How many lighting outlets can a 15amp current protection support?

The capacity of a 15-amp current protection device refers to how much electrical load it can safely support without tripping. For lighting circuits, codes generally allow for a certain load per outlet to determine how many outlets can be connected to a circuit.

Typically, the National Electrical Code (NEC) suggests that a general lighting circuit can support 1.5 amps per outlet. To calculate how many outlets a 15-amp circuit can sustain, you divide the total available current by the load per outlet.

In this case, using 15 amps and assuming a load of 1.5 amps per outlet:

15 amps ÷ 1.5 amps per outlet = 10 outlets.

However, there are practical considerations in electrical design that recommend not utilizing the entire capacity of the circuit to allow for safety and to account for potential additional loads. Therefore, while mathematically it appears that 10 outlets can fit, a common guideline used in practice is to allow for a slightly lower number for safety.

Thus, 8 outlets represent a recommended capacity for a safe and effective design, ensuring that the circuit is not overloaded during peak usage. This also considers possible variations in power consumption from different types of lighting fixtures or bulbs that might be connected to the