Too many appliances on kitchen circuit

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RatherBeFishin

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Electrical apprentice
Have a kitchen circuit that is tripping when microwave, coffee maker, and crock pot was all on at the same time. Just wanted to be sure this was best way to fix the issue,

Going to run a new 12/2 Romex off a 20 amp breaker to the microwave Gfci, put the new circuit on the line side of the microwave gfci and take the existing wires off and just splice them through in the back of that box. So microwave will be a dedicated circuit
 
RatherBeFishin said:
Have a kitchen circuit that is tripping when microwave, coffee maker, and crock pot was all on at the same time. Just wanted to be sure this was best way to fix the issue,

Going to run a new 12/2 Romex off a 20 amp breaker to the microwave Gfci, put the new circuit on the line side of the microwave gfci and take the existing wires off and just splice them through in the back of that box. So microwave will be a dedicated circuit
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That would do it.
 
RatherBeFishin said:
Going to run a new 12/2 Romex off a 20 amp breaker to the microwave Gfci, put the new circuit on the line side of the microwave gfci and take the existing wires off and just splice them through in the back of that box. So microwave will be a dedicated circuit
Click to expand...
That's fine. Just check the box fill before you add another 12-2 cable.
 
You could probably remove any of the 3 and be ok.

I would first look at adding a home run into whichever box is the end of the circuit (to consider box fill), or whichever is easiest to fish into.

Selecting a specific appliance wouldn't even be on my radar
 
It seems no matter how many circuits get run to the counter top, people will plug the largest loads into the same outlet (at least once) then call and complain.
 
Sadly, some contractors take advantage of the NEC being minimum standards. They only require (2) small appliance branch circuits for kitchen, dining, breakfast areas and pantry receptacles. The houses I wired would have (2) circuits serving countertop receptacles that only had (2) duplex receptacles maximum on those circuits. Dishwashers, disposals, microwaves and refrigerators were individual branch circuits. Now that AFCI/GFCI breakers entered the game and NM cable is so expensive, contractors are trying to limit the number of breakers used and home runs pulled.
 
Frank DuVal said:
If adding one or two 20 amp circuits breaks the deal, it was not a good deal to begin with. I do not want the reputation of installing systems that are doomed to fail. I guess that is why I never work for tract home builders. 😄
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You're exactly right. But I have seen contractors that have provided great service for several years to a builder only to lose a subdivision of 750 homes because their bid came in $300 more per house. The residential rat race is something that I don't miss at all.
AC\DC said:
nothing wrong with doing bare minimum if it gets you the job and you can’t upsell a better option.
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I've found that most customers know that they aren't comparing apples to apples. I know that I can do things that they may not be considering at the time or even have knowledge of. I remember one contractor friend of mine saw me at the supply house and said, "I need to thank you. Your prices are so high that I'm covered up in work." My reply, "You're welcome. I never wanted to be known as the cheapest electrician in town."
 
I have long advised a dedicated MW circuit if location is known. MW is usually largest load in the kitchen. Toaster ovens a close second. Coffee pots can tip the scales on a borderline load. We now have an air fryer too. It & MW will trip for sure. At church events, I’ve seen waffle irons trip breakers all morning. A church kitchen should have only 2 receptacles per ckt IMHO. Overkill most of the time but a good thing when you do an event.
Refrigerator or freezer should never share with other loads, never. Too risky.
 
Further thoughts. I am wanting to make a video, covering this issue and others. Separate bath circuits instead of shared, separate bedroom circuits, 20 amp, not 15 on bedrooms, considering space heaters & hair dryers. Explain brand differences, cost of breakers, etc. The average person has no clue how to figure all of this and how to compare quotes. I would explain & illustrate stabbed devices & why they shouldn’t allow them on their home. I might also post something on Facebook.

A coworker once bought a deep fryer with 2 cords. Tripped breaker the moment she turned it on. I looked it up, was about 4000 watts. The package should warn about that. The average person has no way of knowing.
 
jmellc said:
A coworker once bought a deep fryer with 2 cords. Tripped breaker the moment she turned it on. I looked it up, was about 4000 watts. The package should warn about that. The average person has no way of knowing.
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That was a commercial unit, actually two fryers side by side. So, two line cords which probably had 20A plugs. So your coworker just plugged them both into the same duplex receptacle that some electrician thought should be a 20A T slot.

Did you give him two 20A dedicated circuits for it?

-Hal
 
I
hbiss said:
That was a commercial unit, actually two fryers side by side. So, two line cords which probably had 20A plugs. So your coworker just plugged them both into the same duplex receptacle that some electrician thought should be a 20A T slot.

Did you give him two 20A dedicated circuits for it?

-Hal
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I offered to install her another circuit for cost of materials but she decided to return it to Wal-Mart.
 
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