i ahev been told by many that the outlet for the referigrator has to be a dedicated circuit  and nothing can be tapped into it.

Is this correct??

I believe that is correct on new construction.  Not a bad idea if you think about it.....

I always dedicate a circuit to the refrigerator, microwave and the dishwasher in new kitchens.  

Don't think it's code where I live but our electrican told us it was his policy unless we insisted otherwise. His reasoning was that in the event another device on the circuit developed a problem and popped the breaker, if you didn't notice you'd lose everything in the fridge/freezer. If you have the spare room in the breaker box, it's a good idea.

As per 2002 code:



210.52(B)(1) Receptacle Outlets Served. In the kitchen, pantry, breakfast room, dining room, or similar area of a dwelling unit, the two or more 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuits required by 210.11(C)(1) shall serve all receptacle outlets covered by 210.52(A) and (C) and receptacle outlets for refrigeration equipment.
Exception No. 1: In addition to the required receptacles specified by 210.52, switched receptacles supplied from a general-purpose branch circuit as defined in 210.70(A)(1), Exception No. 1, shall be permitted.
Exception No. 1 to 210.52(B)(1) permits switched receptacles supplied from general-purpose 15-ampere branch circuits to be located in kitchens, pantries, breakfast rooms, and similar areas. See 210.70(A) and Exhibit 210.25 for details.
Exception No. 2: The receptacle outlet for refrigeration equipment shall be permitted to be supplied from an individual branch circuit rated 15 amperes or greater.
Exception No. 2 to 210.52(B)(1) allows a choice for refrigeration equipment receptacle outlets located in a kitchen or similar area. An individual 15-ampere or larger branch circuit may serve this equipment, or it may be included in the 20-ampere small-appliance branch circuit. Refrigeration equipment is also exempt from the GFCI requirements of 210.8.
So no, one is not required per NEC.  However, your local building codes could require a dedicated line to the fridge.  And it would be wise to do so.  Always check the local codes!

Also, remember that no circuit is allowed (anywhere) to pull over 80% of the rated load, so no 20A circuit can pull more than a total combined load of 16A.  That's running load, not startup.  Motors are rated at 125% of the complete protection, so you want a RLA and FLA of no more than 16 amps, and a startup of no more than 25 amps (on a 20A protection of a branch).  So even though code allows you to split the kitchen circuits into a minimum of 2, and that the fridge can be on one, if the fridge in question pulls a FLA or a RLA of 16 amps, you must install a dedicated circuit, anyway.  

Keep in mind that if you do the minimum of 2, 20A circuits, you might face the probability that both will be GFI protected, which isn't a good idea for a fridge.  The motor and condensor will constantly trip it.  

My suggestion is to always install a dedicated circuit for the refrigerator.  It's an economical method to avoid costly frustrations in the future, unless you're doing an apartment where the owner knows the fridge will only draw a tiny amount of current and it won't be ground fault protected.  

There's the 2002 code and my advice.  PM me if you'd like more information, my friend.  Remember, only a fool does the minimum, for he considers not the future.  

Whoops, I have an upright freezer and a dorm fridge(frige) on a power strip in the garage.


ByteTheBullet  (-:

Quoted: Don't think it's code where I live but our electrican told us it was his policy unless we insisted otherwise. His reasoning was that in the event another device on the circuit developed a problem and popped the breaker, if you didn't notice you'd lose everything in the fridge/freezer. If you have the spare room in the breaker box, it's a good idea.

Keep your sparky.  He knows of which he speaks.  Too many so-called electricians out there want to cut friggin corners and do the minimum.  Do you shoot corrosive ammo through a competition gun?  Do you buy shoes too small for your feet to save a few bucks?  Would you buy a tool that will face daily use in an industrial environment and puts food on your table from Harbor Freight?  

A few more dollars now = a lot less headaches later.  

Thanks for looking that up Richardh247.  I started looking it up, but since it is my week off I was too lazy to research it further.  Your results are exactly what I had remembered, but like I said, I was too lazy to look it up and quote it chapter and verse.

You're welcome, Dale.  I hope it is what you needed/were looking for.  

thanks for the info. I was contemplating tapping off of it because the outlet is right on the other side of a switch I want to put in for some lights.

I will run a new dedicated for the lights.

Happy New Year

Put freezers, fridges, etc on their own circuit if possible. Never on a GFCI circuit though. You'll come home one day to puddles of blood in your garage from all the meat :D

Quoted: You're welcome, Dale.  I hope it is what you needed/were looking for.

How's it going with the new live-in electrician over there?  Did he get his feet off the ground?  I hope all's well.

richardh247 - Man, you've had a busy day here haven't you?  Stay safe

Quoted: Quoted: You're welcome, Dale.  I hope it is what you needed/were looking for.   How's it going with the new live-in electrician over there?  Did he get his feet off the ground?  I hope all's well.

John's doing OK.  Got some bad news from the doc, but that is his tale to tell.  I know he's hurting real bad, so we've only worked together here and there.  

He's a good man, and I am not sorry I brought him here and he shares my home.  He's actually a great guy.  Amazing what a committed group of people can do for one person.  

Quoted: richardh247 - Man, you've had a busy day here haven't you?  Stay safe

Hey, man, I love it!  No better feeling in the world than to try and help a friend.  You'd do the same...  Or else we wouldn't have been in these same threads!  

Don't lie - you're a nice guy and you know it!  

After the fact, but another Electricians insight-

Local code here dictates that several dedicated appliance circuits be installed in new construction. I've been doing my side jobs that way for a while now.
For kitchens, I usually run one for the fridge, one for the microwave, and one for a diswasher.    

So it's a bad thing that our refrigerator and microwave use the same outlet?

In the event of a faulty breaker, it could be.
Most likely, you'll just have to reset the breaker if your fridge compressor and your microwave are drawing high amperage at the same time.

Many 110v household breakers are 15 or 20 amps. As stated earlier, when your refridgerator's compressor kicks on, it could very well draw 20 amps or more from the panel. There are some very slight variables involved, such as the wire material, length of wire in the circuit (distance to the panel), and variances in the construction of the breaker itself. This all can contribute to the amount of amperage pulled thru a circuit.

As far as microwaves go, some of the cheaper china-mart specials arent a very high wattage, and consequently dont draw as high of a current (amperage) as the higher powered, more expensive models.