How many electrical plugs can you put on one circuit?

Answer 1

It depends on the items you will plug into the power strip. Certain appliances require much more power than others. VCR's, phone chargers, DVD/CD players don't require much power depending, whereas a toaster or microwave may take 10 to 100 times the amount of power required. Acceptable areas for power strips are within a computer setup, or a home entertainment setup. They are not recommended in the bathroom or in the kitchen at all.

Answer 2

As many as you want. Just make sure that the total power used by all of the

devices that are turned on at the same time doesn't approach the current rating

of the fuse or circuit breaker that protects that circuit.

Keeping this account involves one more step, because each device is typically marked in

terms of the power it uses, but the fuse or breaker imposes a limitation in terms of current.

Here's a way to handle that:

-- Look at the fuse or breaker on the circuit. Note its current limit in Amperes.

Example: 10A, 15A, 20A .

-- Multiply that number by the mains voltage in your country.

Example: 110 in Cuba and Haiti. 120 in USA and Canada. 220 in India.

-- The product of the multiplication is the maximum total power available for

devices on that circuit. Simply add up the power (watts) required by each device.

-- Hint & suggestion ...

This method involves a few approximations and simplifications. Give yourself a

margin for safety. Set your limit on the circuit for no more than 80% or 90% of

the number you calculated.

And DO NOT try to extend the limit by putting in a larger fuse than the one

that's supposed to be there. That trick is inviting a fire.

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In Canada the CEC states that there shall be not more than 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit. These outlets shall be considered to be rated at not less than 1 amp per outlet

Where the connected load is known, the number of outlets shall be permitted to exceed 12, provided that the load current does not exceed 80% of the rating of the over current device protecting the circuit.

For example on a 15 amp breaker, 15 x 80% = 12 amps, hence the standard of 12 outlets on any 2-wire branch circuit.

On a 20 amp breaker, 20 x 80% = 16 amps. So from a 20 amp breaker this allows 16 outlets on a 2-wire branch circuit as long as the outlets are not considered to be rated at less than 1 amp per outlet.

The definition of an outlet is a point in the wiring installation at which current is taken to supply utilization equipment.

What this means is that if a light switch and a fixture outlet were on the same 2-wire branch circuit they would be subtracted from the maximum count of 12 receptacle outlets on the circuit which would leave 10. If the light fixture draws 3 amps plus the switch outlet, then the total circuit outlet count would be reduced to 8 receptacle outlets (12 - 3 - 1 = 8).

On a standard specification home most electricians will wire one circuit per room, the outlet count usually never reaches the maximum of 12 outlets.

Answer 3

A power strip (also known as an extension block, power board, plug board and by many other variations) is a block of electrical sockets that attaches to the end of a flexible cable (typically with a mains plug on the other end), allowing multiple electrical devices to be powered from a single electrical socket. Power strips are often used when many electrical devices are in proximity, such as for audio/video and computer systems. Power strips often include a circuit breaker to safely limit the electric current flowing through them