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250-ft 12 / 2 / Romex SIMpull Solid Indoor CU NM-B Individual pack ( By-the-roll )

Southwire 250-ft 12 / 2 / Romex SIMpull Solid Indoor CU NM-B Individual pack ( By-the-roll )

4.7
2817

how many outlets can be used on 14-2 verses 12-2


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Which gauge wire you use should be based on the circuit breaker you are attaching to it. Since 14 gauge wire can handle 15 Amps, you should use it when connecting to a 15 Amp breaker. A 20 Amp breaker should be connected to wire that can handle 20 Amps, or 12 gauge. You should never connect a wire that can handle less than the breaker is rated. In other words, don't connect a wire rated to handle 15 Amps to a 20 Amp breaker. The (15A) wire could be overloaded and burn up before the (20A) breaker kicks. Everything connected to a 20A breaker should be rated at least 20A, i.e. outlets. The outlets you connect have a Amp rating that should be matched up to the wire used and the breaker to which it is connected. A 20A breaker should use a 20A wire and a 20A outlet. The outlet itself doesn't draw a current until you plug something into it. All of the things plugged into all of the outlets on a single circuit can not exceed the Amp rating of the circuit. If you are plugging in a light that draws 1A then theoretically you could plug in a maximum of 20 of them on a 20A circuit. Ideally you don't want to run a circuit at the maximum rating, so connecting 8-10 lights would be better.

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Number of devices on a circuit is based on the circuit not the wire if it is a 20 amp circuit you can have more devices than a 15 amp circuit.

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The question is not how many outlets, but what they will be used for. The more amperage that will be used on the outlets, the heavier the wire you will want to use. 12-2 is suitable for most home applications. Another factor is what your breaker box is rated at and what the breaker you are hooking it into is rated. While 14-2 is less expensive it will trip your breaker quicker if you have too much plugged in. If you are running 1 room on the breaker 14-2 will be sufficient. This would suggest a light and up to six to eight outlets. Any more than this, I would recommend 12-2.

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The number of outlets that can be used is infinite by code and only determined by load.

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Depends on what is being used on the circuit. I believe the general rule of thumb is no more than 8 outlets on a circuit. But, that can vary widely depending on what you have plugged in and how often it is used. For example, in my garage I might have 10-15 outlets so that I can move tools, but only 2-3 are used at any given time. However, in my office those same 10-15 outlets would almost all be being used at the same time due to a large number of electrical devices. You really need to break down the load of each item (their documentation will say how many amps they use) and then size the circuit appropriately.

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Typical insllation is no more than 8 (15 amp) duplex receptacles on a branch circuit. Depending on wether it is a general purpose outlet or say for a workbench. For things like drills and grinders as at a workbench, 20 amp circuits will avoid many nuicance trips. Also if for kitchen receptacle where ble3nders and mixers and coffee pots could be used 20 amp circuit is also recommended and 1- 20 amp circuit is required per the NEC in a kitchen.

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