15A/ 20A circuit load question

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horrorsix

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I know there is no NEC requirement on how many outlets are allowed on a 15A or 20A circuit but is there a general rule of thumb for this. How many outlets should not be exceeded on a 15A and a 20A circuit in a residential house.
 
horrorsix said:
I know there is no NEC requirement on how many outlets are allowed on a 15A or 20A circuit but is there a general rule of thumb for this. How many outlets should not be exceeded on a 15A and a 20A circuit in a residential house.
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Impossible to answer.... Any circuit can be overloaded so does the amount of outlets on a circuit really matter?

Look at it this way, if two devices overload a circuit, then does having 3 outlets vs 50 make any difference?
 
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My basic rules of thumb are 2 rooms per circuit for the general stuff. Obviously the kitchens with specific rules are wired to code, and maybe I'll add an additional SABC or a dedicated 15 amp circuit for the fridge, dw, and disposal.

But generally the other rooms of a house are lightly loaded and having a set number of outlets per circuits is pointless.
 
horrorsix said:
I know there is no NEC requirement on how many outlets are allowed on a 15A or 20A circuit but is there a general rule of thumb for this. How many outlets should not be exceeded on a 15A and a 20A circuit in a residential house.
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IF I had any say I would either do away with 15 A circuits or save them for luminers lighting only and DO Cook County City Requirement of 12 Ga wiring only. Now for 20 A @ 12 ga wire. Just think practically Frying pans Electrictric skillets Toasters etc take 10 Each So in practically 2 or 3 outlets maybe 4 at the most. College students Like to bunch CD, vhs, record changers, audio equipment, guitars, and television sets along with computers, sound systems, faxes equipment, Scanners all taking current so maybe again 3 or 4 outlets and at the same provide 3 or 4 off phase A at the same 3 or 4 Phase B adjacent to it. If you separate the 15 A by color or indelible label to make sure you will get Luminaires only then I would extend the outlets to the max of 6 or 7 Providing all Luminaires are UNDER 150 WATTS
 
It's not about the quantity of outlets supplied, it's about the amount of power supplied. If you want details, here's my very general guidelines:

Kitchen: 20a, 2 or 3 recepts per SABC, dining room with fridge, DW and disp on 1 20a ckt.

Lighting: 15a, kit, laundry, foyer, hall, half-bath, liv'g rm, etc. May require 2 or more ckts, esp. if large kitchen, large den, many outside lts, etc.

L/R and/or Den recepts: 20a, 1 or 2 ckts, also halls, outside (from GFCI in nearest inside recept), misc.

Bedroom recepts: 20a, 1 ckt for 2 or 3 B/R, 2 for 4 or 5 B/R, etc., and hall.

Bedroom lighting: 15a, ceiling lts/fans, bath lts/fans, hall & closet lts, attic lts, etc. May require 2 ckts if large.

There are also the usual bath, garage, etc. Of course, house size layout, room uses, etc. play a part.
 
BRKOLBUS said:


IF I had any say I would either do away with 15 A circuits or save them for luminers lighting only and DO Cook County City Requirement of 12 Ga wiring only. Now for 20 A @ 12 ga wire.
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Thats just wasteful and unneeded.
 
BRKOLBUS said:


IF I had any say I would either do away with 15 A circuits or save them for luminers lighting only and DO Cook County City Requirement of 12 Ga wiring only.
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Thankfully you don't have any say because that is ridiculous. :rolleyes:

Here we go again. :rolleyes:
 
I certainly don't think the world should conform to my preferences, but I like 20a circuits for receptacles because, unlike overhead lighting and other relatively fixed loads, you never know what someone will plug in.

It's about performance. We've all seen the overhead lights blink when the TV is turned on. Two or three bedrooms' worth of electronics, turn on the plug-in lighting, etc., and then along comes the vacuum cleaner.
 
BRKOLBUS said:


#1 IF I had any say I would either do away with 15 A circuits or save them for luminers lighting only and DO Cook County City Requirement of 12 Ga wiring only.


#2 Now for 20 A @ 12 ga wire. Just think practically Frying pans Electrictric skillets Toasters etc take 10 Each So in practically 2 or 3 outlets maybe 4 at the most. College students Like to bunch CD, vhs, record changers, audio equipment, guitars, and television sets along with computers, sound systems, faxes equipment, Scanners all taking current so maybe again 3 or 4 outlets and at the same provide 3 or 4 off phase A at the same 3 or 4 Phase B adjacent to it. If you separate the 15 A by color or indelible label to make sure you will get Luminaires only then I would extend the outlets to the max of 6 or 7 Providing all Luminaires are UNDER 150 WATTS
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#1 - That don't make no sense!

#2 - It seems to me one could not compete and make money w/ this line of thought. I use 14ga exclusively (except where #12 is required) and never has there been an issue w/ overloaded circuits. I put two bedrooms per afci, and amongst the rest of the house at least 15+ receps on a circuit.
 
Since AFCI's were required for all bedroom outlets, I typically do a 15amp circuit per bedroom for lights and plugs unless there are a lot of can lights, when I'll do one for lights and plugs. I'll load up the lighting circuits to the full 80% if possible.

I try to up-sell dedicated circuits for entertainment centers & home offices (computer stuff).
 
For years in south Florida, we used a point system. As a rule of thumb for general lighting & receptacles:
- 2 points for a receptacle
- 1 point for a light
- 12 points max per circuit
 
Wes Smith said:
For years in south Florida, we used a point system. As a rule of thumb for general lighting & receptacles:
- 2 points for a receptacle
- 1 point for a light
- 12 points max per circuit
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So you really feel 6 receptacles per circuit is not over doing it? ;) How many panels do you end up with in these houses? :grin:
 
To meet NEC requirements I would not put more than 10 duplex receptales on a 15A circuit and not more than 13 duplex receptacles on a 20A circuit. And this is only for areas where specific loads are unknown. I try to put 4-7 duplex receptacles on a 20A circuit. But this is more for general office wiring.

brantmacga said:
I put two bedrooms per afci, and amongst the rest of the house at least 15+ receps on a circuit.
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How do you manage to put 15+ recepts on a 15A or 20A circuit?

15 recepts * 180 VA each = 2700 VA = 22.5A @ 120V


electricguy61 said:
... I typically do a 15amp circuit per bedroom for lights and plugs...
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I prefer all of the bedrooms' lighting on 1 circuit and then 1 circuit per 2 bedrooms for plugs.
 
Mr. Bill said:
To meet NEC requirements I would not put more than 10 duplex receptales on a 15A circuit and not more than 13 duplex receptacles on a 20A circuit.
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Mr Bill what NEC requiment is that?
 
Mr. Bill said:
How do you manage to put 15+ recepts on a 15A or 20A circuit?

15 recepts * 180 VA each = 2700 VA = 22.5A @ 120V
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The 180 VA rule does not apply to dwelling units. Brant mentioned "bedrooms" and "rest of the house" in the quote you used.
 
76nemo said:
Guess you are wealthy and good looking too:grin: You from CA Bob?
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Yes, having worked with Bob I can attest to the fact that he constantly had a swarm of women around him clamoring for his attention. I had the same problem as well. :roll: ;)
 
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