Electrical Outlets

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Geotpf_IHB

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Specifically, how many is enough, in your opinion? Is there a standard (x number of outlets per y square feet, or the master gets so many, the living room so many, etc.)?



Whoever built the addition on my house went gaga for outlets-there are 9 pairs (18 outlets) in the family room, which is reasonable since it's larger than 30' x 15'. But the master, built at the same time, is much smaller (half that size or so-something like 15' x 15'), and still has 7 pairs (14 outlets). Considering people didn't have home computers and complicated home theater setups and the like in 1978 when the addition was buillt, I wonder what they used them all for. The entire house has almost 80 outlets; pretty good for 1,750 square feet.
 
[quote author="Geotpf" date=1243437832]Specifically, how many is enough, in your opinion? Is there a standard (x number of outlets per y square feet, or the master gets so many, the living room so many, etc.)?



Whoever built the addition on my house went gaga for outlets-there are 9 pairs (18 outlets) in the family room, which is reasonable since it's larger than 30' x 15'. But the master, built at the same time, is much smaller (half that size or so-something like 15' x 15'), and still has 7 pairs (14 outlets). Considering people didn't have home computers and complicated home theater setups and the like in 1978 when the addition was buillt, I wonder what they used them all for. The entire house has almost 80 outlets; pretty good for 1,750 square feet.</blockquote>
I think the standard is 4-6 outlets per room. Did you get an inspector to check out that the previous owner properly installed the new outlets and related breakers?
 
Ummm... is that to code? I mean, have you updated your electrical box? If not... you need an electrician. If so... you might want to get a second opinion. You have great insurance... right?
 
Home inspector made no mention of the number of outlets exceeding the capacity of the breaker or anything like that, and he did find other minor electrical issues I am correcting.
 
all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.
 
[quote author="Geotpf" date=1243437832]Specifically, how many is enough, in your opinion? Is there a standard (x number of outlets per y square feet, or the master gets so many, the living room so many, etc.)?



Whoever built the addition on my house went gaga for outlets-there are 9 pairs (18 outlets) in the family room, which is reasonable since it's larger than 30' x 15'. But the master, built at the same time, is much smaller (half that size or so-something like 15' x 15'), and still has 7 pairs (14 outlets). Considering people didn't have home computers and complicated home theater setups and the like in 1978 when the addition was buillt, I wonder what they used them all for. The entire house has almost 80 outlets; pretty good for 1,750 square feet.</blockquote>


More pot = more lights = a need for more outlets ;)
 
[quote author="freedomCM" date=1243485666]all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.</blockquote>


That's what I was treating it as-a cool bonus. I asked my electrician about it, and he said it looked a little heavy (code is apparently one outlet pair every six feet of wall space), but as a practical matter the worst that could happen is you overload the thing and trip the breaker. I'm not going to plug something into every single outlet, especially in the master.
 
[quote author="Geotpf" date=1243559666][quote author="freedomCM" date=1243485666]all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.</blockquote>


That's what I was treating it as-a cool bonus. I asked my electrician about it, and he said it looked a little heavy (code is apparently one outlet pair every six feet of wall space), but as a practical matter the worst that could happen is you overload the thing and trip the breaker. I'm not going to plug something into every single outlet, especially in the master.</blockquote> That is why there are battery operated toys?
 
[quote author="crucialtaunt" date=1243566772]<blockquote> That is why there are battery operated toys?</blockquote>


For the bedroom? :)</blockquote> For the Master Bedroom.
 
[quote author="Geotpf" date=1243559666][quote author="freedomCM" date=1243485666]all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.</blockquote>


That's what I was treating it as-a cool bonus. I asked my electrician about it, and he said it looked a little heavy (code is apparently one outlet pair every six feet of wall space), but as a practical matter the worst that could happen is you overload the thing and trip the breaker. I'm not going to plug something into every single outlet, especially in the master.</blockquote>


The outlet is a called a duplex receptacle and code averages that 1.5 amps will be used on average per duplex giving you 10 of them on a 15 amp circuit. The reason that code demands so many plugs is for convenience more than anything else. Such as always have a plug for the the vacuum cleaner or for a light etc.
 
[quote author="OCCOBRA" date=1243610949][quote author="Geotpf" date=1243559666][quote author="freedomCM" date=1243485666]all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.</blockquote>


That's what I was treating it as-a cool bonus. I asked my electrician about it, and he said it looked a little heavy (code is apparently one outlet pair every six feet of wall space), but as a practical matter the worst that could happen is you overload the thing and trip the breaker. I'm not going to plug something into every single outlet, especially in the master.</blockquote>


The outlet is a called a duplex receptacle and code averages that 1.5 amps will be used on average per duplex giving you 10 of them on a 15 amp circuit. The reason that code demands so many plugs is for convenience more than anything else. Such as always have a plug for the the vacuum cleaner or for a light etc.</blockquote>


The 1.5 amp per outlet pair is good to know. The breaker box did appear to me to be above average; I will check it and confirm how many circuits is has (I'm at the apartment now, although I am moving out over the 48 hours and then will be without internet access for a couple days). I have a low res picture from the inspection report which seems to show it has ten 15 amp circuits if I'm looking at it correctly (that is, there are ten small red switches, plus the larger main ones, and two small blue ones I don't know what they are for). That would put it at 150 amps, which is in "MJ grow house" territory, and certainly enough to meet code for all those outlets (80/2 x 1.5 = 60).
 
[quote author="Geotpf" date=1243617132][quote author="OCCOBRA" date=1243610949][quote author="Geotpf" date=1243559666][quote author="freedomCM" date=1243485666]all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.</blockquote>


That's what I was treating it as-a cool bonus. I asked my electrician about it, and he said it looked a little heavy (code is apparently one outlet pair every six feet of wall space), but as a practical matter the worst that could happen is you overload the thing and trip the breaker. I'm not going to plug something into every single outlet, especially in the master.</blockquote>


The outlet is a called a duplex receptacle and code averages that 1.5 amps will be used on average per duplex giving you 10 of them on a 15 amp circuit. The reason that code demands so many plugs is for convenience more than anything else. Such as always have a plug for the the vacuum cleaner or for a light etc.</blockquote>


The 1.5 amp per outlet pair is good to know. The breaker box did appear to me to be above average; I will check it and confirm how many circuits is has (I'm at the apartment now, although I am moving out over the 48 hours and then will be without internet access for a couple days). I have a low res picture from the inspection report which seems to show it has ten 15 amp circuits if I'm looking at it correctly (that is, there are ten small red switches, plus the larger main ones, and two small blue ones I don't know what they are for). That would put it at 150 amps, which is in "MJ grow house" territory, and certainly enough to meet code for all those outlets (80/2 x 1.5 = 60).</blockquote>


If you look at the main breaker that turns off the whole panel that will give you the rating on the panel. Irregardless of the values of the breakers installed in the panel they will not necessarily add up to the exact amount of the main it could be higher or lower than the main breaker that feeds it. If the main 2 pole breaker (the breaker that turns off the whole panel) is rated at 100 amps then you have 200amps of available power. 100 amps per leg based on single phase panel with 2 legs. Probably more info than you need but you are fine.
 
[quote author="OCCOBRA" date=1243746781][quote author="Geotpf" date=1243617132][quote author="OCCOBRA" date=1243610949][quote author="Geotpf" date=1243559666][quote author="freedomCM" date=1243485666]all that matters is having enough juice coming into the feeder box, and enough circuits in the box to power all the outlets. its not really a problem so long as the circuits aren't overloaded.



in fact, i would think it a bonus, myself.</blockquote>


That's what I was treating it as-a cool bonus. I asked my electrician about it, and he said it looked a little heavy (code is apparently one outlet pair every six feet of wall space), but as a practical matter the worst that could happen is you overload the thing and trip the breaker. I'm not going to plug something into every single outlet, especially in the master.</blockquote>


The outlet is a called a duplex receptacle and code averages that 1.5 amps will be used on average per duplex giving you 10 of them on a 15 amp circuit. The reason that code demands so many plugs is for convenience more than anything else. Such as always have a plug for the the vacuum cleaner or for a light etc.</blockquote>


The 1.5 amp per outlet pair is good to know. The breaker box did appear to me to be above average; I will check it and confirm how many circuits is has (I'm at the apartment now, although I am moving out over the 48 hours and then will be without internet access for a couple days). I have a low res picture from the inspection report which seems to show it has ten 15 amp circuits if I'm looking at it correctly (that is, there are ten small red switches, plus the larger main ones, and two small blue ones I don't know what they are for). That would put it at 150 amps, which is in "MJ grow house" territory, and certainly enough to meet code for all those outlets (80/2 x 1.5 = 60).</blockquote>


If you look at the main breaker that turns off the whole panel that will give you the rating on the panel. Irregardless of the values of the breakers installed in the panel they will not necessarily add up to the exact amount of the main it could be higher or lower than the main breaker that feeds it. If the main 2 pole breaker (the breaker that turns off the whole panel) is rated at 100 amps then you have 200amps of available power. 100 amps per leg based on single phase panel with 2 legs. Probably more info than you need but you are fine.</blockquote>


I looked at it (moved in but have had no internet access)-the main breaker is 100 amp; each of the individual circuits is 20 amp. There also were a 50 amp one for the A/C. Whoever built the addition really overengineered it-200 amps is overkill today; in 1978 it was insane.
 
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