HOW MANY OUTLETS SHOULD BE ON THE SAME CIRCUIT?
The last thing that any homeowner wants or needs is an electrical problem. When you’re thinking about getting some electrical work done around the house, it’s natural to wonder about the number of outlets allowed per circuit breaker.
The National Electric Code (NEC) doesn’t limit the number of outlets per circuit - yet that doesn’t mean zero limitations. Let’s discuss this issue in more detail:
The number of outlets is not as important
The NEC doesn’t limit the number of outlets because that’s not the primary concern.
What matters is how the homeowners will use the outlets. During the installation, it’s essential to have a room-by-room electrical layout prepared.
It’s best to know in advance how much power a single outlet will need to provide and consider what to do with the remaining power as rated.
Power limitations of a single circuit breaker
First, it’s crucial to consider the three measures of electricity: current (amps), voltage (volts), and power (watts). To calculate how many watts a circuit can sustain, you have to multiply amps and volts.
So, the formula is:
Power = Current x Voltage
Most American homes have either 15-amp or 20-amp circuits from the 120V supply.
A circuit breaker box should have a stamp that tells you the total amps it can handle, so the calculation is pretty simple.
However, it’s important to point out that homeowners shouldn’t utilize each circuit’s total capacity but keep it at 80% maximum. For a 15-amp circuit, that amounts to 1,440W, and for a 20-amp, it’s 1,920W.
What happens when there are too many outlets per circuit?
Typically, nothing really, as the outlets alone do not draw any electricity. At issue here is when there are too many appliances and devices are plugged in and running.
If a circuit becomes overloaded, a circuit breaker might shut off to prevent an electric shock. But that’s the best-case scenario, so that’s why it’s essential not to overload the circuit.
Some appliances draw vast amounts of power and should never run at the same time on a circuit. For example, an electric heater draws 1,500W and a refrigerator around 1,000W.
Therefore, the two shouldn’t be on the same 15-amp circuit. Homeowners should check the devices and their actual power consumption to develop an optimal outlet layout for each room.
Checking the outlets and keeping your home safe
The absence of regulation around the number of outlets per circuit makes sense when considering that the device power consumption and circuit capacity are most relevant.
A home can have many outlets per circuit yet consumes relatively low energy if they’re all used for computers, phones, and video game setups. On the other hand, it’s not a good idea to put a dryer, AC, and a water heater on the same circuit as it can cause electrical issues.
It’s best to contact an experienced electrician to understand your home’s electrical layout.
Kennedy Electric is a reliable full-service electrical company serving residential and commercial customers in Citrus, Hernando, and Pasco Counties. We offer electrical repairs, boat lift wiring, remodels, low voltage lighting, generator hookups, RV power, electrical inspections, fan installation, home lighting, new circuits, panels, and more. Call today at 352-251-2795.
