On Fri, 14 Jul 2023 at 18:58, Lennart Sorensen via talk <talk@gtalug.org> wrote:
I was surprised to find out the code for kitchen outlets has changed at some point from having 2x15A circuits to each counter outlet pair, to having 1x20A to each outlet pair.
At the risk of continuing to go off topic; actually it hasn't "changed". Allowing a 20A circuit is an addition. You can still do a split dual 15A outlet with a double pole breaker if you wish. Advantages of a 20A circuit are: - A single run of the required 12 gauge cable is cheaper and easier than running two 14 gauge cables. - You only need a single pole 20A breaker instead of a 2 pole 15A breaker. This is cheaper and takes up less space in the panel. - You can install a regular 20A breaker and use a receptacle with ground and arc fault (GFCI/AFCI) protection. They don't make 15A split receptacles with this protection so you have to use a 2 pole GFCI/AFCI breaker. A 2 pole GFCI/AFCI breaker with a standard receptacle is much more expensive than a non-protecting breaker with a GFCI/AFCI receptacle. -- Scott