At Home In The Woods

[eepete]

Just like it helps to have a trial furniture placement when looking at switches and outlet locations, it helps to have a trial appliance placement for the kitchen. Microwave(s), dishwasher and refrigerators should be dedicated circuits. Then look at what and where the coffee maker, toaster/toaster oven, mixer/blender etc. are.

I have 13 separate circuits in the kitchen, but I'm a self proclaimed overkiller. There is a place where I have three in a row for the coffee maker, toaster oven, and a place where I occasionally use a waffle maker. By doing the placement in advance, I'm good to go on those rare Sunday mornings where all three are going at once.

Agree that lights and outlets should be separate circuits. There are lots of lazy reasons why that often doesn't get done.

Pete

 

[dave1949]

Nothing more aggravating than an underwired kitchen. It's easy to have a crock pot, coffee maker, microwave, mixer/blender and whatever else going at the same time when cooking for a group like in the holiday season.

Our kitchen has dedicated circuits for the range hood, frig and microwave.

Eddie - Good post.
Dave.

 

[Pops15]

Just like it helps to have a trial furniture placement when looking at switches and outlet locations, it helps to have a trial appliance placement for the kitchen. Microwave(s), dishwasher and refrigerators should be dedicated circuits. Then look at what and where the coffee maker, toaster/toaster oven, mixer/blender etc. are.

I have 13 separate circuits in the kitchen, but I'm a self proclaimed overkiller. There is a place where I have three in a row for the coffee maker, toaster oven, and a place where I occasionally use a waffle maker. By doing the placement in advance, I'm good to go on those rare Sunday mornings where all three are going at once.

Agree that lights and outlets should be separate circuits. There are lots of lazy reasons why that often doesn't get done.

Pete

I did some work in a suburb of Chicago that required EVERY receptacle to have it's own circuit. 1400ish square foot house had 44 circuits! I asked why. General said it's code. I asked why it was code. General said electrical inspector's brother in law was in the electrical equipment supply business. Good a reason as any I guess.

 

[CurlyDave]

Obed:

One electrical thing I have found very handy is a waist-height electrical outlet near the entrance in every room.

This makes running a vacuum cleaner, carpet shampooer, or even electric tools so much handier than having to bend over every time.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I believe you need at least two separate circuits for kitchen countertop alone, let alone fridge on separate circuit, disposal on separate circuit, dishwaster, etc.

If my wife would leave my code book laying here, I could give you chapter and verse.

 

[rjkobbeman]

Nothing more aggravating than an underwired kitchen. It's easy to have a crock pot, coffee maker, microwave, mixer/blender and whatever else going at the same time when cooking for a group like in the holiday season.

Our kitchen has dedicated circuits for the range hood, frig and microwave.

Eddie - Good post.
Dave.

Yup, you can never have too many circuits in the Kitchen. I just finished building our home (was gc and did a lot of the construction myself) and we have many dedicated circuits. For us, we use a lot of roasters when we have family over. 75% of the time, it is all overkill... but that 25% of the time it sure is nice.

We even have two dedicated floor receptacles (each on their own circuit) for fondue pots -- we love doing fondue... like "The Melting Pot".

Everyone made fun of me during construction. The first big get together we had, there were appliances everywhere... and suddenly I was a genius!

 

[dave1949]

Yup, you can never have too many circuits in the Kitchen. I just finished building our home (was gc and did a lot of the construction myself) and we have many dedicated circuits. For us, we use a lot of roasters when we have family over. 75% of the time, it is all overkill... but that 25% of the time it sure is nice.

We even have two dedicated floor receptacles (each on their own circuit) for fondue pots -- we love doing fondue... like "The Melting Pot".

Everyone made fun of me during construction. The first big get together we had, there were appliances everywhere... and suddenly I was a genius!

Since our DIL is a vegetarian, we usually have two crock pots going for things like T-Day stuffing.
Dave.

 

[eepete]

buckeye: Yep, NEC and local codes will have the fridge, dishwasher, disposals, and range hood on their own (in general, the usual local disclaimers here). Put the microwave on it's own. Then look at appliance placement and use.

You have fondues, I have dedicated circuits on each side of the cooktop in case we want to do dual WOKs (we did that for a while) and my Sunday morning Waffle-Fest.

I did see a high end spec house once (it was in the $250/sq foot range) that only had two 20 amp circuits for the countertops, and that _included_ the microwave. Done to minimum code. And yet they used a plug strip style around the counter base so there was an outlet every foot so it _looked_ like it was loaded for bear :confused2:. The also mixed decora (rectangular) light switches with standard edison style outlets (oval). So in the spirit of Obed's comments on subs, all these posts are a heads up with an apology for overloading information (as Eddie has mentioned).

Pete

 

[Ranger Rick]

I have to agree with buckeyefarmer that you need 2, 20 amp circuits on the kitchen counter top. I just finished redoing our kitchen and that is what the building inspector said was required. Also the dishwasher and refrigerator had to each be on separate circuits. If you want under cabinet lighting which is nice it has to be on a lighting circuit and not tied into the counter top outlets. The house is looking good. Rick

 

[brin]

obed ..just a note on the electrical ..if you are not used to the new GFCI outlets...they are a pain to deal with, at least in my experience. Try to have as few of them as possible. You will be working with a power tool or hair dryer and all of a suden ..no power and then you go around pushing reset buttons...What a pain..I say only in the bathroom and kitchen near a sink ..anywhere else you can eliminate them after you get your final inspection you will find desirable.