So, which of the appliances requires a dedicated 20 Amp circuit? Air conditioners that are either large window units or central units on a smaller side.Garages that have power tools and car repair equipment.Personal office rooms, with devices like computers and printers.Bathroom circuits, including appliances like curling irons and hair dryers.Laundry circuits like washing machines.Kitchen circuits (dishwasher, garbage disposal, microwaves, toasters, blenders).This means only using approximately 1,920 watts on a 120-volt circuit at once for 3 hours.Ī 20-amp outlet has one slot turned sideways or T-shaped to accept 20-amp plugs.Ī 20-amp circuit is used for different heavy-duty kitchen appliances. According to the NEC rule, a circuit should only be used 80% of its maximum capacity for continuous loads. Like 15-amp circuits, 20-Amp circuits can be either dedicated or shared.Ī 20-amp circuit at 120 volts can deliver up to 2,400 watts of power. What Are The Applications Of A 20 Amp Circuit? However, the size of an aluminum wire for a 20 Amp circuit is the same - 12 AWG.Īll things concerned, 12 AWG copper wire is the perfect 20 amp wire.
For example, the larger wire may not fit the terminals on certain devices or fixtures rated for 20 amps.Īluminum wire is not a popular choice for a 20 Amp breaker, and it is usually replaced with a copper wire. Using a 10 AWG wire for a 20 amp circuit is possible and safe but not cost-effective. Using 14 AWG for a 20 Amp breaker will result in overheating and a risk of electrical fire. Note that a 14 gauge wire on a 20 amp circuit is not the correct size, as it is only rated to handle up to 15 Amp in residential applications. The correct wire size for a 20 amp breaker is 12 AWG copper wire.
0 kommentar(er)
