"Individual Branch Circuit" for fridge.

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infinity

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New Jersey
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Where does it say that an individual branch circuit can supply only one receptacle or one outlet? The definition states that it only supplies one utilization equipment. No mention of how many receptacles or outlets it can supply. :?

Augie posted this from the 2017 NEC which specifies a single receptacle outlet:

Exception No. 2: In addition to the required receptacles specified by 210.52, a receptacle outlet to serve a specific appliance shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater.
 

augie47

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Tennessee
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State Electrical Inspector (Retired)
Where does it say that an individual branch circuit can supply only one receptacle or one outlet? The definition states that it only supplies one utilization equipment. No mention of how many receptacles or outlets it can supply. :?
IMO, that's what the Mass amendment addresses... IF your one utilization equipment needs two receptacles it is permissible to use a duplex.
 

don_resqcapt19

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Location
Illinois
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retired electrician
A panel statement on a rejected proposal to require a single outlet for this application said that a duplex is permitted. From the 2005 code cycle:
2-209 Log #828 NEC-P02
(210-52(B)(1) Exception No. 2)
Final Action: Reject
Submitter: Dan Leaf Palmdale, CA
Recommendation:
Revise:
Exception No. 2: The A single receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an additional
individual branch circuit rated 15-amperes.
Substantiation:
Since an individual circuit is specified, a single receptacle is required and specifically indicating this instead of "outlet", which may
contain multiple receptacles, would be helpful to Code users.
1. Present wording does not prohibit use of one of the two required 20-ampere circuits from being an individual circuit supplying a
single receptacle for refrigeration equipment.
2. If one of the two required 20-ampere circuits is an individual circuit for refrigeration equipment, the literal wording of Exception No.
2 can be interpreted as permitting the circuit rating to be reduced to 15-amperes.
3. Exception No. 2 is not needed for a third 20-ampere individual small appliance circuit supplying a single receptacle for refrigeration
equipment; this is not presently prohibited.
4. Where the individual circuit of Exception No. 2 is one of the two required 20-ampere small appliance branch circuits, 220.16(A),
Exception permits it to be excluded from the 1500 volt-ampere load calculation.
I believe the intent of Proposal 2-257 in the 1995 ROP was to permit an individual branch circuit for refrigeration equipment in
addition to the minimum of two 20-ampere small appliance branch circuits to be rated 15-amperes.
Panel Meeting Action: Reject
Panel Statement:
The submitter has not provided adequate substantiation to restrict the refrigerator to a single outlet receptacle. The existing text of
210.52(B) would permit the receptacle outlet for a refrigerator to be installed on one of the small-appliance branch circuits. An
individual circuit for the refrigerator cannot be considered as one of the two small-appliance branch circuits since 210.52(B)(3) requires
that a minimum of two such circuits be provided to serve countertop surfaces. The word "additional" does not improve the clarity of the
existing wording.
Number Eligible to Vote: 13
Ballot Results: Affirmative: 13
red = deleted text blue = new text
 

LarryFine

Master Electrician Electric Contractor Richmond VA
Location
Henrico County, VA
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Electrical Contractor
Augie posted this from the 2017 NEC which specifies a single receptacle outlet:
Yes, but can't "a single receptacle outlet" be a single "receptacle outlet" (the box - definition?) that happens to have a duplex receptacle (the device - definition?) installed?
 

david

Senior Member
Location
Pennsylvania
Gus, I will counter that by saying that nobody, and I mean absolutely nobody, ever uses the plural "receptacles," when talking about a duplex.

Actually in article 517 it is specifically called out that a duplex receptacle can be counted as two receptacles when meeting the required receptacle count in health care facilities

So in that sense the plural is being used for two receptacles when referring to a duplex receptacle
 

Adamjamma

Senior Member
Actually in article 517 it is specifically called out that a duplex receptacle can be counted as two receptacles when meeting the required receptacle count in health care facilities

So in that sense the plural is being used for two receptacles when referring to a duplex receptacle

which is why some of us are very confused.Can we use a duplex receptacle on a dedicated circuit or do we require single receptacles? Are there AFCI single receptacles? But, then we need to move the AFCI to the counter top so it is accessible... because otherwise if it trips you have to pull the fridge out to reset it, and then the problem is you can find GFCI and AFCI outlets easier and cheaper than you can find Deadfronts...
So what we need is an exception that will allow a dedicated circuit to include a AFCI/GFCI outlet above a counter in a kitchen to be part of the dedicated circuit for a fixed appliance such as a fridge or dishwasher without being part of the Amall Appliance circuits if its use is primarily the safety aspect of the hidden outlet. Because it is often way cheaper in costs for one to do this rather than search and pay for a lockable breaker that contains AFCI or AFCI/GFCI for certain panels available or already installed.
I mean, In some countries that are adopting the NEC they are actually having to not adopt the AFCI or GFCI rules because the breakers are not available at costs the public can afford. Sp the public is refusing to buy the devices... or are buying the inspectors beers to overlook the lack of the devices.
I know that it seems to be crazy but one needs to remember that not all countries have Home Depot, Lowes and other suppliers available and so you are stuck with either what you can import yourself or what the suppliers are importing. So until stuff becomes affordable the customers refuse to pay for it.
 

goldstar

Senior Member
Location
New Jersey
Occupation
Electrical Contractor
Generally speaking, a simplex receptacle is usually more expensive than a duplex receptacle (not by much but I generally would not have a simplex receptacle on my truck). If you're concerned with someone plugging in another appliance why couldn't you just snap off the tab on the hot side and, in essence, create a simplex receptacle ?
 

JohnE

Senior Member
Location
Milford, MA
I just want to mention that Massachusetts has an amendment which covers this:

"210.21(B). Insert a new fifth paragraph as follows:
(5) Receptacles on Individual Branch Circuits. A receptacle outlet installed to comply with a requirement for an individual branch circuit shall contain a single receptacle, or a multiple receptacle if, and then only to the extent that, the supplied equipment includes multiple supply cord connections. "

The problem I have with some interpretations of this amendment is that the refrigerator outlet is not required to be on an individual branch circuit. So, IMO, a refrigerator can be served by an individual circuit with a duplex receptacle.
 

roger

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Fl
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Retired Electrician
Article 100 can help.

Receptacle. A receptacle is a contact device installed at the
outlet for the connection of an attachment plug. A single
receptacle is a single contact device with no other contact
device on the same yoke. A multiple receptacle is two or
more contact devices on the same yoke.

Roger
 

peter d

Senior Member
Location
New England
From a common sense standpoint, do you regularly see people running extension cords from the counter to the refrigerator outlet? I don't. :roll: We always install a duplex and call it a day. Some stupid inspectors ask for a single outlet but they are just that - stupid.
 

infinity

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Location
New Jersey
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Journeyman Electrician
We always install a duplex and call it a day. Some stupid inspectors ask for a single outlet but they are just that - stupid.

I agree. We used to have a Sonos speaker on top of the refrigerator that was plugged into the duplex behind the refrig.
 

Leespark57

Senior Member
Location
Boston, MA, USA
The problem I have with some interpretations of this amendment is that the refrigerator outlet is not required to be on an individual branch circuit. So, IMO, a refrigerator can be served by an individual circuit with a duplex receptacle.

Regarding the Mass. amendment, if the manufacturers instructions require an individual branch circuit (110.3(b)) then a single receptacle would be required. Typically built in microwave, refrigerator, dishwasher are the most common pieces of equipment which potentially require a single receptacle.
 
Location
NE (9.06 miles @5.9 Degrees from Winged Horses)
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EC - retired
Not if the microwave is in use when the refrigerators thermostat starts the motor compressor.

--
Tom Horne
The house I lived in for thirty years, it must have been a lucky coincident that the fridge and micro never ran at the same time. Side by Sides we’re not all that economical at the time and with half the neighbor hood teenagers in/out, seems strange.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Not if the microwave is in use when the refrigerators thermostat starts the motor compressor.

--
Tom Horne

The house I lived in for thirty years, it must have been a lucky coincident that the fridge and micro never ran at the same time. Side by Sides we’re not all that economical at the time and with half the neighbor hood teenagers in/out, seems strange.
Kind of can say about same thing. Holding during the startup current is the biggest problem. Once you get past that you are looking at the thermal trip curve, and unless you are loaded beyond 20 amps for several minutes it likely is not tripping. Do many ever run a microwave for more than a few minutes at a time? Defrost or other special cooking modes that take longer usually cycle the magnetron so that mode isn't a continuous load for the duration.
 
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