Duff-95SHO
Member
- Location
- New Mexico, USA
Hello, I'm trying to clarify the maximum allowable load for a piece of equipment that will be used for an experiment next month. We're looking to connect a chiller, with an 18A rating on 115V service, to an existing unused 20A circuit with 20A receptacles. For reasons unrelated to the chiller, it isn't able to run for more than an hour per day, so I'm pretty sure that the 80-percent rule wouldn't apply. Even if it does (or if for some reason we're forced to treat it as a continuous load), do any of these thoughts make sense:
- Since the operation of the equipment is temporary in support of a test, and no other loads will be connected to the circuit while it is there, we should be able to make use of up to 20A of a 20A branch circuit, with a 20A receptacle.
- A circuit containing multiple 20A receptacles can (or should) have a 25A breaker if the wire supports it.
- NEC would apply to the installation of receptacles, based on anticipated loads. If the equipment is UL-listed, and requires less than 20A, it just needs to be plugged in to a circuit that can supply 20A.
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