# how many receptacles/lights can go on a 20 amp circuit



## joed (Mar 13, 2005)

There is no limit specified in the NEC. For lights you need to use the maximum wattage of the fixtures and not exceed the circuit limits.

If you are in Canada the limit is 12 outlets(lights, receptacles, fans etc.).


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

I try to keep each room on a differant circut. That way I still have power close by if I'm working in a differant room close by. I can hit one breaker and know that whole room is off if I need to trace a short.


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## ruffsawn (Feb 18, 2012)

okay right now I have 9 - 10 recptacles per room and each room is on its own circuit except the living room and upstairs bedroom and each line branch ends with a ceiling fan light fixture. Does that sound reasonable. Thanks.


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## bobelectric (Mar 3, 2007)

I keep lighting seperate in case receptacles trip.


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## jaydevries (Jan 29, 2012)

a electriction can correct me but is there not a code like general outlets for bedrooms and living space amps per a square foot maximum and also do not forget the receptical spacing codes kitchen 2 and 4 feet living space 6 and 12 feet


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

jaydevries said:


> a electriction can correct me but is there not a code like general outlets for bedrooms and living space amps per a square foot maximum


This is for load calculation purposes only. 
There is NO limit in a residential application (in the US that is).


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## Code05 (May 24, 2009)

Speedy Petey said:


> This is for load calculation purposes only.
> There is NO limit in a residential application (in the US that is).


As a rule of thumb I try and keep it to less than 1,000,000 if it is a 15 amp resi circuit.:jester:


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

Code05 said:


> As a rule of thumb I try and keep it to less than 1,000,000 if it is a 15 amp resi circuit.:jester:


I wonder what the voltage drop at the last one would be with a 10A load. :laughing:


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## ruffsawn (Feb 18, 2012)

okay, so I pigtailed to all outlets instead of running through them, and there is only one celing fixture per room, so if one receptacle fails no others will be affected, plus there will be minimal voltage drop. Also I connected to the side terminals rather than the push in terminals. So I've got 10 receptacles plus a ceiling light/fan running on each circuit except the living room and upstairs circuit has 10 outlets combined plus 3 ceiling lights/fans. The kitchen has 2 gfi over counter and 2 wall outlets and a ceiling light, and light over sink. The bathroom has 1 gfi, 1 ceiling light and 1 vanity light, plus feeds a gfi in crawlspace and 2 ceiling lights in crawlspace. That is four circuits 20 amp. That leaves me with two double pole 30's in my box, one for hot water and one for the dryer. Does this sound okay. Thanks all.


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## jbfan (Jul 1, 2004)

ruffsawn said:


> okay, so I pigtailed to all outlets instead of running through them, and there is only one celing fixture per room, so if one receptacle fails no others will be affected, plus there will be minimal voltage drop. Also I connected to the side terminals rather than the push in terminals. So I've got 10 receptacles plus a ceiling light/fan running on each circuit except the living room and upstairs circuit has 10 outlets combined plus 3 ceiling lights/fans. The kitchen has 2 gfi over counter and 2 wall outlets and a ceiling light, and light over sink. The bathroom has 1 gfi, 1 ceiling light and 1 vanity light, plus feeds a gfi in crawlspace and 2 ceiling lights in crawlspace. That is four circuits 20 amp. That leaves me with two double pole 30's in my box, one for hot water and one for the dryer. Does this sound okay. Thanks all.


*The kitchen has 2 gfi over counter and 2 wall outlets and a ceiling light, and light over sink*.

The circuits in the kitchen can not supply lighting.

*The bathroom has 1 gfi, 1 ceiling light and 1 vanity light, plus feeds a gfi in crawlspace and 2 ceiling lights in crawlspace.*

The bath circuit can serve everything in the one bath, or all receptacles in all baths.
It can not serve anything else.


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## frenchelectrican (Apr 12, 2006)

ruffsawn said:


> okay, so I pigtailed to all outlets instead of running through them, and there is only one celing fixture per room, so if one receptacle fails no others will be affected, plus there will be minimal voltage drop. Also I connected to the side terminals rather than the push in terminals. So I've got 10 receptacles plus a ceiling light/fan running on each circuit except the living room and upstairs circuit has 10 outlets combined plus 3 ceiling lights/fans. The kitchen has 2 gfi over counter and 2 wall outlets and a ceiling light, and light over sink. The bathroom has 1 gfi, 1 ceiling light and 1 vanity light, plus feeds a gfi in crawlspace and 2 ceiling lights in crawlspace. That is four circuits 20 amp. That leaves me with two double pole 30's in my box, one for hot water and one for the dryer. Does this sound okay. Thanks all.


I am sorry to be a bearer of bad news if you did read Jim's comment on those two circuits they allready volited the NEC code allready I can see it clear.



> The kitchen has 2 gfi over counter and 2 wall outlets and a ceiling light, and light over sink.


That is not a best pratice on that one and the code do NOT allow that arrangment at all due the NEC code say minum of two circuits to the kitchen counter top.

Really how many circuit you have total wise so far and what the breaker box size is ( number of circuits ) ?

Merci,
Marc


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## JPeters (May 14, 2015)

I would honestly suggest picking up an UGLY's off of amazon or a near by bookstore. It really helps with everything..... well, almost


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## Hick (Nov 21, 2014)

ruffsawn said:


> I have read a lot of conflicting information on how many outlets lights can go on a circuit, and I am not talking about kitchen or bathroom circuits, just regular habitable space circuits. I am planning on 10 - 13 give or take. Any help would be much appreciated.


need more information, but i will go ahead & take some libertys in assumptions.

A standard 60 watt bulb on a 110 volt draws roughly half an amp. So, you could theoretically have up to 40 lights on 1 20 breaker all on at the same time with no risk of tripping the breaker.

You could squeeze more in by dropping the wattage down per bulb.


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## dmxtothemax (Oct 26, 2010)

A better way to approach this is to think about the expected load on the recepticules
Rather than the number of them !
So ten recepticules on a single circuit can work if they will only carry small loads.
But if you try the opposite and try ten BIG loads
Then you will have trouble.
Its called a load calculation I think !
So base the number of recepticules on a circuit on the expected loads.


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

JPeters said:


> I would honestly suggest picking up an UGLY's off of amazon or a near by bookstore. It really helps with everything..... well, almost


I think after three YEARS he's got it all figured out.


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## danpik (Sep 11, 2011)

Hick said:


> need more information, but i will go ahead & take some libertys in assumptions.
> 
> A standard 60 watt bulb on a 110 volt draws roughly half an amp. So, you could theoretically have up to 40 lights on 1 20 breaker all on at the same time with no risk of tripping the breaker.
> 
> You could squeeze more in by dropping the wattage down per bulb.


You have to go by the rating on the fixture not the rating of the lamp/bulb.


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