10 amp outlet/receptacle circuits?

**Robert Foster** · 03-31-2010, 07:39 AM

Inspected a house yesterday which had numerous 10 amp circuit breakers protecting mulitple receptacle circuits. I've never seen 10 amp circuit breakers used before. I think I know and my Code Check Guide confirms that bedroom receptacle circuits should be min. of 15 amp and kitchen should be served by min of 2 20 amp circuits.

Is there/what is a scenario where 10 amp circuits are used appropiately?

This house was owner built by a contractor in 2004...Realtor of course informed me "you shouldn't find anything wrong with this house"

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**brian schmitt** · 03-31-2010, 09:16 AM

check 240.6 nec! not a standard size but permitted. what does the panel listing indicate?

**Robert Foster** · 03-31-2010, 09:36 AM

Originally Posted by brian schmitt

check 240.6 nec! not a standard size but permitted. what does the panel listing indicate?

I don't have a copy of the complete NEC. My code check references 210.3 with the following...

Branch circuit ratings for other than individual circuits must be 15A, 20A, 30A, 40A, or 50A

I interpreted "individual" as serving a single outlet, as in one receptacle..which these were not. I hope that was an accurate interpretation, because I called it out as a defect requiring corection by a licensed electrician. Was I incorrect?

As for reading the panel label...guilty as charged....relatively new at this and my process is still not ideal.

**Wayne Carlisle** · 03-31-2010, 10:34 AM

240.6 Standard Ampere Ratings.
(A) Fuses and Fixed-Trip Circuit Breakers. The standard ampere ratings for fuses and inverse time circuit breakers shall be considered 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, 100, 110, 125, 150, 175, 200, 225, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 600, 700, 800, 1000, 1200, 1600, 2000, 2500, 3000, 4000, 5000, and 6000 amperes. Additional standard ampere ratings for fuses shall be 1, 3, 6, 10, and 601. The use of fuses and inverse time circuit breakers with nonstandard ampere ratings shall be permitted.

**Jim Port** · 03-31-2010, 10:56 AM

In over 30 years of work I have never seen a 10 amp breaker in other than a control panel. Do you have pics?

Did you see what size the branch circuit wiring was? I would suspect that it was no smaller than #14.

**Robert Foster** · 03-31-2010, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Port

In over 30 years of work I have never seen a 10 amp breaker in other than a control panel. Do you have pics?

Did you see what size the branch circuit wiring was? I would suspect that it was no smaller than #14.

Yes, it was no smaller than #14

Alot of circuits for a 1475 sq. ft. house. There were four different GFCI circuits serving the kitchen counter each with three receptacles...didn't make any sense to me.

**Jim Port** · 03-31-2010, 02:58 PM

Seeing this is a Square D QO panel I pulled an extra breaker out of the truck. I believe the 10 that the OP is seeing is the 10kA interrupting rating, not the breaker ampacity.

To Op, Square D has the circuit ampacity on the handle. The interrupting rating is near the yellow SQuare D logo.

Breakers need to be rated for available fault current. Typical ratings for this are 10kAIC and 22kAIC.

**Robert Foster** · 03-31-2010, 04:18 PM

I'm pretty sure you're right....boy do I feel like an idiot....fortunately, I figured it out this afternoon prior to uploading the report.

I only have a couple of dozen inspections under my belt and this house was the newest I've done by about 15 years. Looks like the interrupting rating on these newer breakers is printed much bigger than it was previously. When I inspected the panel everything looked okay to me, but all those kitchen circuits kept nagging at me, then I think my mind went into overdrive and my minds eye kept seeing all those big "10s" and my imagination took over from there.

What's a rookie learn from this...

1. Take really good close up pics of the panel.

2. Never second guess yourself after you've left the house.
3. Don't rush to deliver the report....if you've got a concern, don't guess, research it and go back to the house if necessary. Better to be late and get it right than on time and get it wrong.

**Michael Thomas** · 03-31-2010, 07:20 PM

Originally Posted by Robert Foster

boy do I feel like an idiot....

However, that's approximately 10% of the idiot you would have felt like if you hadn't asked.

**Rollie Meyers** · 03-31-2010, 07:24 PM

How old is this installation? I have read on one of the electrical forums where some folks used 10 ampere circuit breakers to avoid using AFCI's, Arc Fault Circuit Interupters are just snake oil but they are a code requirement.