Final answer:
The NEC requires at least two 20 A circuits dedicated to kitchen and dining room small appliances. These circuits should only be loaded to 80% of their capacity for continuous use, which for a 20 A circuit equates to 1,920 W maximum to prevent overloading.
Step-by-step explanation:
The NEC (National Electrical Code) requires a minimum of two 20 A circuits dedicated to small appliances in the kitchen and dining room areas of a home. Safety regulations limit continuous use to 80% of the breaker current capacity, which for a 20 A circuit would mean a maximum continuous load of 1,920 W. This is to prevent potential overloads and ensure that the circuit can safely handle the power demands of common kitchen appliances such as toasters, mixers, and coffee makers.
Understanding how different appliances affect circuit load is crucial. For example, plugging an 1800-W toaster, a 1400-W electric frying pan, and a 75-W lamp into the same outlet on a 15-A, 120-V circuit inevitably draws a total current that exceeds the circuit's limit, risking a tripped breaker or blown fuse. Therefore, it's important to distribute high-wattage appliances across different circuits to avoid overloading.