What is the maximum number of 120-volt receptacles allowed on a general purpose circuit?

The maximum number of 120-volt receptacles allowed on a general purpose circuit is based on the guidelines established by the National Electrical Code (NEC). Specifically, the NEC suggests that a general purpose circuit can accommodate a maximum of 12 receptacles to ensure that the circuit is not overloaded.

Allowing 12 receptacles balances functionality with safety, reducing the risk of tripping breakers or causing overheating due to excessive load. Each receptacle typically should be calculated based on the anticipated load and the circuit's capacity—generally, a standard 15-amp residential circuit can handle a maximum load of 1,440 watts.

Understanding this guideline is essential for maintaining proper electrical safety and ensuring compliance with regulations. Having too many receptacles on one circuit can lead to an exceedance of the circuit's load capacity, which poses a fire hazard and could lead to circuit failure. Thus, limiting the number of receptacles to 12 ensures safe operation in most residential applications.