jeff48356
Senior Member
- Location
- Livonia, Michigan
I know that the old rule for 15-amp lighting circuits is that you need one for every 500 square feet of living space, so a typical 1960's ranch with 1200 square feet and a basement would require 3 such circuits, and that's exactly what you'd find in these houses.
But that includes all the wall outlets in the bedrooms and living room, even the bathrooms, which were also part of these circuits. Nowadays, suppose a new house of the same size were built and wired (or an old one re-wired), and the lights were wired separately from the outlets. The bathroom outlet is on a separate 20-amp circuit, and the rest of the general-purpose outlets are also on 20-amp circuits (about 8 outlets per circuit). The 15-amp circuits are only used to power the lighting fixtures (including recessed cans, ceiling fans, and bath fan). Would three 15-amp lighting circuits still need to be installed under those circumstances? Or could you get by with only two, since there would never be anywhere near 15 amps drawn on any one circuit, even with all the lights and fans on at the same time?
But that includes all the wall outlets in the bedrooms and living room, even the bathrooms, which were also part of these circuits. Nowadays, suppose a new house of the same size were built and wired (or an old one re-wired), and the lights were wired separately from the outlets. The bathroom outlet is on a separate 20-amp circuit, and the rest of the general-purpose outlets are also on 20-amp circuits (about 8 outlets per circuit). The 15-amp circuits are only used to power the lighting fixtures (including recessed cans, ceiling fans, and bath fan). Would three 15-amp lighting circuits still need to be installed under those circumstances? Or could you get by with only two, since there would never be anywhere near 15 amps drawn on any one circuit, even with all the lights and fans on at the same time?