Electrical loads

[99SVT]

I'm adding a bathroom in my shop. In doing so, I'm going to have an exhaust fan/light in it.

I have 9 110v outlets at numerous spots inside the shop (3 to a circuit)... each circuit on a 20 amp breaker.

My thought was to just tap into one of these for the supply to the exhaust fan/light in the bathroom. Well, it seems that the fan pulls 24 amps.

Keep in mind, I have never done anything like this before (framing, elec., etc.), but am fulling capable of doing the work, if shown, read, or explained what to do.

I thought about just replacing the breaker with a bigger breaker (30 or 40), but I don't think the 12ga wire that is run will support this.

Is my only option running a new line, with heavier gauge wire, from the breaker box to the bathroom?

 

[oleguy]

exh fan won't be 24 amps.think you mean 2.4 amps.light and fan 3- 4 amps.20 amp ckt will be fine.

 

[99SVT]

Thanks for making me go back and look... it was 24.5 Watts.



Ok, lets say it was 24.5 amps... would the rest of what I posted be correct, in that I would need to run a new line for it. A person can just swap out the circuit breaker... unless the wire is capable of handling that new amp rating.

 

[larry_g]

Ok, lets say it was 24.5 amps... would the rest of what I posted be correct, in that I would need to run a new line for it. A person CANNOT just swap out the circuit breaker... unless the wire is capable of handling that new amp rating.

You are correct. The circuit breaker is there to protect the WIRE nothing else. There are all sorts of wires, routings, heat, and other factors that determine what rating a given size wire is to be fused at.

lg
no neat sig line

 

[tfi racing]

If that bath fan was 24.5 amps,I would have to ask what the hell are you eating that stinks that bad!

On this side of the border,tapping into one of those general circuits for a small bathroom would not be an issue,however,your local rules may vary...

 

[99SVT]

got it all wired up today... everything works like a champ.

Thank ya'll for the info & help.

 

[imavanner2]

If you were doing this with a permit Nec states that a seprate 20 amp breaker be dedacated to the batroom only. If i am not mistaken.

 

[sberry]

There are several rules specifically pertaining to bathrooms. But, as for running the fans and lights this is not an issue to be running them from another circuit.