How Many Outlets on a 20 Amp Breaker

[Blaze]

My frig, freezer and micro are on their own dedicated circuit...I had the room on the breaker panel.

 

[mk378]

Originally Posted By: BHopkins


A dedicated circuit for a refrigerator? I just checked the label on the refrigerator, and it states 6.5 Amps at full load. That's only 33% of the 20 Amp breaker, well under the 80% rating. I checked the manual for the refrigerator and it makes no mention of it. What am I missing?

Refrigerator compressors draw a big surge of current when they start. They're also sensitive to low voltage, which will decrease energy efficiency and possibly shorten life.

 

[seanf]

I would run my fridge on its own circuit whether code or not, my local code says the fridge must be on its own circuit and freezer is suggested to be on its own circuit not so much as to whether you can run other things but if you have a high load device or something plugged in fails on that circuit and the breaker trips you have a stinky freezer/fridge full of rotten food if you're away from the home.

Up here code says 12 plugs/lights on a circuit. Logic is 80% of 15A is 12 each plug/light box is counted as 1A unless you know the actual load of the devices on the circuit (its how guys get away with 16 LED pot lights on one circuit) and the total load for that circuit remains 80% or less.

 

[BHopkins]

Originally Posted By: pcoxe
Kitchens tend to have high amp appliances. Toaster ovens, waffle irons, microwaves, refrigerators, etc. Would be prudent to have each receptacle on a separate breaker to avoid overloads.


In this case it is a small kitchenette downstairs. The only appliance presently is the refrigerator, although we have considered putting a microwave on the counter.

Your comments reminded me of that. I'll need to be sure that the refrigerator and microwave are on separate circuits.