[mkmona04]

Purchased a home that has a 20 amp circuit. It has 12 gauge wire going from the breaker box to a junction box. Then from the junction box there is a dedicated 14 gauges wire going to a dishwasher and a second 14 gauge wire going to a small freezer. it has been like this for over 20 years with no problem. But - I just discovered it now - is it worth the work of running new 12 gauge wire to the dedicated dishwasher and freezer?

I understand it is not in code to have any 14 gauge anywhere on that circuit. i am not looking for that answer. I am looking for the "even though it is not in code" it is (or is not) OK answer.

Thank you

 

[Bud9051]

Not ok, just replace the breaker with a 15 amp, assuming those two applications will total less than 15. The pros will be along.

Bud

 

[HandyAndyInNC]

It is not code now. Just because the code has changed, does not mean that you go thru and change everything in your house. That is your house, do you feel that is safe? Or would be easy to work on if you had to turn off the power for a day or two for that circuit? What other work would you have to do if you had to turn off that circuit?

I would much rather have those two appliances each on a separate 20 amp circuit. In fact, I do not have any 15 amp circuits in any panel my house. And I never, ever use 14 AWG wire. I also do not have any "stand-alone" junction boxes. I only use the wall/floor boxes to make all the connections. Just some of the things that I like.

 

[anyacolo]

you would only have a problem if you plugged enough things in to overload the 14G wiring, at that point the wire would melt and burn because the 20A breaker would not protect it like it should, which is obviously a very dangerous situation,


as said above, all you need to do to make this safe is replace the breaker for this circuit with a 15A breaker

 

[mkmona04]

can a 15 amp circuit handle a dishwasher, fridge and chest freezer?

 

[anyacolo]

can a 15 amp circuit handle a dishwasher, fridge and chest freezer?

your house hasn't burned down yet, so i would say yes


if that circuit was drawing more then 15A you would have had a fire by now

 

[rjniles]

your house hasn't burned down yet, so i would say yes


if that circuit was drawing more then 15A you would have had a fire by now

That is a redicilious assumption.

Sent from my Moto E (4) Plus using Tapatalk

 

[HandyAndyInNC]

I would have each appliance on a separate 20 amp circuit.

 

[AllanJ]

can a 15 amp circuit handle a dishwasher, fridge and chest freezer?

Probably not. Even a 20 amp breaker might trip if the dishwasher is running and both the fridge and the freezer kick on at the same moment.

 

[MTN REMODEL LLC]

Well...it sure is not current code.....

Theoretically, IF neither your "quazi dedicated" can pull over 15A (and a DW small Freezer should not)... electrically it should be OK.

(That would also assume they are quazi dedicated....ie someone can not plug anything additional on them like a garbage disposal under a DW receptical under the sink or the receptical feeding the freezer.)

But, your 20A line might not be sufficient for all three units depending on their draw.

In older construction, I have found switch/light loops done in 14 off a 20A circuit, which is a similar issue to yours. (Not sure if that was ever legit code, or pre-code enforcement.)

I suppose you could imagine a pretty rare exception for instance: if your DW or freezer had a partial (not dead) short, that pulled only 19 amps through your 14....thus not tripping your 20A breaker, but exposing your 14 to 19A.

I would change it out if reasonably possible. I would also try a 15 Breaker and see if that protects the circuit without unreasonable tripping.

And certainly check your A of the freezer/refrig/DW. Freezer and refrigerators have become much more efficient if newer. The big A of a DW has to do with the heating element.

JMO....but apart from the rather unlikely occurence I outlined and they are assuredly dedicated....honestly speaking, I can't think of anything unsafe in it.

HOWEVER, CAVEAT...I'm not an electrician and perhaps have not considered everything.

 

[FrodoOne]

you would only have a problem if you plugged enough things in to overload the 14G wiring, at that point the wire would melt and burn because the 20A breaker would not protect it like it should, which is obviously a very dangerous situation,


as said above, all you need to do to make this safe is replace the breaker for this circuit with a 15A breaker

Unfortunately, although one should NOT use any length of 14 AWG wiring protected by a 20 A circuit breaker, anyacolo has made any resulting problem seem much more spectacular than it is likely to be.

All conductors have some resistance.
Current flowing in any of these conductors generates heat.
The "authorities" concerned deem that which is the maximum current for any particular sized conductor to carry while generating the amount of heat (and loss of energy) which is "acceptable".

In North America the maximum that a 14 AWG conductor may carry must not exceed 15 A (under most conditions, sometimes less).
If it carries 20 A it will get warmer/hotter than is desirable, which may cause overheating problems.

While it is most unlikely to "melt", the 33% of overloading (of 20 A) is well on the way to causing problems.

 

[seharper]

Stick a Kill-a-Watt on the freezer. Go see what it draws. Last time I checked my fridge there was a ~10A startup surge then it settled into about 0.75 amp while it ran. It's a trivial load.

Therefore unless the dishwasher is exceptionally high-current, I don't see any problem with having them both on a 15A breaker. Done and dusted!