# How many outlet on a circuit



## Rifeman (Mar 11, 2007)

I would like to know how many outlets you can have on one circuit?

Why I ask this is I am redoing my basement and want to put 10 outlet in one room and that would be one circuit.

I will be useing 12-2 wire, am I safe by doing this?
Althrough not all of them would be in use at the same time, there is one thing I HATE and that is you have a outlet half way across the room when you need one.


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## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

There's no limit to the number of receptacles you can put on a residential circuit. If you're using 12-2, you may as well use a 20A breaker (if you weren't anyway). 

Spacing is every 12 feet along the perimeter of the room. At least one on each side of a door. If a wall is less than...hmm:confused1: ...2 feet (I think, a pro will know for sure) you are not required (even though it may not be a bad idea) to have a receptacle on it.


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## Rifeman (Mar 11, 2007)

I am a beliver in put the outlets at 6 feet and no more than 8 feet, this way you always have on at hand. 

How many times have you went to use one and it is so far away that you had to get a extention cord ( nothing wrong with the cord ) but it is so much handler to have a outlet at hand.

I would like to thank-you for your help and it means a great deal to me.




jproffer said:


> There's no limit to the number of receptacles you can put on a residential circuit. If you're using 12-2, you may as well use a 20A breaker (if you weren't anyway).
> 
> Spacing is every 12 feet along the perimeter of the room. At least one on each side of a door. If a wall is less than...hmm:confused1: ...2 feet (I think, a pro will know for sure) you are not required (even though it may not be a bad idea) to have a receptacle on it.


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## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

Most appliance and lamp cords are 6 feet, which is why 12 ft is the minimum. Of course closer does no harm.:thumbsup:


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## BigJimmy (Jun 30, 2006)

Number of outlets? Per the NEC, each receptacle is assumed to carry a load of 180VA (per strap). Assuming a 20A branch circuit operating at 120VAC nominal, you could have 13 receptacles on the circuit. If these are to be located in an unfinished basement then according to 210.8(A)(5), GFCI protection is required. Spacing is according to 210.52(A)(1) which says (in general) that they should be placed so that no point in the wall space (measured along the floor line) is > 6ft. from a receptacle.


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## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

> Number of outlets? Per the NEC, each receptacle is assumed to carry a load of 180VA (per strap). Assuming a 20A branch circuit operating at 120VAC nominal, you could have 13 receptacles on the circuit.


Residential doesn't have the requirement of 180Va per device.



> which says (in general) that they should be placed so that no point in the wall space (measured along the floor line) is > 6ft. from a receptacle.


Which is 12 feet:thumbsup:


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## Rifeman (Mar 11, 2007)

So if I understand you right I can put them any where from 6' to 12' apart. Please set me stright if I missed understood you?


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## jproffer (Mar 12, 2005)

You can put them anywhere from 0-12 feet apart, their is no minimum...if you want a receptacle every 6" along your wall, that's your business. And what BigJimmy said is correct, it's actually 6 feet along the wall. And since most cords have the cord coming out of the end at 90° to the wall, you would have to be a little under 12 feet to account for making the "curve" in the cord. So say 11 feet to be safe.

But to clear up the # question. There is NO limit according to the NEC in residential wiring. You can, albeit a bad idea, put 100 receptacles on one circuit. The only requirement is common sense. Also, the 80% requirement doesn't apply to residential. So, like I said, the only requirement is common sense. 

When the breaker trips, it's time to stop....Of course, I'm joking:jester: .

EDIT: BTW, I'm not trying to be argumentative, but that's the code as I read it. Also, local codes vary greatly, so check first at YOUR local code office, city hall, etc.


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## BigJimmy (Jun 30, 2006)

jproffer said:


> Residential doesn't have the requirement of 180Va per device.


I stand corrected!:thumbsup: Sorry for the misinformation!


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## ghostrider20 (Dec 2, 2006)

For arguments sake, do they count the number of receptacles as 1 duplex outlet as 1 outlet, or would that be 2 outlets??

So would one count a duplex outlet (2 plug in receptacles) as 1 or 2?

Just wondering. I am wiring my new house this week and someone said that 10 should be my max number of outlets per run with (12-2)


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## Speedy Petey (Feb 1, 2004)

Ahhh. The dreaded "someone said". Be careful with this, and be sure when someone tell you things like this to get some sort of code section to confirm it.

The 180va per device is for each single or multiple receptacle on one yoke. Like was said, this rule DOES NOT apply to residential applications. There MAY local rules that override this NEC rule though.


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## iskibumi (Aug 18, 2009)

Can I put a ceiling fan/light as well as 7 outlets on the same 15A circuit? I am remodeling my house and trying to sort out 100 years of add ons and differnt types of wiring without having to tear into the walls too much. My first thought was to put each room on its own circuit with new wire of course. This is a living room and will typically have a lamp or two, the TV and maybe the ceiling fan running at once. We will probably not use the light on the ceiling fan too much.


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## J. V. (Jun 1, 2007)

Sure you can. And your idea to supply each room with a circuit is fine too. However, some people prefer to put the overhead lighting fixtures on a different circuit. Do you know what code cycle your area is using. You should check this out. If your on the 2008 code cycle, there are some things you should be aware of.


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