What Is the Maximum Number of Outlets Allowed on a 15-Amp Circuit?
After a day of shopping, you come home to plug your new lamp into the wall. You switch on the television, start a load of laundry, and listen as the dishwasher finishes its last cycle.
For most people, all of these day-to-day activities occur without a thought. Lurking behind each of these simple tasks is a network of complicated wiring, circuit breakers, and outlets that power each undertaking. If you get enough outlets on one line, you may put the safety of your home and family in jeopardy.
While you can technically install as many outlets as you want on a 15-amp circuit breaker, there are some important safety considerations to keep in mind. As a general rule, you should have a maximum of one outlet for every 1.5 amps. At a maximum, you should use only 80% of the circuit breaker’s capacity for continuous loads.
If you have not spent a lot of time installing electrical systems and rewiring homes, trying to determine the right number of outlets can be daunting. At Lakeland Mister Sparky, we’ll boil down the entire process for you. We have years of experience in installing circuit breaker replacements, so we can accurately determine the capacity you need, the ideal number of outlets, and how to safely achieve your goals.
The Short Answer: Check Your Wiring
Before you do anything else, you should start by checking your electrical systems. Do you have a 15-amp circuit or a 20-amp circuit?
You can determine this by looking at the outlet. On the outlet, there should be a large opening for the neutral, a small opening on the left for the power lead, and an arc slot for the plug’s ground. If you have a 20-amp circuit, there will also be a T-shaped neutral opening. A 15-amp circuit won’t have this T-shaped opening.
The outlet is important. While you can use 15-amp outlets on a 20-amp circuit, you can’t use appliances that require a 20-amp outlet on a 15-amp one. If the wiring is too thin, trying to use a circuit with a higher amp can result in a fire, frequently tripped breakers, and overheated wires.
Why You Need To Look at Your Wiring
Your outlet type, device power requirements, wiring, and similar factors can play a major role in the number of outlets your system can handle. For example, heavier-duty outlets often require higher amounts of power because they’re designed to support your major appliances.
Space heaters, refrigerators, and washing machines use a lot of power. To avoid overloading your system, these appliances should get dedicated circuits.
Your wire gauge and length play a major role in determining the outlets your system can support. These two factors will determine the voltage drop and resistance of your circuits. For example, choosing a smaller gauge or increasing the length of the wire run will boost the resistance and impact the circuit’s capacity.
It’s also important to keep in mind that other factors may play a role as well. If you have a device connected that operates for three hours or more, it’s called a continuous load. The National Electrical Code (NEC) has specific guidelines about how to calculate different circuit capacities based on whether it’s a continuous or non-continuous load.
When Can You Upgrade to a 20-Amp Breaker?
Before you get a circuit breaker replacement, you first need to determine if you genuinely need a higher capacity. You may require a 20-amp breaker if the following situations are true.
- You just remodeled the space and have a higher electrical load.
- Your home has new appliances or electrical devices that pull more power.
- You expect to need more power in the future and want to plan ahead.
You can only upgrade your breaker if you have a 12 AWG copper wire or thicker. If the wiring is 14 AWG or thinner, then upgrading your breaker can cause overheating and lead to a fire.
Why Would People Want To Upgrade?
Often, homeowners get a breaker replacement when they need to draw more power than their existing systems can safely supply. It’s like trying to pour a jug of milk into a teacup. If you need more power, you have to upgrade your system because a low-capacity system just won’t match your load size.
Potential Solutions To Protect Your Home
You can theoretically install between 8 and 10 outlets on a 15-amp circuit, but this would be a risky decision. As you consider the best options for upgrading your electrical systems, keep the following ideas in mind.
Add a New 20-Amp Circuit
Create a 20-amp circuit for your high-draw appliances. For instance, you may want a 20-amp line for your kitchen so that your electricity-hungry appliances have a dedicated line.
Distribute the Load
Another way to improve the safety of your electrical systems and gain more power capacity is by dividing your room. Instead of having a single circuit supplying your living room, you can have different zones within the room that are supplied by different circuits. This is especially important for rooms that need a higher capacity, like your kitchen or woodshop.
Upgrade the Entire Circuit
Eventually, the best option may be to upgrade the entire electrical system. Replace the circuit and wiring so that your system can handle a 20-amp load.
What the Electrical Code Says
The NEC doesn’t provide a set limit to how many outlets you can have, but you can extrapolate from its existing guidelines. For example, you aren’t allowed to have a load that exceeds the circuit’s capacity. Additionally, when you have a continuous load, it can’t use more than 80% of the circuit’s capacity.
Schedule an Appointment To Protect Your Home’s Electrical Safety
When dealing with a breaker replacement, you don’t want to take risks with your family’s health and security. By working with Mister Sparky, you can gain the support of Lakeland’s top team of electricians.
Give us a call today to learn more.
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