Kitchen: recommended appliance circuits

[engineer2]

I'm a little rusty on current NEC code and I know we have excellent electricians here. I'm simply asking what's current for kitchen circuits.
Question marks by what I'm not sure of

Countertop GFCI outlets "A": 12ga, 20A
Countertop GFCI outlets "B", disposal: 12ga, 20A
Refrigerator: 12 ga, 20A
Microwave: 14ga, 15A Can another outlet be on the microwave breaker?
Dishwasher: 14ga, 15A
Lights: 14ga, 15A
Gas Range: separate breaker ?? (I think it's on the countertop outlet circuit now). Mfr: "It is recommended that a separate min. 15A circuit serving only this range be provided."

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Disposal and dishwasher are typicaly put on an MWBC

Verify the rating of the microwave. Some require a 20 amp circuit. The circuit needs to be dedicated do not put any other outlets on that circuit due to power usage

The fridge circuit can be 14 gauge 15a. Some people put the fridge outlet on the small appliance branch circuits but I do not like to do that

Not sure why the range manufacturer recommends a dedicated circuit for the range. it really doesn’t need it. The load is very small. It’s just running the clock controls and the igniter. The range outlet could actually go on one of the countertop small appliance branch circuits.

 

[rlitman]

If the gas range has a convection oven feature, that uses an electric heating element.

 

[astroracer]

One thing to think about for that range, especially if you are building new, is to throw in a circuit for an electric unit... Just in case. I bought a house that had a gas range the previous owner took. Wifey didn't want gas so we had to add a circuit for an electric. Not fun and very costly.
Mark

 

[wyliesdiesels]

If the gas range has a convection oven feature, that uses an electric heating element.

good point but would it be a 120v element?

And if it does have that, then the manufacturer wouldnt be recommending it(which doesnt need to be followed), it would be a requirement due to the load.

 

[engineer2]

Thanks for the help so far!
Called the mfr:
Fridge requires a 20 A circuit. Already have that.
Microwave can be 15 or 20 and dedicated is recommended.
The gas range requires a 15A outlet. "Dedicated" is only a rec not a requirement. I didn't know convection fan on a gas range had an electric element. I'll have to check mine. I guess I can just leave it on the existing 20A circuit.

I love it when manufacturers are vague about electrical specifications.

We use EMT, so wiring is easily modified.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

The fridge requires a 20a circuit?

Geez whats the load rating on the fridge? I cant imagine its more than 10a.

 

[Bert_]

I usually share one 20a circuit for garbage disposal and dishwasher. Same for fridge and microwave. No real need to have separate circuits for all. Fridge is going to be under 5a, microwave is normally 12a or less, disposal is is maybe 5-6a, I'd have to look at a dishwasher to be sure but it will probably be under 10a

Then 2-3 circuits for countertop outlets.

 

[engineer2]

I found that to be odd, but I think their person was reading the circuit requirement, not the power draw. It's interesting that none of the Whirlpool specs include the power draw for any of their appliances. Perhaps I'll go home and measure it.

fridge is going to be under 5a, microwave is normally 12a or less,

This gets you rather close to the 80% rule.

 

[Bert_]

This gets you rather close to the 80% rule.

Non of it is continuous load so you can load it right up to 20 if you want.

 

[exranger06]

Microwave circuit- if you're installing a range hood/microwave combo unit, it needs a 20 amp, dedicated circuit. Can't have anything else on that circuit. If you're using a counter-top microwave, you don't need any dedicated circuit; just plug it into one of the SABCs.

Garbage disposal is not allowed on a SABC. Dishwasher is not allowed on a SABC either. Dishwasher and disposal can be on the same circuit.

 

[rlitman]

good point but would it be a 120v element?



And if it does have that, then the manufacturer wouldnt be recommending it(which doesnt need to be followed), it would be a requirement due to the load.

Yes, the gas oven convection element will be 120V. Usually around 1000W. It uses gas to pre-heat, and then uses the electric element to maintain temperature as the convection fan runs.

The load is lower than a toaster, but it can be way more than a clock.

Looking at my GE right now, the sticker says 1150W.

I have a 7” deep piece of countertop behind my slide-in range and a 9” section to the right of it. So I put a GFI behind that countertop section that feeds the outlet behind the range, and the one above the cabinets for the under cabinet lighting. The 3’ wide countertop to the left of my range has a dedicated 20A circuit, and then there’s a 15A circuit for the fridge, and a 20A circuit for the microwave range hood.

Across the kitchen, I have a 20A circuit for the dishwasher/disposal/instant-hot, and another for the countertop outlets.

Then, there’s one more circuit for the island.

 

[engineer2]

Good info!

Still OK to share one neutral on 2 circuits (fridge + countertop A) as long as they are on different legs? These are not on a 2 pole breaker. This is how I found it, and pulling one less 12 ga will be easier. Re-pulling the wire because a J-box got moved.

Also found one countertop outlet not GFCI protected, so that'll get fixed. Maybe that was OK in 1992.

 

[Milton Shaw]

The difference between cost of 14 and 12 is not worth the cost so go on and pull all 12 gauge. Microwaves will trip a 15 often and hardly ever trip a 20. This is normal surge when the microwave starts, don't try to save $10 or so on wire cost to just put in a 15 amp circuit. Some of the premium microwaves require a 240 volt circuit and 30 amp. The GE Advantium is one that is 240 volt and really makes a nice upgrade to a kitchen as it does, MW, convection, and speed cooking(think browning). I also suggest putting in wiring now for electric range or what they call dual fuel (premium range) that take the best of both worlds, gas cooktop and electric oven for the best baking. Prewiring is cheap before drywall so save the money and do it all now for future needs.

 

[exranger06]

Single pole breakers are fine as long as you install handle-ties on them. Is the GFCI for the range and under cabinet lighting behind the range? In other words, do you have to move the range in order to access it? GFCIs need to be accessible, and I don't think that qualifies.

 

[engineer2]

I see you have to read section 210.52 very carefully.

The 15 A microwave circuit is original to the 1992-built house. Thanks for the suggestion to upgrade to 20 A. I have plenty of wire to do that.

Thanks for the dual fuel suggestion, but I don't think it's worthwhile to upgrade wiring for that in our neighborhood. These are entry-level homes and people are fine with gas. Besides, the home run that the stove uses would be over the limit.

I do have room to pull a second neutral to avoid a handle tie.

Is the GFCI for the range and under cabinet lighting behind the range?

I have to open the Jbox tonite, but I think the range is on the non-GFCI part of the countertop circuit. No hidden GFCI's.

Do in-cabinet outlets that are exclusively for under cabinet and in-cabinet illumination have any requirements? I suppose they must be on a lighting circuit and not on a SABC.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Lights cannot be on the SABCs.

 

[anythingyoucanimagine]

When I did my kitchen I ran a lot of circuits. Some of it was overkill but wire is cheap... This is what I did:

1. 15a lighting branch
2. 20a HR refrigerator
3. 20a HR microwave + over-range hood
4. 20a HR behind stove "just in case someday gas"
5. 40a HR stove & range
6. 20a dishwasher + disposal
8. 20a sabc counter top
9. 20a sabc island
10. 20a HR coffee machine
11. 20a branch receptacles


I'll be doing another kitchen shortly and the only thing I might change is maybe I'll put fridge on sabc. But also maybe not because some of the new fridges have a lot of features and the ones with cameras/screens, etc. take a bit to come back up. Might keep fridge on it's own HR just so it won't go out if gfi pops.

 

[Jazz1]

Check local codes to see what is required in your area. How many 20 amp circuits in kitchen. Codes have changed significantly since I last upgraded electrical in a house

 

[ddawg16]

Less circuits safe Kitchen

Not true...........

 

[ddawg16]

I personally don't like MWBC's. But that is me....'

I have a gas stove top...it and the vent hood are on the same ckt.

The dishwasher and disposal wiring pre-dates the latest code and are on the same ckt. Seeing how we only use the disposal to clean food of the dishes as we put them in the dishwasher, I'm not concerned about tripping the breaker.

My kitchen has 4 sep ckt's just for counter top outlets.

 

[dw1]

good point but would it be a 120v element?

And if it does have that, then the manufacturer wouldnt be recommending it(which doesnt need to be followed), it would be a requirement due to the load.

We just built a new house and the boss picked out a gas range with convection oven, the oven required a 4 wire 240 volt- 30 amp circuit.

 

[rlitman]

We just built a new house and the boss picked out a gas range with convection oven, the oven required a 4 wire 240 volt- 30 amp circuit.

That sounds like a dual fuel. In those, the entire oven is electric. Broil, bake AND convection bake. My parents have one of those. You get the drier and more controllable heat of an electric oven, so you can dehydrate in one. Something I cannot do in my gas oven.

 

[dw1]

That sounds like a dual fuel. In those, the entire oven is electric. Broil, bake AND convection bake. My parents have one of those. You get the drier and more controllable heat of an electric oven, so you can dehydrate in one. Something I cannot do in my gas oven.

Yes, ours is a 6 burner gas top and the oven is a convection (electric) I'm still not quite what all it will do, I believe the wife has it all down. The salesguy said that all ranges like this require a 240V/30 amp circuit

 

[theoldwizard1]

Countertop GFCI outlets "A": 12ga, 20A
Countertop GFCI outlets "B", disposal: 12ga, 20A

Left and right of sink. No other devices allowed. (No disposal.) Multiple outlet allowed as long as they are all on the same side of the sink. These MUST be GFCI.

Refrigerator: 12 ga, 20A
Microwave: 14ga, 15A Can another outlet be on the microwave breaker?
Dishwasher: 14ga, 15A
Lights: 14ga, 15A
Gas Range: separate breaker ?? (I think it's on the countertop outlet circuit now). Mfr: "It is recommended that a separate min. 15A circuit serving only this range be provided."

I am not an electrician or "NEC code lawyer". The last kitchen I wired, the dishwasher and the disposal shared the same 20A circuit. I put pigtails on both appliances and the duplex outlet was split. One "hot at all times" and one switched for the disposal. (I don't recall if I used a GFCI on this outlet or not, but it is a good idea. If you do a MWBC, you will nee two GFCI outlets.)

You will get a lot of controversy over the rest.

Refrigerator - unless it is a "commercial" model, 15A is adequate and it can be shared with other appliance (maybe not the microwave).

Microwave/fan/light - 15A

Gas range - shared with microwave/fan/light (or maybe the refrigerator).

Ceiling lights should be on a separate circuit.


This was a "budget" remodel and there was no money for a whole new load center. The house was old and very "oddly" wired. I needed four circuits, 2 counter top, 1 dishwasher/disposal and one refrigerator/microwave, plus the original ONE circuit that was there (yes, only ONE !) and of course the load center was full. Swapped in 4 tandems and I "made it work". Not inspected, but with THREE additional 20A circuit in that kitchen there was never an issue.

 

[theoldwizard1]

One thing to think about for that range, especially if you are building new, is to throw in a circuit for an electric unit... Just in case. I bought a house that had a gas range the previous owner took. Wifey didn't want gas so we had to add a circuit for an electric. Not fun and very costly.
Mark

Good suggestion on a new build !

 

[theoldwizard1]

The fridge requires a 20a circuit?

Geez whats the load rating on the fridge? I cant imagine its more than 10a.

Concur !

Good point but would it (convection oven) be a 120v element?

Counter top convection ovens are becoming more popular, but they would use one of the counter top outlets.

I have never seen a gas oven with convection. (Possible flame blow out ?)

 

[rlitman]

...
I have never seen a gas oven with convection. (Possible flame blow out ?)

Well, now you have.

Nowadays, most 30” four burner gas ranges don’t have convection, but five burner models do.

 

[exranger06]

Left and right of sink. No other devices allowed. (No disposal.) Multiple outlet allowed as long as they are all on the same side of the sink. These MUST be GFCI.
Not quite. You need at least 1 outlet on each section of countertop (so yes, you need an outlet on either side of the sink.) However, they can be on the same circuit. You cannot have one circuit feeding all of the countertop outlets; you need a minimum of two circuits. But again, it doesn't matter if one circuit feeds outlets on both sides of the sink, and the other circuit feeds some other countertop outlets elsewhere in the kitchen.
Finally, these 2 circuits can ALSO feed other wall receptacles in the kitchen, pantry, breakfast nook/eating area, and the dining room. But they are to be used ONLY for receptacles (no hard-wired or permanently-installed appliances, and no lighting) and they are for receptacles ONLY in these rooms (not to be shared with receptacles in the living room or other rooms). This is the minimum required by NEC; of course you are welcome to split these receptacles up and feed them from separate circuits.

I am not an electrician or "NEC code lawyer". The last kitchen I wired, the dishwasher and the disposal shared the same 20A circuit. I put pigtails on both appliances and the duplex outlet was split. One "hot at all times" and one switched for the disposal. (I don't recall if I used a GFCI on this outlet or not, but it is a good idea. If you do a MWBC, you will nee two GFCI outlets.)
GFCI is required on dishwashers. Disposals- GFCI is not explicitly required in the NEC, but a good idea IMO.

You will get a lot of controversy over the rest.

Refrigerator - unless it is a "commercial" model, 15A is adequate and it can be shared with other appliance (maybe not the microwave).
Refrigerator can be on one of the SABCs (the two minimum circuits I talked about earlier), or you can put it on its own dedicated circuit.

Microwave/fan/light - 15A
20A is required by code. This is also required to be a dedicated circuit with nothing else on it.

Gas range - shared with microwave/fan/light (or maybe the refrigerator).
Can't be shared with microwave (see my comment above). But it can be on one of the SABCs.

Ceiling lights should be on a separate circuit.


This was a "budget" remodel and there was no money for a whole new load center. The house was old and very "oddly" wired. I needed four circuits, 2 counter top, 1 dishwasher/disposal and one refrigerator/microwave, plus the original ONE circuit that was there (yes, only ONE !) and of course the load center was full. Swapped in 4 tandems and I "made it work". Not inspected, but with THREE additional 20A circuit in that kitchen there was never an issue.

My comments in red...

 

[MrSurly]

Well, now you have.

Nowadays, most 30” four burner gas ranges don’t have convection, but five burner models do.

I don't have a pic handy, but yes, I have a GE Profile 30" five-burner gas range with a GAS Convection oven AND an additional lower gas oven (the drawer is an actual second gas OVEN, not a warming drawer) and there are NO electric heating elements, 15A SABC. Amp rating 9A (looked it up)
I discovered it’s now 12 years old!

 

[rlitman]

I don't have a pic handy, but yes, I have a GE Profile 30" five-burner gas range with a GAS Convection oven AND an additional lower gas oven (the drawer is an actual second gas OVEN, not a warming drawer) and there are NO electric heating elements, 15A SABC. Amp rating 9A (looked it up)...

Hummm, here are the specs for your model (which is rated 15A FYI):[/URL]
POWER / RATINGS
Bake/Broiler BTU Rating - Nat. Gas (000's BTU's) 16.0 Bake / 13.5 Broiler
Baking Drawer Wattage 1212
I looked up the parts drawings, and your baking drawer has an upper and lower heating element, but there is no convection element.


The sticker on my GE Profile 30" five-burner gas range (which is the model in the picture I posted above) says that the over draws 1150W. This is my model range:

POWER / RATINGS
Bake/Broiler BTU Rating - Nat. Gas (000's BTU's) 12.0 / 13.5 Upper; 14.0 / 1150W Lower
In my case, only the lower oven does convection.

 

[MrSurly]

Baking Drawer Wattage1212[/I]
I looked up the parts drawings, and your baking drawer has an upper and lower heating element, but there is no convection element.

Well you’ve discovered (and reminded me of) my lousy memory! The lower oven gets used precisely one day a year for baking pies while the turkey/ ham are cooking.
The lower oven is in fact electric, with two elements running on 120V. Oddly, one page on their site says 9A but the rating page (and the label) says 15A (apparently that’s the circuit requirement rather than the draw(?) which should be 1212/120=10.1.
Anyway, the point was only that the Main oven (upper) is a Gas Convection oven with a prominent fan and no electric element use that I can determine.

 

[wyliesdiesels]

Id still like to know the load rating of the fridge and why its required to be on a 20a circuit.

 

[engineer2]

I'll check when I get home. Specs online are BS.
I already pulled a 20A for the fridge. I tried to pull ten 12ga wires though 30 ft of 1/2 but too many bends thwarted my efforts. 6 went OK.

I need to cut the floor open to pipe another home run for the microwave and range. PITA, but it'll be done right. Range is a gas double oven and the lower one is convection.

There is also another home run with circuits for Countertop outlets "B" and the dishwasher. Looks like I should get a $50 GFCI breaker for the dishwasher.

 

[mm08822]

I'll check when I get home. Specs online are BS.
I already pulled a 20A for the fridge. I tried to pull ten 12ga wires though 30 ft of 1/2 but too many bends thwarted my efforts. 6 went OK.

I need to cut the floor open to pipe another home run for the microwave and range. PITA, but it'll be done right. Range is a gas double oven and the lower one is convection.

There is also another home run with circuits for Countertop outlets "B" and the dishwasher. Looks like I should get a $50 GFCI breaker for the dishwasher.

It's good that you didn't succeed. Max fill is 9 thhn conductors. If all 10 were current carrying conductors, then your ampacities would have been reduced to 50% = 15a.

 

[engineer2]

It's good that you didn't succeed.

It goes to show you online fill calculators can be wrong. Would have been a sucky pull anyhow.

Some were asking about appliance loads. These are new Whirlpool appliances. This is per the sticker.
Fridge: 10 Amps
Gas Range (double oven w. convection): 15 Amps
1000 W microwave w. 400 cfm blower: 1800 W (around 15 Amps)

 

[theoldwizard1]

My comments in red...

Microwave/fan/light - 15A
20A is required by code. This is also required to be a dedicated circuit with nothing else on it.

What crock ! I have never seen a residential 2000+W microwave ! A fan and a light would add less than 200W to any microwave.

 

[theoldwizard1]

There is also another home run with circuits for Countertop outlets "B" and the dishwasher. Looks like I should get a $50 GFCI breaker for the dishwasher.

Put a pigtail on the dishwasher and run it off of a GFCI outlet.

 

[dscheidt]

Disposal and dishwasher are typicaly put on an MWBC

Verify the rating of the microwave. Some require a 20 amp circuit. The circuit needs to be dedicated do not put any other outlets on that circuit due to power usage

The fridge circuit can be 14 gauge 15a. Some people put the fridge outlet on the small appliance branch circuits but I do not like to do that

Not sure why the range manufacturer recommends a dedicated circuit for the range. it really doesn’t need it. The load is very small. It’s just running the clock controls and the igniter. The range outlet could actually go on one of the countertop small appliance branch circuits.

Gas ranges draw from 400 to 800 W the entire time the oven is on, to run the hot plate igniter. yes, that's dumb, but they're all like that. (There are couple exceptions that have an electrically lit pilot, and are sold to off-grid people, at suitable prices.) A convection fan can add another 200 W to that.

 

[rlitman]

What crock ! I have never seen a residential 2000+W microwave ! A fan and a light would add less than 200W to any microwave.

The infrared halogen element in a GE Advantium is more than that, but those require 240V. They do brown food in ways that an ordinary microwave cannot.