# bathroom circuits



## joe cool (Jun 4, 2009)

One bedroom one bath apartment. One 20A circuit serving bathroom GFCI recep + light + vent fan and nothing else. Want to add a 1500W built-in electric heater on a dedicated circuit. Can this circuit be 15A?


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

joe cool said:


> One bedroom one bath apartment. One 20A circuit serving bathroom GFCI recep + light + vent fan and nothing else. Want to add a 1500W built-in electric heater on a dedicated circuit. Can this circuit be 15A?


IMO, if it is 120v then no. 240V yes


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## jefft110 (Jul 7, 2010)

Dennis Alwon said:


> IMO, if it is 120v then no. 240V yes


Why not?

Possible continuous load?


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## guest (Feb 21, 2009)

Technically, and by Code, Dennis is right, as a 120v 1500w heater is 12.5 amps, and 80% of 15amps is 12amps. And yes, it is because of the continuous load possibility. 

With that said, I wouldn't lose sleep over it, over only .5 amps. In my own house if I had to add the heater and the only circuit was a 15 with little or no other loads I would use it. (But then again I would only run a bath heater for 20 minutes or less anyways).

Best way to put it is I don't see it as a fire hazard, but it would not be Code Compliant and I would not do it for any customers.


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## ce2two (Oct 4, 2008)

1500 watts divided by 120v = 12.5 amps or go with #12 you then have 20amp ckt. (done)!:smartass:


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## Dennis Alwon (May 9, 2009)

I may not lose sleep over .5 amps either but I prefer to stay within the code so running a 20 amp cir is not any harder-- just a bit more money.


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

joe cool said:


> One bedroom one bath apartment. One 20A circuit serving bathroom GFCI recep + light + vent fan and nothing else. Want to add a 1500W built-in electric heater on a dedicated circuit. Can this circuit be 15A?


the heater is 240 volts right?
*
(3) Bathroom Branch Circuits.​*​​​​In addition to the number
of branch circuits required by other parts of this section, at
least one 20-ampere branch circuit shall be provided to
supply bathroom receptacle outlet(s). Such circuits shall
have no other outlets.​
_Exception: Where the 20-ampere circuit supplies a single
bathroom, outlets for other equipment within the same
bathroom shall be permitted to be supplied in accordance
with 210.23(A)(1) and (A)(2).​_Informational Note: See Examples D1(a), D1(b), D2(b),​and D4(a) in Informative Annex D


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## captkirk (Nov 21, 2007)

HARRY304E said:


> the heater is 240 volts right?
> 
> 
> *(3) Bathroom Branch Circuits.
> ...



as long as they dont want to blow dry their hair and use the heater at the same time your good to go...But I would just add a 20 amp circuit. ​


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## HARRY304E (Sep 15, 2010)

Dennis Alwon said:


> I may not lose sleep over .5 amps either but I prefer to stay within the code so running a 20 amp cir is not any harder-- just a bit more money.



Thats what i would do you have to run a new circuit any ways..


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## jefft110 (Jul 7, 2010)

captkirk said:


> as long as they dont want to blow dry their hair and use the heater at the same time your good to go...But I would just add a 20 amp circuit.
> [/left]


He already has a 20-amp circuit feeding a receptacle in the bath (I would guess next to the vanity) so why would he plug a hair dryer into the heater circuit?

It's built in too, so probably hard wired.

I think the OP is asking if it is permissible to run a 120v/15a circuit into a bathroom, and if the 15 is adequate for the 1500w heater.


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## Jcode (Mar 24, 2011)

1500w heater, by code 20 amp circuit. 'Nuff said. Just put 6 of these in 2 weeks ago.


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## 480sparky (Sep 20, 2007)

Jcode said:


> 1500w heater, by code 20 amp circuit. 'Nuff said. Just put 6 of these in 2 weeks ago.



Code reference, please.


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## I_get_shocked (Apr 6, 2009)

480sparky said:


> Code reference, please.


414.3(B) Branch-Circuit Sizing. Fixed electric space-heating
equipment shall be considered continuous load.


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## joe cool (Jun 4, 2009)

120V 1500W hard-wired electric heater on a 15 minute timer. I already ran a dedicated 15A, oops. But I don't feel it's dangerous so I'm going to leave it and see if the building inspector catches it. Thanks for the help.


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## Jcode (Mar 24, 2011)

480sparky said:


> Code reference, please.





I_get_shocked said:


> 414.3(B) Branch-Circuit Sizing. Fixed electric space-heating
> equipment shall be considered continuous load.


:whistling2:


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