many receptacles can be put on one circuit?

for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hz power supply service.Circuit loadingIn North America 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. ( This is not found in the National Electrical Code)Generally each duplex outlet may count for 180VA. For a 15A circuit = 8 duplex max. For a 20A circuit = 10 max. This is in the Wiring Code, by the way. (This only applies to non-residential applications)In some states the 3 amp per outlet is still being used. For this case, 6 outlets max. ( What States?)In dwelling units there is no requirement for a maximum number of outlets on a circuit. The circuit could serve a single room of 500 sq. ft. and serve as many outlets you wanted including the lighting loads. (3 watts per sq. ft X 500 sq. ft.) This is the minimum requirement of the code and not necessarily good wiring practice.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 JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


Can you use 15A outlets on a 20A circuit with 12-2 wire and a 20A breaker and how many outlets would this allow?

I'm going to assume you are referring to residential construction because rules for commercial and industrial settings can be different. Also rules differ by geography (i.e. Canada specifies a maximum of 8 outlets on a 15 amp circuit, USA code is silent on the issue but for practical purposes, more than about 10 will likely lead to poor performance. Some code also specifies max loading of a 20 amp circuit at 80% making 10 outlets the practical limit if using 20 amp outlets on that circuit.To expand on the previous answer a little, there is a large margin of safety in the construction of these components but if you think about it, you are placing a component that is rated at 15 amps into a 20 amp circuit. That outlet is potentially the weakest link in the circuit and could act like a fuse. If any of those 15 amp outlets are overloaded, it might overheat and fail before the circuit breaker. This is a recipe for a fire. You may think now that you'll remember to only plug in light loads, but these things have a habit of growing.You can plug typical small home appliances (lamp, stereo, TV, etc.) into a 20 amp outlet so the only benefit in using the 15 amp outlet is the minor cost savings at installation. If it were my building, I wouldn't risk it.If I can't talk you out of doing this and it's allowed by your applicable code, make sure you don't daisy-chain the circuit through the outlets. (In other words, don't run your 12-2 wire in one side of the outlet and out the other side.) Instead, use a pigtail (short piece of wire) to tap off your line to each individual outlet. In the United States you can run 20 amp breakers with 15 amp outlets but not in Canada. And for how many? About 10 to be on safe side as long as they are all low amp usage appliances. TVs, steros, fans, lamps.You can run 20 amp breaker with 12-2 wire as long as you make sure you use the 12-2 wire that is rated at 20 amp.Whilst this was not your exact question it is worth saying IT IS NEVER SAFE to run a 20 amp load through a 15 amp receptacle. It is only rated to handle up to 15 amps.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 JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


How many receptacles can you wire to a 15 amp?

One View:In USA: As many as you want. There's no magic number. You have 15A to play with, so you can divide that up however you wish. It all depends on what you intend to plug in. For general usage I'd stick with the NEC Code (any point along a wall must be within 6ft of a receptacle). In my 1970's house here I've counted 9 receptacles on a single 15A breaker (yuck!).Always be sure to switch off the breakers at the main panel before you attempt to do any work on any mains power circuit.Another View:Yes there are some "magic numbers".The U.S. National Electrical Code Article 220.3 (B) (9) has guidelines for calculatiing general 120 volt dwelling-unit receptacle circuits as having a load of 180 volt-amps per receptacle. Because a normal circuit breaker can only be loaded to 80 percent of trip rating, then 0.80 X 15 = 12 Amps. 12 Amps X 120 volts = 1440 Volt-Amps per 15-Amp circuit. 1440 VA / 180 VA per receptacle = 8 duplex receptacles per circuit allowed.For a 20-Amp circuit, you are allowed (.8 x 20 X 120)/ 180 = up to 10 duplex receptacles per circuit.Another View:Both answers are technically correct. A device (receptacle, switch etc) by definition does not consume any energy so there is no load added to the circuit by installing any number of receptacles. The problem occurs when too many loads are plugged into those receptacles.The NEC section quoted above (moved to 220.14 (I) in 2008) does not apply to receptacles used for general illumination in a dwelling (which covers a majority of household receptacles). Dwellings are addressed by NEC 220.14 (J).Further, the 80% quoted is true for continuous loads only. If the appliances being switched on and off on a particular circuit never run continuously all at the same time, their individual wattages when totalled-up can, in fact exceed that 80% figure, because a non-continuously-loaded breaker may have 100% of its rating applied to it for short periods such that it does not become "warm"...A good guideline many electricians follow as a 'rule of thumb' is of 1.5 amps per receptacle.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 JOBSAFELY AND COMPETENTLYREFER THIS WORK TO QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.


How many outlets can there be on one 20 amp circuit?

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.

Related Questions

How many Tommy hilfiger outlets are there?

There is 16 around the USA.


What are the release dates for Hooked - 2014 I?

Hooked - 2014 I was released on: USA: 2014


How many Converse Inc retail stores are there?

I believe there are about 50 outlets and 4 stores in the USA


What are the release dates for Hooked - 2009?

Hooked - 2009 was released on: USA: 29 June 2009


What are the release dates for Hooked - 1913?

Hooked - 1913 was released on: USA: 1 June 1913


What are the release dates for Hooked - 1925?

Hooked - 1925 was released on: USA: 8 February 1925


What is the problem when you add 2 additional outlets to an existing circuit and they show 60 volts no breaker trips?

Answer for USA, Canada and countries running a 60 Hertz supply service.First understand, a circuit breaker doesn't trip on low (60) voltage. It trips on overcurrent, or too many amps being drawn by the circuit.A 60 volt reading in a 120 volt circuit is a typical "backfeeding" reading. You have something miswired. You may have tied into another circuit on the same phase. Go back and disconnect the feed to your 2 additional outlets. Check voltage on the last outlet on the original circuit. If you've got 120 volt, turn the circuit off, then wire in the first new outlet. Do not tie into any other wires other than the wire you ran from the last outlet in the original circuit. Turn the circuit back on and check voltage. You should have 110-120 volt. Then add the second additional outlet as per the above. Do not tie the neutral into any other wire than the one from the original circuit. This should clear your low voltage problem.


What is the Maximum number of outlets on a 20 amp circuit?

If following the National Electric Code (NEC) - most commonly used in USA there is no distinct limit to the number of outlets. You must calculate load in accordance with Article 220 and you must determine the largest motor load anticipated.


What are the release dates for Hooked - 2011 I?

Hooked - 2011 I was released on: USA: 2011 (limited) USA: October 2011 (Los Angeles, California) (premiere)


What are the release dates for Hooked on the Fly - 2009 The Best of Hooked on the Fly 1-13?

Hooked on the Fly - 2009 The Best of Hooked on the Fly 1-13 was released on: USA: 29 March 2010


Where are joe's crab shacks?

they have their outlets in USA


What are the release dates for Hooked - 2009 Fishzilla?

Hooked - 2009 Fishzilla was released on: USA: 8 December 2007