Okay, I’ve added junction boxes, moved switches, and am now one wire away from losing a pantry in our kitchen so we have room for an island. We can still lose the pantry but would have to keep a faux beam for a single power wire.
I have a solution I want to run by everyone.
The wire in question powers our great-room/kithen lights.
We have a nearby office, bedroom and hallway on a single 20 amp circuit. I know that sounds like overkill, and it is. In fact we know the builder and he pretty much overwired everything. Why he did not put in a larger electric panel is beyond me and another question entirely.
So if I wire the great-room/kitchen lights to that 20 amp circuit it solves all of my problems. It also frees up the 15 amp circuit they’re on for the island outlets and the great room outlets where our entertainment center will go.
It seems like such an easy solution that I want to make sure there’s nothing I have overlooked.
Replies
It depends.
The basic figure that is used for "general purpose receptacles and area lighting" is 3 watts/sq ft.
So for the areas that serve both then use that for a the load. And for the areas that have just lights on the circuit figure the maximum wattage of each fixture.
BTW, I am surprised that they ever run a 15 amp circuit to the island.
>>BTW, I am surprised that they ever run a 15 amp circuit to the island.Yeah, I thought code for kitchens was two 20 amp convenience circuits? That's on top of everything that wants a dedicated circuit (refrig, dishwasher, disposal, range, microwave, exhaust hood).
"Yeah, I thought code for kitchens was two 20 amp convenience circuits? That's on top of everything that wants a dedicated circuit (refrig, dishwasher, disposal, range, microwave, exhaust hood)."Sorta. Now I am looking at the 99 code and they like to change the placment on the comma's and change the meaning.It requires 2 or more 20 amp small appliance circuits. And all receptacles that SERVE the counter top are small appliance receptacles.However, they can also supply other receptacles in the kitchen, dinning room, and pantry. And that includes the refigerator.However, the refigerator can also be supplied by a separate 15 (or more) circuit.Now that gets to the dedicated cirucits. The basic requirement is that anything takes more than the 50% capacity of the line requires a dedicated circuit.Unless it a superchargaed exhaust fan that is surplus from a wind tunnel it does not need a dedicated circuit. However, it can be on the small appliance circuit and is usually on the lighting circuit.The microwave clear does need a dedicated circuit. The others depend on the draw. But even at that things like the disposal can usually be operated off of another circuit becuase the run time is typically less than a minute.All of that said I have somewhat older kitchen, 79 and it has the two 20 amp circuits for EVERYTHING. That includes the refig, and counter top 1000 watt mw. But also a dishwashere, GD, trash compactor, and instand hot water dispenser. And never a problem.
The office, bedroom, and hallway are small, about 250 sq. ft. total. One of the rooms houses my wifes plant collection, but we don't run that many grow lights or anything.The great-room/kitchen area is a bit over 500 sq. feet but none of the outlets in that area will be fed by that 20 amp circuit."BTW, I am surprised that they ever run a 15 amp circuit to the island."Well it was not an island, it was a pantry that divided the great room up visually. Now that we've knocked it down it will be an island. The entire house is wired in 12 guage so it can be a 20 amp circuit. The existing kitchen outlets are already on two, 20 amp circuits.
Sounds like it will be OK./